How to Pray for a Miracle?
This question reminds me of the story in 1 Kings 18:20-40, when the prophet Elijah came face-to-face with 450 prophets of Baal. There was a showdown, the whole city was there, and the false prophets would cut up their bull sacrifice and ask Baal to put fire to it. Elijah said, “Call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, is the real God.”
Baal’s prophets kept calling on their god and cutting themselves—yet nothing happened. During Elijah’s turn, He fixed the altar of the Lord and lined it up with 12 stones, put the wood and sacrifice, came near, and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel, and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, O Lord, that these people may know that you are God.”
The Lord’s fire came down. The people saw how it consumed the sacrifice, wood, stone, and water. They fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God.”
What an amazing miracle where God showed Himself by fire, at the request of His servant, Elijah! Elijah’s experience teaches us how to pray for a miracle.
First, speak out in faith. Speak your request and believe that God hears you. Believe that you have received, and it will be yours. Next, check the heart’s motive. If we asked and didn’t receive, it’s because we ask with the wrong motives, wanting to spend what we get for our own pleasur motive was to let the world know that the Lord is the one true God. Lastly, Elijah wasn’t ashamed to call on the name of the Lord. Call on the name of Jesus, for He is our miracle-working God.
In His Service,
PETER M. KAIRUZ President and CEO
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God Will Help You Overcome
“My life was falling apart…”
These thoughts were running through Flordeliza Lalic’s head as she endured one setback after another. The 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption destroyed all their possessions, and when her husband borrowed money so they could recover, he was robbed and stabbed to death on his way home. “My husband took out a Php 38,000 loan. A group of drunk men saw the money, they went after him and ended his life,” she lamented.
Desperate and hopeless, Flordeliza fell on her knees to pray. She asked God to help her and give her a job so she can support her two children. She cried, “Lord, please help me! Help me provide for my kids.”
In her darkest moment, Flordeliza saw a sliver of hope. She chanced upon The 700 Club Asia and was encouraged by the story of the testimony giver who found comfort in blessing others—in return, God blessed them generously. Flordeliza was moved to give Php 300.
It opened a door of answered prayers. Just a few days after, a friend recommended her to a Korean employer who offered her a job as a caretaker. Along with this is a salary good enough to make ends meet. She was able to provide for her children and send them to school. Now, Flordeliza has stopped working because her daughter, who already graduated from college, volunteered to be the breadwinner. They also acquired a new home and started their sari-sari store business!
After everything Flordeliza has gone through, God was there to rescue her. He can do the same for you. When you feel like life is a struggle, call unto Jesus, and He will help you overcome. He will be your ever-present help.
Struggling to Survive?
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to be a Blessing
Starting a business is not easy. Sustaining a business during a worldwide pandemic seemed like an impossible task. Aljohn and Florence Galang can attest to that.
When the pandemic hit, their veterinary clinic was drastically affected. Florence recalled, “Our savings have run low, and we didn’t have any patients, how are we going to survive?” It was a very stressful time for the couple—not only were they fighting for their daily expenses, but they were also expecting a baby. Florence prayed, “Lord, I will surrender this to You, I can no longer think of ways to get through this.”
Amid financial struggles, Aljohn and Florence remained committed to supporting God’s ministry. Despite limited income, they did not forget to give God what is for Him. They also constantly called the CBN Asia Prayer Center for prayer and counseling and supported Operation Blessing in their mission to bless our kababayans in need. They seized the opportunity to bless others even in their lack.
“We will give this money not because we need something but because this is what God deserves,” Florence gladly shared.
God honored their obedience and blessed their new business! Their clinic reopened, and business picked up once again—which helped their small family to get back on their feet. Truly, no one can outgive God as He blessed them with two more branches during the pandemic.
“God is really a God who provides. He is Jehovah Jireh,” Florence declared, believing that they are, indeed, blessed to be a blessing.
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You are Blessed
Praying for a Miracle?
