Those who seek to strengthen their faith in the Lord and immerse themselves deeper with His Word are welcome to attend the New Life Conference 2023 which will be held simultaneously in two venues in Alabang, Muntinlupa City from August 22 to 25 (Tuesday to Friday). Pastors, leaders and members of other churches or ministries are welcome to join in by registering online.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the New Life Conference 2023 page. Some parts in boldface…
This year, for the first time ever, Pastors Conference, Worship and Creative Conference and Disrupt (formerly Life Conference) will be happening simultaneously as one big event..
The main theme of the conference will focus on mobilizing the church to take its place, be a beacon of hope and shine its light during the dark and confusing times. New Life Conference 2023: The Church for this Hour, aims to encourage, equip and empower the believer to answer the call of God through 3 streams:
And because we understand that ministry is not one-size-fits-all, attendees can pick and choose their daily sessions from each of the streams—making the conference a unique experience for everyone, tailored to fit their needs.
The place of worship inside New Life Main (Alabang Hills Village).
The Filinvest Tent in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa. There are several restaurants, food/beverage joints, stores and bank ATMs within walking distance from this venue.
The three streams specifically are Pastors & Leaders, Worship & Creative and Disrupt. Each day from August 22 to 25 (Tuesday to Friday) there will be varied church activities that will be held simultaneously at New Life Philippines’ main church inside Alabang Hills Village and at the Filinvest Tent located within Filinvest City in the Alabang area.
The New Life Conference 2023 will officially kick-off with an opening rally at the Filinvest Tent at 10AM of August 22. At 2PM of the afternoon of that same day, the Disrupt Streams will take place inside Filinvest Tent while the Pastors & Leaders Streams will be inside New Life Main. At 6PM, the Disrupt Night Rally will start inside Filinvest Tent while the NL CON Night Rally will happen inside New Life Main. To see even more activities with their respective time slots and venues per day, click https://newlife.ph/nlcon/
For each day from August 22 to 25, there will be lunch breaks and dinner breaks that last 2 hours each so that conference participants can rest and feed themselves. For those who will be attending activities at Filinvest Tent, be aware that there are lots of stores, food/beverage vendors and restaurants that are within walking distance. Commercenter Mall is a short walk away from the Filinvest Tent and inside are restaurants such as Akrotiri, Sigekiya Ramen and The Black Pig to name a few. Even closer to the Filinvest Tent are branches of McDonald’s and Jollibee, as well as the area of South Supermarket which has some restaurants on the ground floor. For those who will be inside New Life Main, there is a cafeteria within.
Whether you are a pastor/leader/member of New Life Philippines or of a different church or ministry, be encouraged to deepen your faith in the Lord and immerse yourselves deeper with the Word of God by attending the New Life Conference 2023 this coming August. People of faith who submitted themselves to Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father are always meant to be together and this conference is a golden opportunity for worship and solidifying faith in the Lord even more. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Matthew 18:19-20 (NKJV)
And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities,
Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (AMPC)
“The Son of Man has come to give life to all who are lost. Think of it this way: If a man owns a hundred sheep and one lamb wanders away and is lost, won’t he leave the ninety-nine grazing the hillside and thoroughly search for the one lost lamb? And if he finds his lost lamb, he rejoices over it, more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. Now you should understand that it is never the desire of your heavenly Father that a single one of these little ones should be lost.”
Matthew 18:11-14 (TPT)
Take care and be on guard for yourselves and the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you bishops and guardians, to shepherd (tend and feed and guide) the church of the Lord or of God which He obtained for Himself [buying it and saving it for Himself] with His own blood.
If you have fully decided to get registered for New Life Conference 2023, click https://newlife.ph/nlcon/register-demo/ (note: have your credit cards prepared to ensure completion of registration). You can also register by scanning the QR code below…
Get registered by scanning the QR code on the above social media post of New Life Philippines.
