Christian Music Appreciation: How Great is Our God

Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on How Great is Our God, a very well-known worship song written by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash and Jesse Reeves. The song was part of the DVD release of the live praise-and-worship Hillsong Worship album titled Mighty to Save.

If you want to discover and learn more about Hillsong Worship, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram) and here (YouTube). To learn more about Chris Tomlin, click here (Facebook), here (Instagram) and here (official website).

Before getting into the analysis of the Biblical relevance of How Great is Our God, posted below for your reference are the lyrics composed by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash and Jesse Reeves.

Lyrics:

The splendor of a king

Clothed in majesty

Let all the earth rejoice

All the earth rejoice

He wraps Himself in light,

And darkness tries to hide

And trembles at His voice

Trembles at His voice

How great is our God

Sing with me

How great is our God

And all will see

How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands

And time is in His hands

Beginning and the end

Beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One

Father, Spirit and Son

The Lion and the Lamb

The Lion and the Lamb

How great is our God

Sing with me

How great is our God

And all will see

How great, how great is our God

Name above all names

Worthy of all praise

My heart will sing

How great is our God

Name above all names

You are worthy of all praise

And my heart will sing

How great is our God

[3x]

How great is our God

Sing with me

How great is our God

And all will see

How great, how great is our God

To begin with, let’s take a close look at the first section of the lyrics above: The splendor of a king, Clothed in majesty, Let all the earth rejoice, All the earth rejoice.

The above lines emphasize the greatness of God in Heaven. In His Kingdom, the Lord is the ultimate which is undeniably true and as His faithful children, we do our part honoring Him, praising Him, serving Him, rejoicing with Him and keep on having an eternal personal relationship with Him. God’s greatness also rewards us as we keep on having unwavering faith in Him. Do not forget that submitting to His Son Jesus is the only way to the Heavenly Father. Learn from the following holy scriptures below…

To you, O God, belong the greatness and the might, the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor; Yes! Everything in heaven, everything on earth; the kingdom all yours! You’ve raised yourself high over all.

1 Chronicles 29:11 (MSG)

And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,”

Nehemiah 1:5 (NKJV)

For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.

1 Samuel 12:22 (ESV)

Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.”

John 14:6 (TPT)

Then Jesus came close to them and said, “All authority of the universe has been given to me. Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (TPT)

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!

Philippians 4:4 (MSG)

Next, take a close look at the next batch of lines from the lyrics: He wraps Himself in light, And darkness tries to hide, And trembles at His voice, Trembles at His voice

The above lines explain that the holiness of the Heavenly Father is true and eternal. God is great and His light shines upon His faithful children as well as the other souls who repented and submitted to His Son Lord Jesus to come to Him in the Kingdom of Light. Darkness, sin, destruction, poverty and other elements of the enemy have no place in God’s kingdom nor in the hearts of the children of God. With unwavering and unbreakable faith in the Lord, you can defeat Satan and his minions and stay high with the Lord’s holiness! Pay close attention to the following holy scriptures.

Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great! You are clothed with honor and majesty—

[You are the One] Who covers Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain or a tent,

Who lays the beams of the upper room of His abode in the waters [above the firmament], Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind,

Psalm 104:1-3 (AMPC)

Everything I am will praise and bless the Lord!

O Lord, my God, your greatness takes my breath away,

overwhelming me by your majesty, beauty, and splendor!

You wrap yourself with a shimmering, glistening light.

You wear sunshine like a garment of glory.

You stretch out the starry skies like a tapestry.

You build your balconies with light beams

and ride as King in a chariot you made from clouds.

You fly upon the wings of the wind.

Psalms 104:1-3 (TPT)

There is none holy like the Lord, there is none besides You; there is no Rock like our God.

1 Samuel 2:2 (AMPC)

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

James 2:19 (NKJV)

Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light.

[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.

[Now] He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation.

Colossians 1:12-15 (AMPC)

Then Jesus said, “I am light to the world, and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.”

John 8:12 (TPT)

Next, take a close look at the next batch of lines from the lyrics. Specifically, the following are lines from the chorus of the song: How great is our God, Sing with me, How great is our God, And all will see, How great, how great is our God.

The above lines emphasize again the greatness of God. It teaches us that as His faithful children, we should be ready to always recognize true greatness comes from the Lord and no other forms of greatness will ever come close to His. The greatness of the Lord is a lively reminder that we must dedicated ourselves to Him, spread His Word to others and help the lost and unsaved souls come to Lord Jesus to be with the Heavenly Father and realize His greatness. Read the hole scriptures below…

There is none like you, O Lord;

you are great, and your name is great in might.

Jeremiah 10:6 (ESV)

For God is the triumphant King; all the powers of the earth are his. So sing your celebration songs of highest praise to the glorious Enlightened One!

Psalms 47:7 (TPT)

The Mighty One has worked a mighty miracle for me; holy is his name!

Luke 1:49 (TPT)

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

1 John 3:1 (NKJV)

Death once held us in its grip, and by the blunder of one man, death reigned as king over humanity. But now, how much more are we held in the grip of grace and continue reigning as kings in life, enjoying our regal freedom through the gift of perfect righteousness in the one and only Jesus, the Messiah!

Romans 5:17 (TPT)

The time came to observe the winter Feast of Renewal in Jerusalem.  Jesus walked into the temple area under Solomon’s covered walkway when the Jewish leaders encircled him and said, “How much longer will you keep us in suspense? Tell us the truth and clarify this for us once and for all. Are you really the Messiah, the Anointed One?”