Keep praying, keep believing. Let Ricardo Gayo’s true-to-life story of healing encourage you about God’s miraculous works.
Ricardo grew up in a family who does not believe in the Bible which led him to vices such as smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. One night, when he was 13, he watched a few episodes of The 700 Club Asia that show testimonies of God’s powerful works.
At the age of 15, he was diagnosed with a severe heart problem, leukemia, and malaria of the brain that made him feel hopeless. “You only have three days left to live,” the doctors finally said.
On the brink of death, he suddenly recalled The 700 Club Asia that he watched when he was younger. Together with his mother, he prayed to accept Jesus in his life. He surrendered his life to God thinking it was his end.
After his mother’s prayer, he fell into a deep sleep like never before. He woke up replenished—he simply described it as instant healing. They went to the hospital and all the tests came back negative! Since then, Ricardo offered his life to preach God’s love to the hopeless and hurting. “He is really the God of healing. What may seem impossible to men is really possible with God.”
Are You Praying 5
to People in Need
Discover how your support for Operation Blessing has transformed lives. From providing solar lamps for remote study to free medical services, extracting a painful tooth, and bringing relief after an earthquake, here’s how you made a lifesaving impact on countless lives worldwide.
A brand-new light for Joy
“I want to be an engineer. When I reach my dreams, we will finally experience having electricity,” living in a remote community in Tabango, Leyte, Joy Lapore’s family had no access to electricity. With her mother gone and her father working away from home, Joy’s grandmother was left to care for her and her siblings. Despite their struggles, Joy remained determined to pursue her dream.
But the lack of electricity hinders Joy from reaching her goals. She had to rely on a small flashlight and a gas lamp to see in the dark, making it difficult for Joy to study.
Hope arrived in the form of Operation Blessing. The team braved the treacherous terrain to reach Joy’s community and provide brand-new solar lamps to families in need. The light from the lamps and prayers from the team brought a glimmer of hope to Joy—she’s encouraged to reach her dreams now more than ever! “Thank you so much, Operation Blessing! Without your help, I won’t have the light I need while working on my modules,” Joy shared.
Bringing Lifesaving Relief 6
Helping Turkey rise from the rubble
“I haven’t experienced something like this in my whole life. The earthquake was horrible,” as the ground shook violently, Ali Doghrou and his family huddled together in fear, unsure if their home would hold up against the force of nature.
After the devastating quake in Turkey, their family was still reeling from the trauma. Their home was damaged, and they had to stay in a cramped tent just to feel safe. With little food and no proper shelter, they felt hopeless and scared.
Thankfully, Operation Blessing was quick to respond to their needs. We brought food items that would last for weeks, providing relief and hope to Ali’s family and many others like them. Ali couldn’t contain his gratitude for the help they received, “Thank God for providing for us.”
An answered prayer for Marissa
Marissa’s toothache has been causing her unbearable pain for days, but she could not afford to visit a dentist or buy medicine to alleviate it. As a utility worker in Brgy. Sta Fe, Dasmarinas Cavite, Marissa had to endure the discomfort and continue to support her family. She then uttered a prayer, “Lord, please don’t let this toothache continue. It affects my job. Please heal me.” Her prayers were answered when Operation Blessing’s Mobile Clinic arrived in their barangay. After a few minutes, the volunteer dentist successfully extracted Marissa’s painful tooth, bringing her huge relief.
Marissa could not thank God enough for the people who helped alleviate her suffering, “It feels nice that the pain is gone. I am grateful to Operation Blessing and your partners!”
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Your Child in Learning
Calling all Super parents!
You are your child’s first teacher. Your involvement plays a huge role in their learning and development. From helping them with homework to attending school events, the time and support you give can bring awesome outcomes in their learning!
Here are 3 benefits of parental involvement to children’s learning, according to Verywell Family.