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
Recently in the city of Las Piñas, the City Government continued to push local tourism further by teaming up with the Department of Tourism-National Capital Region (DOT-NCR) and conducted a tourism guidebook orientation, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas City government and the Department of Tourism-National Capital Region (DOT-NCR) conducted on Saturday, April 29, a tourism guidebook orientation to increase awareness and showcase the rich culture and history of the city.
The orientation was held at the Excelsior Hotel in Las Piñas City, attended by DOT- NCR Regional Director Sharlene Zabala-Batin and Project Development Officer Bamba Ramos among others.
Las Piñas Tourism and Cultural Office (TCO) Head Paul San Miguel said the city’s TCO is a newly created division in the local government tasked with implementing programs and initiatives to promote the city’s culture and history. He said the office was formed by Mayor Imelda Aguilar who wanted to present the city’s heritage to local and foreign tourists.
The tourism officer cited the famous Bamboo Organ, which was constructed in 1816 and can be viewed in St. Joseph Parish Church in the city. The organ has been recognized in 2003 by the National Museum of the Philippines as the “only surviving and functioning 19th-century Bamboo Organ in the country.”
He noted that the organ is usually visited by students conducting study tours, along with local and foreign tourists.
San Miguel said promoting the history and rich culture of the city will also help in economic growth.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think your city will become a stronger and more competitive player when it comes to attracting local and foreign tourists? Do you think that the City Government should team up with bloggers, vloggers and social media influencers to boost the city image as a tourist-friendly place? Don’t you think Las Piñas City is ready to host special events that can attract visitors such as sports competitions, fashion shows, fitness models’ pageants, comic conventions, cosplay festivals, food showcases, film festivals and the like?
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
Great news! The Lord is blessing the Philippines once again as Planetshakers announced it will be having another worship event in the country on the evening of July 22, 2023 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The selling of tickets for the worship event will commence online at SM Tickets on May 11, 2023. This newest event is part of the Show Me Your Glory Planetshakers Tour 2023.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Planeshakers official announcement. Some parts in boldface…
Planetshakers is so excited to visit Manila once again in July 2023!
It has always been our desire and pursuit 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 this year, people from all over Asia will be coming together with that same common passion.
Show me Your glory.
We cannot wait to encounter Him and sit back in wonder at all the incredible things that will take place. It’s going to be awe-inspiring!
To those who intend to attend the worship event, the ticket prices have been confirmed as follows: VIP for P1,600, Patron for P1,600, LB Premium for P1,600, Lower Box for P1,200, Upper Box for P1,200, and General Admission for P600.
In preparation for booking tickets online on May 11, 2023, I encourage you to prepare your credit cards and be early to log-in at SMTickets.com because in my experience, there was long virtual line of over 2,600 ahead of me before I got my turn to purchase my tickets and choose my seat.
Whenever a very anointed church like Planershakers holds an event here in the Philippines, it is God’s blessing for the country! Apart from the excellent worship music, Planetshakers has very anointed worship leaders like Pastor and church co-founder Sam Evans and Joth Hunt. If you attend the worship event and pray to the Lord with Pastor Sam Evans leading the prayer, it is a blessing from the Lord because whenever she leads prayers, it is always powerful, truly wholehearted, engaging and compelling! I got blessed like that during the Planetshakers event I attended! The event is, indeed, fellowship with the almighty God, His Son Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit! The same can be said about this July’s Planetshakers event!
If you are thinking about this July’s Planetshakers worship event, I encourage you to seek the Lord’s Kingdom and praising Him with all your heart and passion. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
“So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.”
Matthew 6:33 (TPT)
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:1-6 (NKJV)
The view from my spot during the Planetshakers worship event I attended on September 2022.
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 closing this, posted below are some Planetshakers worship music videos (including a few from their September 2022 Philippines events) for your faith in the Lord and viewing pleasure. Jesus is our Lord and Savior! Move forward with unbreakable and uncompromising faith in Him! Be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!
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
Recently, the DOT announced its ambitious plan to transform the nation into a major player in international tourism (specifically within Asia) in the next five years, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines targets to become a tourism powerhouse in Asia in the next five years, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said Wednesday.