Jesus answered them, “I have told you the truth already and you did not believe me. The proof of who I am is revealed by all the miracles that I do in the name of my Father. Yet, you stubbornly refuse to follow me, because you are not my sheep. As I’ve told you before: My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me. I give to them the gift of eternal life and they will never be lost and no one has the power to snatch them out of my hands. My Father, who has given them to me as his gift, is the mightiest of all, and no one has the power to snatch them from my Father’s care. The Father and I are one.”

John 10:22-30 (TPT)

For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

1 Timothy 2:5 (AMPC)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)

The Lord has done great things for us;

We are joyful.

Psalm 126:3 (NASB)

The above lines emphasize that the Lord is eternal and He does not change Himself. He is always present to guide the faithful and provide for them. He is always there to fight battles that are too great for us to handle. God is always present to emphasize His faithfulness to those who dedicated themselves to Him. He is always present to spend time with each of us – His faithful children – and is always ready to welcome the souls who got born again after repenting to Lord Jesus and accepting Him as their Lord and Savior. Learn from the scriptures below…

The eternal God is your refuge and dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He drove the enemy before you and thrust them out, saying, Destroy!

Deuteronomy 33:27 (AMPC)

For this is God,

Our God forever and ever;

He will be our guide

Even to death.

Psalm 48:14 (NKJV)

Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the Lord,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV)

Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 (NASB)

“I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father!”

John 14:12 (TPT)

Then Jesus came close to them and said, “All authority of the universe has been given to me. Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (TPT)

Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics: The Godhead Three in One, Father, Spirit and Son, The Lion and the Lamb, The Lion and the Lamb.

The above lines refers to the Holy Trinity composed of God the Heavenly Father, His Son Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Having the Holy Trinity is essential in our faith in the Lord as well as Christian living. The lion and the lamb mentioned symbolize our Lord.

Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

Matthew 28:19 (AMPC)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:16-17 (ESV)

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

John 1:29 (NKJV)

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

To receive power and riches and wisdom,

And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power

Be to Him who sits on the throne,

And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

Revelation 5:11-13 (NKJV)

And I wept audibly and bitterly because no one was found fit to open the scroll or to inspect it.

Then one of the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] said to me, Stop weeping! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root (Source) of David, has won (has overcome and conquered)! He can open the scroll and break its seven seals!

Revelation 5:4-5 (AMPC)

The Lord also will roar from Zion,

And utter His voice from Jerusalem;

The heavens and earth will shake;

But the Lord will be a shelter for His people,

And the strength of the children of Israel.

Joel 3:16 (NKJV)

Finally, we take a close look at the following lines of lyrics of the song in two similar looking batches: Name above all names, Worthy of all praise, My heart will sing, How great is our God and Name above all names, You are worthy of all praise, And my heart will sing, How great is our God.

Our Lord’s name is the ultimate of all names. No name can be greater than the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the only begotten son of God sent here on Earth to lead humanity out of darkness. Jesus died on the cross carrying all of humanity’s sins and trespasses with Him, and a few days later He returned from the dead (conquered death), made His presence felt to the faithful and ascended to Heaven with the promise of returning in the future. Lord Jesus is the Messiah, the King of all kings and the One we must follow in order to be with the Heavenly Father in His kingdom. The Lord is worthy of all our praise! Learn from the following scriptures below…

Because of that obedience, God exalted him and multiplied his greatness! He has now been given the greatest of all names! The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence! Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name—in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm. And every tongue will proclaim in every language: “Jesus Christ is Lord Yahweh,” bringing glory and honor to God, his Father!

Philippians 2:9-11 (TPT)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND

LORD OF LORDS.

Revelation 19:16 (NKJV)

She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21 (NASB)

I will exalt You, my God, the King,

And I will bless Your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless You,

And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised;

And His greatness is unsearchable.

One generation will praise Your works to another,

And will declare Your mighty acts.

On the glorious splendor of Your majesty

And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.

People will speak of the power of Your awesome acts,

And I will tell of Your greatness.

Psalm 145:1-6 (NASB)

For through the eternal and living Word of God you have been born again. And this “seed” that he planted within you can never be destroyed but will live and grow inside of you forever. For: Human beings are frail and temporary, like grass, and the glory of man fleeting like blossoms of the field. The grass dries and withers and the flowers fall off, but the Word of the Lord endures forever!

1 Peter 1:23-25 (TPT)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah is God’s spiritual child and has been fathered by God himself. And everyone who loves Father God loves his children as well. This is how we can be sure that we love the children of God: by having a passionate love for God and by obedience to his commands. True love for God means obeying his commands, and his commands don’t weigh us down as heavy burdens. You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world. So who are the world conquerors, defeating its power? Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 5:1-5 (TPT)

Very clearly, the worship song How Great is Our God is a very holy song. Indeed, the lyrics composed by the writers are very biblical and it is safe to say that the Lord anointed them as well as their musicians to make this great praise-and-worship song. Musically, it is unsurprisingly beautiful to listen to and easily it is ideal to lead your fellow faithful Christians at church to the Lord with. How Great is Our God will easily fit in with your local church’s Sunday worship service music as well as during special worship events that involve the church’s music team. Ultimately, How Great is Our God will not only remind you of His everlasting greatness but also inspire you to deepen your faith in Him and help lead the lost and unsaved souls to Him through Lord Jesus!