It Helps Improve their Mental Health
Children with parents who are more involved can have better mental health. When parents participate, their child’s self-esteem can be fostered and skills for regulating emotions can be developed more. They also feel negative emotions less often.
It Helps Develop Positive Behavior It Helps Achieve Academic Excellence
Negative behavior issues begin to appear when children’s cognitive development leads them to risk-taking. When parents are involved, these issues can be brought to their attention and can be addressed.
Children with involved parents perform better in school and get higher scores. They are also more likely to attend school regularly. These improvements can occur when parents are involved in showing value for learning, helping in their children’s schoolwork, encouraging consistent attendance, and joining parent-teacher conferences.
Amazing results happen when parents choose to become involved in their children’s learning. Begin learning at home with fun and exciting learning activities from Superbook like tracing activities, jigsaw puzzles, story books, coloring books, and more! Get yours at any PCBS, Philippine Bible Society, and OMF Literature branch near you! Follow us @BatangSuperbook on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for more information.
3 Benefits of Accompanying
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Brings Blessings!
Kui Thang discovered this truth when he embarked on a journey of being a missionary in Myanmar.
Ever since Kui encountered Jesus, it has become his lifelong mission to share God’s saving love with his fellowmen. He was only 22 when he set foot in Yangon—little did he know, God will use him to minister to the Buddhist community. “When I saw that they haven’t experienced God’s love yet, it touched my heart. They needed to know Jesus.”
He did not know at first what to make of God’s calling to become a pastor, yet Kui courageously answered. After soaking in prayers, he flew to the Philippines and trained at the Asian Center for Missions (ACM). “ACM’s training program challenged me to continue serving God. It ignited my heart for the ministry. I learned to hold on to prayer and have leadership skills,” Kui went home to Myanmar with these lessons—and faced his first obstacle.
“We gathered in a house, but the local authorities heard us worshiping and praying. They said, ‘If you want to pray, build a church and pray there. You can’t do this in this house because we can arrest you.’” Kui did not back down. Obeying God’s call relentlessly, he was blessed with a house church in Yangon. Kui reached not only the residents but also the local authorities of Myanmar. He was able to invite them to church!
Through God’s grace and the training he received from ACM, their church grew and he was able to start a Bible school and training for youth, “God used ACM to fulfill my mission in Myanmar, they taught and guided me in everything. For the sake of those who do not know God yet, may He continue to bless ACM.”
Truly, God is faithful to reward an obedient heart! “The greatest lesson I learned is to obey God. His Word became my strength. I hold onto God’s Word and I will continue His Work until the end.”
Your Obedience 9
Amid Anxiety
What are you anxious about?
Danica Concepcion found herself grappling with the weight of separation anxiety during the pandemic. With lockdowns in place, she not only lost touch with her friends but also lost her job—leaving her isolated and alone. “I was not used to spending time with family, it was hard to communicate with them,” Danica recalled. “I really missed my friends, I felt like I was in prison. I wanted to go out and be free.”
Feeling hopeless, Danica sought solace in watching online videos, chancing upon an episode of CBN Asia’s I Can Breakthrough on YouTube. It was during this moment that she heard a profound truth: In times of separation and worry, only God can truly understand and fulfill our deepest needs. “I realized that no one could comfort us from the separation and anxiety we feel, only the Lord.” This helped Danica gain self-confidence and trust God.
Armed with faith, she turned to prayer and devotions. Instead of succumbing to worry, Danica allowed herself to be used by God—sharing God’s Word with her family, initiating Bible studies at home, and building a deeper connection with loved ones.
As if a divine response to her unwavering faith, Danica’s prayers were answered when she secured a job as an Admin Assistant. Grateful for the newfound opportunity, she appreciates the role played by CBN Asia’s inspirational videos in fueling her hope during her most challenging season. “I’m thankful to CBN Asia for the inspirational videos, they always give me hope no matter how difficult our situation is,” Danica shared.
Finding Breakthrough 10
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