At the unveiling of the 2023-2028 National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) during a tourism stakeholders’ summit in Manila, the Department of Tourism (DOT) vowed to “establish a Philippine tourism industry anchored on Filipino culture, heritage and identity, which aims to be sustainable, resilient and competitive in order to transform the Philippines into a tourism powerhouse in Asia.”
The roadmap identified seven measures to achieve this goal, with improving tourism infrastructure and accessibility as one of the priorities.
“The overall target is the transformation of the tourism industry of the Philippines, which is why we have embarked on the objective of not just focusing on the promotion of tourism but more importantly on the development of industry from the ground up focusing not just on our key destinations, but also on our emerging and lesser known destinations,” Frasco said.
“We can only truly transform the Philippine tourism industry if we address the prevailing challenges that we face continually across our regions,” she added.
On connectivity, Frasco said DOT is working with the Department of Transportation to negotiate more routes for air and sea travel.
Under the NTDP, Frasco said DOT would focus on digitalization; enhancement of the overall tourist experience by incentivizing sustainable travel and improving safety and security in destinations, among others.
The agency would also tap local government units in developing more tourist sites and linking emerging ones to key destinations.
She said the government will increase investments in creating “high-value” tourism experiences and announced the May 2023 launch of the Philippine Experience.
The program, which aims to highlight heritage and culture unique to every region in the country, will be piloted in Davao, Ilocos Region, Bicol and Calabarzon.
The program, she said, would include a three to five-day tour packages allowing tourists to experience both well-known and lesser-known destinations in said regions.
Frasco presented the salient points of the NTDP before the country’s top tourism players. The roadmap was first previewed during the Tourism Coordinating Council (TCC) meeting convened in February and would be submitted to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for approval within the month.
“This NTDP will serve as a blueprint for the strategies on how the Department of Tourism intends to continue and to grow the impact of tourism upon our economy in the next few years. This will be the guidebook of the industry where we put in place mechanisms for sustainability for many many years to come,” Frasco said.
‘Rosy prospects’ – Frasco noted that, even prior to the finalization of NTDP, the DOT has closely collaborated with tourism stakeholders in carrying out the President’s vision through its various plans and programs, citing the most recent awards and nominations received by the Philippines and its tourism destinations.
The DOT has yet to reveal arrival targets for the next five years but earlier said it seeks to reach 4.8 million in foreign visitors by end of 2023.
“The momentum for recovery and growth has begun. We’ve eased restrictions. We’ve continued to aggressively promote our destinations through the DOT’s constant and unyielding presence in various exhibits in the Philippines and all over the world. And people are traveling now, and are traveling with a vengeance,” Frasco said.
“By promoting the Philippines through the biggest international tourism and trade fairs across Asia and Europe, we are re-introducing the Philippines to the world, and bringing no less than the best of the best of the country and the Filipino people,” she added
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the DOT and all the strategic partners will be able to fulfill all the adjustments needed to transform the Philippines into a major tourist destination? What would you suggest to the DOT to make the tourism experience in the country more efficient and more interesting? Do you think it is time for the DOT to start recognizing local conventions or special events (examples: ToyCon, Trans Sport Show) and start encouraging foreign tourists to attend them?
As the nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, pre-Christmas shopping in the Alabang area of Muntinlupa City will become much more livelier this year as the famous Noel Bazaar will return on November 18 to 20 and December 16 to 18 at the Filinvest Tent in Filinvest City, according to an Inquirer.net article.
For the newcomers reading this, the Noel Bazaar has an established history as a long-running and popular holiday bazaar and also “features the best of entrepreneurs carrying the latest crafts and merchandise from clothing, Christmas and home decors, fashion accessories, novelty and gift items to food and drinks.”
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Inquirer.net article. Some parts in boldface…
With a wide array of merchants selling specially curated items and unique gift finds, every shopper will find what they need at Noel Bazaar: from novelty items, stylish apparel, Christmas decors and home furnishings, body and beauty products, to fashion accessories, shoes, and bags. The best part? Shoppers get to see, touch, feel, smell, and even taste all the products in person! Indulge in a variety of sumptuous and festive food choices that await visitors of Noel Bazaar so you don’t have to go shopping on an empty stomach.