In conclusion, posted below are YouTube videos of How Great is Our God for your faith and viewing pleasure. While watching it and listening to the music, remember to be faithful and thankful to the Lord. Always remember to realize the good life from the Lord, practice Christian habits (click here and here for reference), have private time with Godget yourself planted in a local church (allow the Holy Spirit to guide you) and remember the truth that He rewards the faithful abundantly and He established plans for you before you were even created! Continue to live with God’s Word, seek God through His son Jesus, follow the light of Jesus, and keep on being the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there. Also please consider making a donation to support my publishing of faith articles, CMAs and feature articles.

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Christian Music Appreciation: Lord Your Goodness

Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on Lord Your Goodness, an original worship song of Hillsong Worship with lyrics written by Reuben Morgan.

If you want to discover and learn more about Hillsong Worship, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram) and here (YouTube). 

Before getting into the analysis of the Biblical relevance of Lord Your Goodness, posted below for your reference are the lyrics composed by Reuben Morgan.

I will come to You with an open heart

And bring a sacrifice of praise

I have seen Your power in the holy place

And I have known Your mighty ways

I will remember Your mercy

And Lord Your faithfulness

Lord Your goodness and Your love will follow me

All the days of my life

I’m surrounded with the favour of the Lord

Always and forever

To begin with, let’s take a close look at the first section of the lyrics above: I will come to You with an open heart, And bring a sacrifice of praise, I have seen Your power in the holy place.

The above lines emphasize that we the faithful children must always come to Him with open hearts and that means being completely transparent and honest with Him as there is simply no hiding of darkness nor sin deep within. To be born again in Christ means having His Spirit – the Holy Spirit – in the heart and always prioritizing the Lord with complete honor and obedience towards Him. Remember when you were still living your old sinful life? You not only had a closed heart hardened by sin, you also had a heart that did not have the Holy Spirit which clearly means it was not a heart of worship. For the lost and unsaved souls thinking about coming to God, always open your heart first before coming to His Jesus for repentance and getting born again. If you are an unsaved or lost soul who still has unholy elements in your heart (note: homosexuality, political correctness, wokeness, idolatry, religion, Marxism, socialism, Communism, atheism, agnosticism, transgender obsession, terrorism, fascism and others), you must get rid of them all and you must reject Satan before you come to the Lord for salvation. Be ready to repent to Him. Once you have a fully opened, worship-oriented heart, praise is inevitable for everyone to do to realize the Lord’s power and holiness. Learn from the scriptures below…

But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (TPT)

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV)

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG)

What joy overwhelms everyone who keeps the ways of God, those who seek him as their heart’s passion!

Psalms 119:2 (TPT)

Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.

Hebrews 13:15 (AMPC)

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all.

Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all.

Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name and those attributes which that name denotes.

1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (AMPC)

Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics: I will remember Your mercy, And Lord Your faithfulness.

The mercy and faithfulness of the Lord are undeniably true and real. While there are still lots of religious people who believe the falsehood that the Lord is always very strict and rarely grants mercy, His mercy is actually great and He is compassionate as well. The Lord is faithful (lasting loyalty and trustworthiness in relationships) and His love for His faithful children is connected with faithfulness, mercy and compassion. Lord Jesus proved it all to be true and real. Learn from the holy scriptures below…

And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:6-7 (NKJV)

It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not.

They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (AMPC)

The Rock, his work is perfect,

    for all his ways are justice.

A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,

    just and upright is he.

Deuteronomy 32:4 (ESV)

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

John 3:16 (AMPC)

By the time Jesus came ashore, a massive crowd was waiting. At the sight of them, his heart was filled with compassion, because they seemed like wandering sheep who had no shepherd. So he taught them many wonderful things.

Mark 6:34 (TPT)

There failed no part of any good thing which the Lord had promised to the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Joshua 21:45 (AMPC)

This is why he had to be a man and take hold of our humanity in every way. He made us his brothers and sisters and became our merciful and faithful King-Priest before God; as the One who removed our sins to make us one with him. He suffered and endured every test and temptation, so that he can help us every time we pass through the ordeals of life.

Hebrews 2:17-18 (TPT)

For God’s Word is something to sing about! He is true to his promises, his word can be trusted, and everything he does is reliable and right.

Psalms 33:4 (TPT)

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness.

The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works [the entirety of things created].

Psalm 145:8-9 (AMPC)

Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life—we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

1 Peter 1:3 (TPT)

Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics:Lord Your goodness and Your love will follow me, All the days of my life, I’m surrounded with the favour of the Lord, Always and forever.

As the faithful children of God, we have His favor, His love, His goodness and much more. To be faithful to Him and living by His Word (and spreading it) are our responsibilities as Christians. Our faith in Him must always be unbreakable and unwavering. We reject idols and reject unholiness because we are meant to be with the Lord and follow His ways in accordance to His Word. Never forget our union with Lord Jesus, the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Learn from the holy scriptures below…

Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!

In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues.

Psalm 31:19-20 (AMPC)

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

Ephesians 2:10 (AMPC)

Oh, thank God—he’s so good!

    His love never runs out.

All of you set free by God, tell the world!

    Tell how he freed you from oppression,

Then rounded you up from all over the place,

    from the four winds, from the seven seas.

Psalm 107:1-3 (MSG)

Give thanks to God—he is good

    and his love never quits.

Say, “Save us, Savior God,

    round us up and get us out of these godless places,

So we can give thanks to your holy Name,

    and bask in your life of praise.”

Blessed be God, the God of Israel,

    from everlasting to everlasting.

Then everybody said, “Yes! Amen!” and “Praise God!”

1 Chronicles 16:34-36 (MSG)

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

God, everyone sees your goodness, for your tender love is blended into everything you do.

Psalms 145:9 (TPT)

Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.”

John 14:6 (TPT)

No one is holy like the Lord,

For there is none besides You,

Nor is there any rock like our God.

1 Samuel 2:2 (NKJV)

Jesus commented, “Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and guard it with their lives!”

Luke 11:28 (MSG)

It is confirmed and obvious that Lord Your Goodness is a very holy worship song as the Lord anointed Reuben Morgan on writing the lyrics. The same can be said about others at Hillsong Worship who worked behind the scenes on making Lord Your Goodness. The evidence of holiness is spread all over the lyrics and brought to life even more musically.

As it is holy and captures the biblical messages about the goodness of our Lord, I strongly recommend the use of Lord Your Goodness for your local church’s Sunday worship service as well as in praise-and-worship events that involve the church’s music team. Lord Your Goodness is a lively reminder of not only of His goodness, but also of the love, blessings, care, attention and compassion towards each and every faithful child of His with established personal relationships with Him.

In conclusion, posted below is the official Hillsong Worship YouTube video of Lord Your Goodness for your faith and viewing pleasure. While watching it and listening to the music, remember to be faithful and thankful to the Lord. Always remember to realize the good life from the Lord, love on knowing you are loved by Him, practice Christian habits (click here and here for reference), have private time with God and pray in tongues to Him, get yourself planted in a local church (allow the Holy Spirit to guide you) and remember the truth that He rewards the faithful abundantly and He established plans for you before you were even created! Continue to live with God’s Word, seek God through His son Jesus, follow the light of Jesus, and keep on being the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there. Also please consider making a donation to support my publishing of faith articles and CMAs.

If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

I Love Israel: Israel attracted 2.675 million tourist entries generating 13.5 billion shekels in tourism revenue for 2022

The tourism numbers for the State of Israel covering the calendar year of 2022 have been finalized. Israel’s Ministry of Tourism confirmed that the state attracted a total of 2.675 million tourist entries which generated tourism revenue worth 13.5 billion shekels (US$3.8 billion). The Jerusalem Post confirmed the tourist entries figure as well. Take note that Israel opened its borders to international travelers in March 2022 and very clearly their tourism industry is bouncing back strongly which is good for their economy. The above reported figures are the best since 2019 (the record year of tourism in Israel).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from official report of the Ministry of Tourism. Some parts in boldface…

In 2022, 2.675 million tourist entries were recorded (as opposed to only 397,000 in 2021 and 831,000 in 2020). The skies in Israel were opened officially to incoming tourism in March 2022 and only three months later, in May, without any restrictions. Incoming tourism to Israel in 2022 is about 41% lower than 2019, a record year for incoming tourism. Revenue from incoming tourism stands at about NIS 13.5 billion (not including cost of flights) as opposed to about NIS 23 billion in 2019.

The Ministry of Tourism notes that there are a number of factors that have affected tourist entries in this recovery year: tourists plan their trips far in advance, and Israel opened for incoming tourism later than similar destinations in the area and Europe. Therefore, Israel’s recovery rate from the crisis is slightly lower than the global average of about 36% decrease in the volume of incoming tourism relative to 2019.

However, a renewed growth in tourism can be seen. In December 2022, 266,200 tourist entries were recorded (compared with 20,500 in December 2021 and 358,300 in December 2019)  – a decrease of about 25% (only) in relation to December 2019.

Very clearly, Israel continues to rise with its tourism industry as their nation keeps on persevering with recovering from the depression that came with the COVID-19 crisis a few years back. Considering what was achieved in 2022 in terms of attracting visitors from overseas, further growth this year should not be surprising. There are many millions of people around the world who are eager to visit Israel and spend time at the many holy sites in relation to their faith. For insight about the recovery and growth of tourism in Israel, watch the videos below…

Be thankful to God that the State of Israel is recovering strongly from the COVID-19 crisis. Thank Him for the big rebound of tourism Israel is having right now. Be thankful to Him as many millions of people around the world who believe and follow Lord Jesus will have opportunities to visit the Holy Land to deepen their faith in Him even more.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel, the land that God designated to the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12)!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

2023

Happy New Year to everyone!

The year twenty twenty-three – 2023 – is finally here. While we do not know for certain what events will happen to us in the next 365 days, we must always be faithful to our Lord and keep on living on and moving forward with His Word (the Holy Bible).

2022 is officially over and looking back to it, there are miracles and positive events that happened which we must thank the Lord for. I am personally thankful to God for His provision, His guiding light and His love for me in 2022. Along the way were blessings from Him such as my attendance of the Planetshakers worship event in September 2022, breakthroughs in my private sector job, further growth through my local church, having attended Sunday worship and the 17th anniversary of CHAN International Ministries in Bulacan province, and the continued global reach of my website and blog at www.CarloCarrasco.com to name some.

There were also big breakthroughs that happened in this very divided world we live in. I am thankful to our Lord that Benjamin Netanyahu return as Prime Minister of Israel as he and his coalition partners won a clear majority of the seats of the Knesset during their national elections months ago. Over in the United States, the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade (legalized abortion) and I personally refer to that at the June 24, 2022 miracle in America. I prayed for Netanyahu’s return to power and the fall of Roe v. Wade, and the Lord answered! For those reading this, I encourage you to pray to the Lord in your room with the door shut. Pray in tongues to Him always.