Get your hands on your favorite gifts while giving back and enjoying the festivities with ease. Have a merry and extra meaningful Christmas as a portion of the bazaar’s proceeds will go to the GMA Kapuso Foundation and Inquirer Foundation. Health protocols will be strictly implemented throughout the duration of the event ensuring that merchants and shoppers can look forward to a better and safer Noel Bazaar comeback this 2022.
The Noel Bazaar 2022 series is in partnership with GMA Network, Inquirer Group of Companies, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inquirer.Net, Pop!, Inquirer Mobile, UnionBank, and Okada Manila. Other media partners include WhenInManila.com, DiscoverMNL, Village Pipol, Buzzsetter, Our Awesome Planet, Travelokaloka, Your Tita Ja, Chinese Commercial News, and Digiboards, Inc.
If you are interested to attend the Noel Bazaar in Alabang soon, visit the Filinvest Tent along Spectrum Midway in Filinvest City. The commercial or business joints located close to the Filinvest Tent are South Supermarket Alabang, Acacia Hotel Manila, Commercenter Mall, BDO Filinvest Spectrum Midway Branch and 7-Eleven along Spectrum Midway. Considering the popularity of Noel Bazaar, do not be surprised to find a huge amount of people present as well as lines of cars at the nearest parking areas. If you want covered parking, Commercenter Mall and South Supermarket Alabang have it. Better start planning where to park and how to make it to Filinvest Tent.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you excited about the return of Noel Bazaar in Alabang? If you shopped at a Noel Bazaar before, when and where was the last time you did? What are you looking for at Noel Bazaar this time around?
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
Hillsong Church, one of the major Christian churches in Australia, announced recently that the next edition of their popular Hillsong Conference will be held from July 3 to 5, 2023. The good news here is that people are welcome to register online for Hillsong Conference 2023 by clicking here.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Hillsong’s official announcement about Hillsong Conference 2023. Some parts in boldface…
With the success of Hillsong Conference 2022 including over 300 decisions for Christ, 49 nations represented in person and online, and an amazing atmosphere of worship and Spirit-inspired preaching, we are excited to announce that we have dates for Hillsong Conference next year on Monday 3rd – Wednesday 5th July.
2023 conference theme is, Again to our First Love.
This is a new era for Hillsong Conference, and with this in mind we asked for your thoughts on how we can best take the conference forward in the most relevant and meaningful way. A huge thank you to those who participated and provided valuable feedback to help us move forward in strength and with relevance. Survey results were particularly useful as a window into the specific areas of delegates’ interests. This information helps us to focus and refine our direction.
The results revealed approximately 60% of those surveyed want to keep Hillsong Conference in July and for the same length of time. 2022 was attended in the majority (75%) by members of Hillsong Church and 25% from other churches – in keeping with our mandate to champion the cause of the local church. Many of those who attend, do so to hear the speakers and experience corporate worship. Over 65% of those who responded to the survey said their areas of interest were leadership and creative, although almost 25% expressed other areas such as evangelism, the Holy Spirit, theology, and biblical learning, plus areas of social and family support, among others. Feedback on the availability of streaming services and interactive live sessions was very positive, with 75% saying they were open or interested.
In relation to the above announcement, check out this official promo video about Hillsong Conference 2023.
For the newcomers reading this, Hillsong Conference is a very popular and long-running annual worship and Bible-focused event of Hillsong Church. The local church where I attend regularly has pastors who were sent to attend Hillsong Conferences years ago and what they learned was not only valuable but also anointed by the Lord. Hillsong Conference undeniably helps worship leaders from around the world gain insight on worshiping the Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and leading more people to the Lord.
To see the official photos of Hillsong Conference 2022, click here. To register early for Hillsong Conference 2023, go to https://hillsong.com/conference/
Let me end this post with the bible scriptures below.