Speaking of my website, I am thankful to our Lord and also happy to share with you what was achieved in 2022. For the full year of 2022, www.CarloCarrasco.com attracted over 160,000 hits (page views) worldwide and the Top 5 nations of users/readers were from my native Philippines at #1 followed by Cambodia (the host of the 2023 Southeast Asian Games), the United States, India and the United Kingdom. In terms of online visitors, over 122,000 worldwide were attracted in 2022. The single biggest month in terms of page views was December 2022 with over 17,000 hits.

With regards to how many hits were counted for my website in terms of lifetime (starting January 4, 2019), more than 800,000 hits worldwide were counted as of December 31, 2022. I am aiming for the milestone 1,000,000 hits mark.

As such, I would like to express my thanks to all the readers and Internet users who visited my website and blog for news, Christian teachings, Christian music appreciation, entertainment, special features and other content. I also want to thank the local government units, the homeowners’ associations, local churches, the local news media outlets and other private entities for sharing content and letting me magnify or publicize them through my website. For this new year, I have some new special feature articles planned for publishing.

To those of you who enjoy my website, be reminded that I am accepting donations online to keep it running and to keep more content coming in to not only entertain you but help you and enlighten you all. Visit https://carlocarrasco.com/donate/ to donate online.

For 2023 and the future, I urge all of you readers to never lose faith in the Lord no matter how good or bad your situation is. Jesus is our Lord and Savior and no matter what happens, we must always rejoice with Him.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)

If you are hurting and you need healing badly, come to Lord Jesus with unwavering faith in Him.

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”

And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

Mark 5:25-34 (NKJV)

Ultimately, Jesus is the way, the life and the truth that we must follow with unwavering faith.

Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.”

John 14:6 (TPT)

Always remember to maintain unwavering faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus to move on with 2023 and beyond. Reject the evil ways of the world, push the idols out of the way, and reject religion, atheism and secularism so that you can clear your path of faith in the Lord and make room for Him in your heart. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

Once again, Happy New Year!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 6

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you watch the following videos below…

#1 Worship music videos of Shifting New Life Music is an anointed music team of New Life Philippines. Through my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, I already reviewed their original worship songs Now I’m Alive, God of the Breakthrough, Touch From Heaven and The Coming King, and each of those songs have music videos on YouTube. There is another original worship song by New Life Music titled Shifting (composed by Nash Soliven, Camille Cuna, Daniel Grospe, Daryl Pinon, MJ Malubay) and there are these YouTube videos of it for your viewing and enlightenment.

#2 Christmas in Israel – Yes, it is true. The Christmas season is also present in Israel, the land that God designated for the Jewish people (refer to Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 35:10-12 in the Holy Bible). Posted below are recent videos about what the Christmas season in Haifa, Jerusalem and Nazareth look like, complete with exploration of varied places and scenes of people enjoying the season. No matter what your faith or culture is, Christmas is truly all about our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Rejoice with Lord Jesus every Christmas.

#3 The common links between Atari and Chuck E. Cheese

In my life, I never ever got to visit any branch of Chuck E. Cheese which is best known for serving meals to customers as well as providing in-door entertainment with arcade games, stage shows and more. As a kid, I got to play lots of video games in the comfort of our home with the Atari 2600 video game console. As a young adult, I learned that Chuck E. Cheese and Atari were historically linked with each other. If you are wondering how or why were they connected, you should watch the two videos below. Watch and pay close attention to the details.

#4 A look back at The Fly (1986)

In the history of cinema, The Fly movie franchise spawned a total of five films from 1958 to 1989. The most notable and most popular of those movies was the 1986 cinematic remake simply titled The Fly (directed by David Cronenberg and starring Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis). That being said, it is not surprising at all that YouTube has lots of retro movie reviews, movie trivia videos and movie reaction videos about it. Posted below are a mix of The Fly (1986) reaction videos, an explanatory retrospective video, a retro movie review and a trivia video.

#5 Videos and info about the upcoming Xbox-exclusive video game Forza Motorsport (2023)

The Xbox-exclusive simulation racing game Forza Motorsport (2023) is easily one my most anticipated video games of twenty twenty-three. I really am very eager to play the upcoming game (developed by Turn 10) on my Xbox Series X console and the last FM game I played was Forza Motorsport 6 on my Xbox One. Ever since the June 2022 Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, Team Xbox and Turn 10 only released a few videos of gameplay footage about Forza Motorsport (2023) and they have yet to release new pre-release videos or trailers about it. A lot has already been promised as to what the upcoming game will have (examples: overhauled physics, fully dynamic time of day system, track temperature changes, advanced car damage, tire and fuel management, multiple tire compounds, and real-time ray tracing). While a 2023 release has been confirmed, Team Xbox has yet to announce a final release date. Regardless, Forza Motorsport (2023) is the racing game to watch out for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass (XGP). XGP subscribers will only have to download the game on launch day and play it without paying anything extra. If you are an Xbox gamer who has not yet subscribed, I encourage you to do it.

#6 Worship music video of All

Here is another worship song from Planetshakers that you must listen to, especially when you want to reach out to our Lord…the song is titled All (part of Planetshakers’ 2020 worship songs album Glory Pt. 2). I previously reviewed and analyzed the song in my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) article back in April 2020 and I can say that All was written to lead people to Lord Jesus, God the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit by powerful faith. Posted below is the official music video of All for your viewing and your faith in Him. By the way, Planetshakers will have its faith conferences in Australia this coming January and you can learn how to join them by clicking here.

#7 Filipino stores in Israel

If you are a fellow Filipino who is already in Israel and also struggling to find Filipino-made products as well as other goods imported from Asia. You should watch the videos below. Pay close attention to the details.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 5

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you watch the following videos below…

#1 Elizabeth Holmes’ scandal and punishment – In case you missed the news, the heavily hyped Silicon Valley personality Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced to eleven years in prison as a result of the big fraud at her company Theranos. A lot of crookedness and lying happened behind the scenes at Theranos as the years passed by and America’s media highlighted Holmes (who is an idolater of the late Steve Jobs) as an icon. Holmes’ invention of testing blood using only a tiny drop never really worked and Theranos resorted to deception using conventional blood testing machines. To fully understand the background details, what Theranos was and how tremendous the fraud was, watch the videos below. The fourth video below is about the sentencing.

#2 Starfield updates – Starfield is an ambitious science fiction role-playing game being made by Bethesda exclusively for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC for release sometime in 2023. You can read my preview about it by clicking here. The video game was originally scheduled for a November 2022 release but a delay into 2023 was made. This only added further to the anticipation of the game (note: it will also debut on Xbox Game Pass for subscribers to enjoy). To learn more about Starfield, watch the videos below. The third video at the bottom has the latest updates.

#3 Worship video of God of the Breakthrough There is another original worship song by New Life Music that I want to share with you all – God of the Breakthrough. Composed by Chynna Cuna, Dem Mokamad, Jed Patricio, Gianna Bautista and Joed Avila, the song emphasizes that the Lord is our Creator, our Provider (Jehovah Jireh), our Ultimate Love, our Miracle Worker, our Guiding light, our Protector, our Redeemer, our Healer and our Ultimate and All-Powerful Authority! The Lord loves the faithful and His care, blessings and guidance still continue! God of the Breakthrough’s lyrics are indeed holy and you can find more by reading my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) article about it. Posted below is the official worship video.

#4 Informative videos about traveling to Israel – If you are planning to visit Israel, you need to do research for your personal safety, to get the best value out of your money, how to travel efficiently, what to do (and what to avoid doing) and more. Israel is where the Holy Land is and Jerusalem is its eternal capital. In recent times, visitors from around the world have traveled to Israel in high numbers. There is no denying that Israel is the land that God designated for the Jewish people (refer to Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 35:10-12 in the Holy Bible). Posted below are videos from TravelingIsrael.com and from Ms. Emily (note: Tagalog language).

#5 Looking back at Steven Spielberg’s Jaws – If you are tired of modern day movies or if you have been disappointed with Steven Spielberg’s movies over the past decade, then going back to one of the director’s most acclaimed works in cinema would be a refreshing experience. The classic movie directed by Spielberg I’m talking about is none other than Jaws (1975). Posted below for your enjoyment are a variety of reaction videos plus a trivia-oriented video by Minty Comedic Arts.

#6 Ashleigh Burton crying – Some of you who have seen enough movie reaction videos by YouTube Asheigh Burton should have realized by now that she is a jolly person. Having seen many of her videos myself, there were lots of times when she laughs even though she was reacting to movies that were not comedies at all. There are certain movie reactions videos of hers in which she got to cry as those respective films touched her deeply. Take note that she does not cry all the time but in key scenes. Watch the reaction videos of hers below.

#7 Worship video of Encounter Song The Australia-based church Planetshakers continues to keep leading people to the Lord through their worship services, worship events and, of course, their worship music. Among the many, many original worship songs that I want to share with you today is the Encounter Song (note: read my feature of it by clicking here). The song is indeed holy and it definitely should be heard by Christians who are devoted to the Lord, and even to the many lost souls and unsaved souls around the world. Very clearly, Planetshakers was anointed by the Lord to compose it. Posted below is the official worship video of the Encounter Song.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Planetshakers Conference 2023 in Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia set this coming January

If you are looking for a worship event to deepen your relationship with the Lord and if you also have the means to travel overseas, then you should look to Planetshakers in Australia as they will organize the highly anticipated Planetshakers Conference 2023 in the cities of Melbourne and Brisbane over separate weekends this coming January with the theme “Show me Your glory”. The good news here is that online registration is ongoing.

To join the conference in Melbourne set for January 12 to 14, 2023, click here. The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is the venue listed.

To join the conference in Brisbane set for January 20 to 21, 2023, click here. The Royal International Convention Centre Brisbane is the venue listed.

Each Planetshakers Conference 2023 page per location has registration fees (note: be prepared with your credit card) and schedules of activities for each day.

The official message from Planetshakers church founders and pastors Russell and Sam Evans emphasizing Planetshakers Conference 2023 goes as follows:

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR DESIRE AND OUR PURSUIT…JOIN US AS WE CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER GOD WITH THE INTENT OF SEEING HIS GLORY.

Just as Moses would not go anywhere unless God’s presence accompanied him we have that same heart’s cry and at this year’s conference, people from all over Australia and the world will be coming together with that common passion.

Show me Your glory.

We cannot wait to encounter Him and to sit back in wonder at all the incredible things that will take place. It’s going to be awe-inspiring!

Love, Russell and Sam Evans

For the newcomers who are trying to figure out what exactly is a Planetshakers Conference, posted below is an excerpt from their official page. Some parts in boldface…

Planetshakers Conferences are a Holy Spirit-inspired initiative, birthed in a supernatural encounter with God in a revival meeting at the Glasshouse in Melbourne, during which Pastor Russell Evans heard the clear mandate from Holy Spirit to, “Start a conference and call it Planetshakers”.

Without fully understanding what God had in mind, Russell and his wife Sam, obediently responded to God and gathered a small group of passionate leaders and teenagers together to communicate the vision. Full of raw excitement and hungry for a move of God, this small group of young people willingly stretched their faith, gave generously of their resources and embarked on a journey that would ultimately lead to the establishment of a significant, globally-impacting church and ministry.