Lord Almighty, you are the one who created all the nations. Look at them—they’re all on their way! Yes, the day will come when they all will worship you and put your glory on display.
Psalms 86:9 (TPT)
O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker [in reverent praise and supplication].
Psalm 95:6 (AMPC)
Beloved friends, what does all this imply? When you conduct your meetings, you should always let everything be done to build up the church family. Whether you share a song of praise, a teaching, a divine revelation, or a tongue and interpretation, let each one contribute what strengthens others.
1 Corinthians 14:26 (TPT)
Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17 (NASB)
Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Psalm 100:3 (AMPC)
That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.
Ephesians 2:19-22 (MSG)
Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you. Put on God’s complete set of armor provided for us, so that you will be protected as you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser!
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Welcome back, my fellow Christians, music enthusiasts and all those who seek the Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit! As I write this, I declare that I, along with many thousands of others, got blessed by the Lord through the Planetshakers Greater Asia Tour worship event I attended on the evening September 10 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
For the bigger picture, Planetshakers returned to the Philippines for the first time since early 2020 (shortly before COVID-19 lockdown happened) and they organized worship events for four consecutive nights from September 8 to 11, 2022. Indeed, the Lord blessed the Philippines with Planetshakers whose music and leading of worship are clearly anointed by Him.
For the newcomers reading this, Planetshakers is a Christian church based in Australia and their worship music team produced a lot of worship songs that became not only popular with Christians around the world but also became part of their worship of the Lord. I reviewed several Planetshakers worship songs on this website and I encourage you to take to read my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) articles of their songs by clicking here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
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/
Before attending the Planetshakers Greater Asia Tour worship event of September 10, 2022, I should say that I literally wrestled a bit to secure an Upper Box ticker online at SM Tickets’ website when the tickets where first released on July 21, 2022. On that particular day, I was in a virtual line as there were more than 2,600+ others ahead of me on SM Tickets. That was a great reminder of how popular Planetshakers worship leaders and musicians really are among my fellow Filipinos. I did not see the long line as a problem at all as I kept faith that my turn will come and that a ticket with a good seat will be available.
After more than 30 minutes waiting, I had my turn searching for whatever available tickets I could find and all the tickets for the VIP section were already sold out which is not surprising at all. Thanks to the Lord, I got myself an Upper Box ticket and successfully used my credit card to complete the transaction. Eventually, all four nights of Planetshakers worship events here in the Philippines got sold out! I picked up my ticket at an SM Tickets branch a few weeks later at the near SM shopping mall.
On the evening of September 10, I went inside SM MOA Arena more than 90 minutes ahead of schedule. As I arrived, I noticed Planetshakers merchandise being sold as well as backdrops related to the church for picture-taking. I bought two posters before moving upstairs.
As I made my way going upstairs, I felt the excitement and high energy around me which is not a surprise since the Planetshakers worship event was expected to be amazing as it has been anointed by the Lord.
Planetshakers Greater merchandise sold at the ground floor of the SM MOA Arena.
The Planetshakers backdrop for picture-taking.
Finally, with the help of an usher, I find my assigned seat in the Upper Box section of the SM MOA Arena. While the foot space was little, my seat was comfortable enough and I had a diagonal view of the stage below. Already, I was thankful to our Lord and Savior Jesus for the blessing. This event was my 2nd time in life to see Planetshakers lead worship with music but it was my first time to actually attend a Planetshakers-led event. To be clear, I first saw Planetshakers live on stage during the Jesus Global Youth Day in 2019.
Another spot for Planetshakers event merchandise at one of the upper floors of the SM MOA Arena.
At a little past 8PM, almost all the seats were filled and then Planetshakers’ worship event started very energetically! The music was amazing and the lights on the stage and in other parts of the venue really dazzled! It was more than a raving experience…it was holy as the Holy Spirit in my heart moved within. As the music was played, I really experienced blessing from Him, I reached out to Him, expressed my thanks to Him for the blessings and emphasized the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
While my Upper Box seat was distant from the stage below, the monitors by the stage were clear enough to help me see who was speaking and who was on stage. Planetshakers co-founder and global senior pastor Sam Evans was there and so was Joth Hunt, their dance ministry members and the others.