The first Planetshakers Conference was held in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1997, with 300 young people in attendance. The event was marked by intense hunger for God as young people travelled great distances to attend, and queued for hours in extreme heat— just to position themselves for an encounter with Jesus. When word got out that Planetshakers Conference was unlike any other conference experience, numbers rapidly escalated, necessitating that the event be replicated in other cities around Australia.

Over the years that Planetshakers has run conferences, many people from all walks of life have reported that it was at one of these events that they encountered God in such a radical way that they were arrested in their lives and set on course for their God-given destiny. Having started with young people, the event is now marked by great diversity of age, culture and denomination in attendance—adding to the richness of the corporate worship experience.

Planetshakers Conferences are each marked by a prophetic ‘theme’ or declaration that has been prayerfully sought by Russell Evans. This theme pervades every part of the experience and is reflected in the songs, resources and preaching.

In addition to fresh, passionate, supernatural praise and worship, many great, Spirit-led ministers from all over the world, have graced the pulpit with life-changing, prophetic messages of grace, love, hope, breakthrough and deliverance.

Our heart in running Planetshakers Conferences world-wide, is that we might appropriate the breakthrough anointing that God has gifted our ministry, inspire passionate, authentic praise and worship, create an insatiable hunger for God in people’s lives, release generosity and faith in God’s people and facilitate divine partnerships — for the sole purpose of helping to build local churches around the globe, championing Holy Spirit and seeing the Kingdom of God advance.

The Planetshakers Conference is clearly about experiencing the close encounter with the Lord involving faith and His Word (the Holy Bible). As such, there will be opportunities where you can deepen your faith in the Lord and strengthen further your personal relationship with Him.

I personally would love to attend a Planetshakers Conference someday. This past September, I attended a Planetshakers worship event here in the Philippines and as it was very anointed event, I – along with many thousands of others who attended – got blessed by the Lord. I am also very thankful to Him that I personally witnessed and followed the very anointed and heartful prayers led by Pastor Sam Evans herself. That being said, I believe that the upcoming Planetshakers Conference will come with blessings and anointing from the Lord.

If you want to discover and learn more about Planetshakers, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram), here (Twitter) and here (YouTube). To know more about Planetshakers itself, visit https://www.planetshakers.com/

In ending this article, I posted below assorted music videos of worship songs of Planetshakers. May these enlighten you, delight you and motivate you to come to God, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit without hesitation. Seek Lord Jesus first, follow His light and always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Peace and amen to you all!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others as well as making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

I Love Israel: Philippine Navy plans to acquire more Israel-made missile boats

The Philippine Navy (PN) is looking towards Israel with regards to their plan to acquire several more missile boats, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). To be specific, they are looking for Israel-produced Shaldag Mark V missile boats. Thank note that Philippine Navy recently received two new missile boats made in Israel.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine Navy (PN) is planning to acquire at least 15 more Israel-made Shaldag Mark V missile boats, which are the basis of its Acero-class patrol gunboats.

We are planning to get 15 additional ‘Acero’-class gunboats (to augment the) nine (now on the pipeline),” Navy chief Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of the commissioning and send-off ceremony for the fast attack interdiction craft missiles (FAIC-Ms) BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) and BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-902) Monday.

Adaci said the additional “Acero”-class gunboats would help them to meet their requirements in “patrolling the seas of the country”. He also said the FAIC-Ms will be assigned to the Littoral Combat Force.

He said four more FAIC-Ms, the other name of the “Acero” class in the PN service, will be delivered sometime in 2023.

“I don’t know the exact delivery dates next year but this shall be throughout (next year),” the PN chief added.

The last batch of three, which will be built at the PN shipyard in the Naval Station Pascual Ledesma in Cavite, is scheduled for 2024.

Adaci said Israel Shipyard Limited will help the PN rehabilitate the old shipyard and make it more modern and allow it to build these types of ships.

“In that way, our people can learn how to do it, maintain these ‘Acero’ class boats and that will be the start of the transfer of technology,” he said.

These 32-meter high-speed vessels are equipped with quick intercept ability, remote stabilized weapons, and short-range missiles that are capable of delivering precision strikes against larger hostiles and high-value targets on land and sea.

Four of the FAIC-Ms will be armed with non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missiles with pinpoint accuracy and a range of 25 kilometers while the other five will be armed with Typhoon-mounted 30mm main cannons and .50 caliber heavy machine guns.

The acquisition of these FAIC-Ms is among the 2019 projects approved by former President Rodrigo Duterte under the Horizon 2 List of the AFP Modernization Program.

The notice of award for the FAIC-M project, worth around PHP10 billion, was issued on January 5 last year. These are expected to replace the force of patrol killer medium or medium-sized patrol craft.

For the newcomers reading this, Israel is a military super power as well as a provider of advanced technologies which authorities here in the Philippines are realizing even more in relation to their military needs and objectives. For far too long have locals been obsessed with Silicon Valley (California, the United States) for just about anything related to technology. Many do not realize it but Israel is a major player in technology. As such, we should be thankful to the Lord that the Philippine Navy continues to look at Israel for new military hardware which is surely beneficial.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and bless their people!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

I Love Israel: Israel shares to the Philippines water management solutions

In recent times, the State of Israel engaged with the Philippines on managing water which is clearly an essential resource, according to a Manila Times news article. Israel’s Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss spoke at the meeting.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Times article. Some parts in boldface…

ISRAEL is offering innovative solutions to help the Philippines improve water resource management and conservation.

Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation and the United States Agency for International Aid shared with the Philippine government and local water concessionaires in the Philippines the expertise and experience of Israel on water resource management.

Israel invested in technology to support the growing demand and urbanization in the country,” said Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss during a recent seminar.

The technologies, he said, “were introduced together with good policies and regulations that made Israel the leading country in the world in managing the water sector.

From desalination to reuse of sewage, minimum loss of water and more,” the ambassador said.

“Through this seminar, we hope that the Philippines’ key implementing agencies will gain insights from the Israeli experience and adapt them to local conditions,” he added.

He noted that Israel faced challenges in water conservation and management. The Middle East is a dry area and more than 50 percent of “Israel is actually desert,” he said.

The Israeli Embassy in Manila said National Water Resources Board Director Susan Abano shared the challenges that the Philippines faces as water availability continues to fall due to rising demand.

The embassy said that engineers Rodel Rik Tumanda and Jon Michael Esteban of Maynilad and Manila Water, respectively, as well as Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System chief regulator Patrick Ty presented their perspectives on managing water scarcity.

“These were analyzed by the Israeli water delegation and presented advanced solutions to better manage the water sector of the country,” the embassy said in a statement.

The Israeli companies highlighted Israel’s innovation and technology to inspire and encourage the Philippine water sector, businesses and local government units to invest in technologies that will help manage water sustainably,” it added.

Among the Israeli companies who presented their water technologies were ARAD Group, Atlantium, Okiana and Watergen.

For the newcomers reading this, Israel is known for innovation not only with technology and agriculture but also in water management and the development of new sources of water. Constant problems of water supply and resource handling here in the Philippines are not new anymore and the assistance we got from Israel is crucial. This is something we have to be very thankful to our Lord for and we should pray that the Philippine water stakeholders who attended the reported meeting will put into action what they learned from their Israeli counterparts so that water management in the country will be improved.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Nutcracker Christmas Bazaar set for December 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18, 2022 in Alabang Hills Village

By the time you are reading this, you must have noticed the sudden number of bazaars and local community events that happened around since October. The Megarahe Sale inside Alabang Hills Village was successful while the Noel Bazaar this past weekend at Filinvest Tent attracted customers. The local communities, the enterprises, the consumers and the nation are indeed rising from the economic downturn of the COVID-19.

As Christmas is nearing, the Alabang Hills Village Association (AHVA) officially announced that they will be hosting Christmas shopping bazaars set to happen over three consecutive weekends this December. The event is officially called the Nutcracker Christmas Bazaar and the exciting news is that people are invited to attend it as there will be vendors selling lots of products and food, plus some notable fun events.

The Nutcracker Christmas Bazaar banner. (source – AHVA website)

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the AHVA’s official announcement. Some parts in boldface…

We are delighted to announce that we will again be holding a Christmas bazaar this December! Dubbed “Nutcracker Christmas Bazaar”, the festive event will draw on the theme of Tchaikovsky’s world-famous Christmas ballet, “The Nutcracker”.

The bazaar will open on Friday, the 2nd of December and will run for three consecutive weekends: December 2-4, 9-11, and 16-18. Bazaar hours will be from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day of the 9-day bazaar. Venue will be the entire AHV Phase 2 Park.

Come to the Nutcracker Christmas Bazaar and enjoy

• CHRISTMAS TREE & BAZAAR LIGHTING CEREMONY on December 2, 6:00 PM,

• UNCLE DROSSELMEYER’S ENCHANTED MARKET (the bazaar),

• THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS & SAVORIES (the food pavilion), and

• HARLEQUIN THEATRE (the stage and performance area)

The bazaar’s fun highlights will include Bingo & Raffle Afternoons, Dance, Food, Magic, Music, and more!

Entrance to the bazaar is free! Invite your friends and relatives and let’s together make this a fun and memorable community Christmas celebration! A portion of the proceeds from the bazaar will go to the beneficiary of the AHV Christmas Outreach Program.

Indeed, the Christmas season is already here and if you are looking for things to buy for Christmas gift-giving or buy something you need, then Alabang Hills’ Nutcracker Christmas Bazaar is something you should consider. With three consecutive full weekends set, there will be opportunities for you and your friends to attend and have fun. The Nutcracker Christmas Bazaar is the first Christmas bazaar to be held inside Alabang Hills Village in the last few years. Truly, the AHVA and its strategic partners and bazaar organizers are going big-time this December with the 3-weekend bazaar.

UPDATE: Here is the video I took during the opening day of the Nutcracker Christmas Bazaar on December 2, 2022.

Before you engage in Christmas shopping and having fun, always remember that Christmas is always all about Lord Jesus and it is to be rejoiced with Him. Thank the Lord for the continued revival of the Philippines from the downturn of COVID-19. Thank the Lord that more people have gotten vaccinated/boosted for COVID-19, that the local businesses and customers are more confident to interact with each other face-to-face, and that the Philippines is moving beyond the pandemic. Thank the Lord for the Nutcracker Christmas Bazaar and the many fun activities scheduled!

For inquiries about this new development, visit https://alabanghillsvillage.com/ or call them at 88508254. You can visit their office at 1 Don Jesus Boulevard inside Alabang Hills Village from Monday to Friday, 8AM to 5PM. Always remember to follow their rules and speed limits whenever you are in the village. Be aware also of the recent in-village traffic adjustments and if you are a non-resident motorist who needs a new car sticker from AHVA, you can apply online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673