The view from seat. Tremendous worship led by Planetshakers combined with music, dazzling lights and the strong faith of the attendees in the Lord proved this was an anointed event.
The worship songs played during the event was a mix of past and new (from the newest album GREATER). Each song played drew praise towards the Lord from the many thousands who attended. A lot stood up, raised and waived their hands to the Lord as the music played and the lights dazzled. The praise towards the Lord was undeniably real and powerful with Planetshakers helping lead attendees to Him. This reminds me of what was written in Chapter 150 of the Book of Psalm in the Holy Bible which goes as follows:
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:1-6 (NKJV)
Very clearly, Planetshakers’ worship events are aligned closely with the above holy scripture. What I attended was a lot more than “just a concert”. It was truly worship of the Lord with Planetshakers’ worship music, modern instruments, strong focus and a strong leading of prayers to Him.
Speaking of prayers, I am very thankful to God that I personally witnessed Pastor Sam Evans leading prayersand got blessed that night. Whenever she leads prayers, it is always powerful, truly wholehearted, engaging and compelling! Pastor Sam Evans is truly anointed by the Lord to lead people to Him. The power and holiness of worship led by Pastor Sam Evans is even more tremendous when she is physically present with you. Her prayer was clearly done with all of her heart! This ultimately confirms the Lord’s blessing of the Philippines with Planetshakers and its sold-out worship events! More on the power of praying to the Lord and the truth about Him listening to us, learn from the holy scriptures below…
Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).
Jeremiah 33:3 (AMPC)
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
Jeremiah 29:12 (ESV)
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
1 Chronicles 16:11 (NKJV)
You are the Lord who reigns over your never-ending kingdom through all the ages of time and eternity! You are faithful to fulfill every promise you’ve made. You manifest yourself as kindness in all you do.
Weak and feeble ones you will sustain. Those bent over with burdens of shame you will lift up.
You have captured our attention and the eyes of all look to you. You give what they hunger for at just the right time.
When you open your generous hand, it’s full of blessings, satisfying the longings of every living thing.
You are fair and righteous in everything you do, and your love is wrapped into all your works.
You draw near to those who call out to you, listening closely, especially when their hearts are true.
Every godly one receives even more than what they ask for. For you hear what their hearts really long for, and you bring them your saving strength.
God, you watch carefully over all your devoted lovers like a bodyguard, but you will destroy the ungodly.
I will praise you, Lord! Let everyone everywhere join me in praising the beautiful Lord of holiness from now through eternity!
Psalms 145:13-21 (TPT)
During that same event, a prepared video was played recalling Joth Hunt’s bout with cancer a few years ago. Being hit with cancer is always difficult and even heart-breaking. Ultimately, Hunt did not give up as he kept his faith in the Lord. He never gave up on God! He recovered successfully from cancer and remains active with Planetshakers to this day! Hunts’ testimony and recovery are proof that the Lord will never abandon His children and only He can heal and restore you as long as you maintain unwavering faith in Him! Learn from the following scriptures below…
Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.
Isaiah 41:10 (AMPC)
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
Jeremiah 29:11 (AMPC)
Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
Save me and I will be saved,
For You are my praise.
Jeremiah 17:14 (NASB)
And the Lord turned the captivity of Job and restored his fortunes, when he prayed for his friends; also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:10 (AMPC)
More on the latest album GREATER – which itself is a key theme in the latest Planetshakers tours of worship events – there is biblical significance behind its title. It is a lively reminder about the greatness of our Lord and that we must always be with Him, follow Him and walk with Him in faith. The Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus our Lord and the Holy Spirit are always greater! Learn from the scriptures below…
Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; and His greatness is [so vast and deep as to be] unsearchable.
Psalm 145:3 (AMPC)
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NASB)
For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed.
Deuteronomy 10:17 (NLT)
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.
1 Chronicles 29:11 (AMPC)
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28 (NKJV)
Go ahead—sing your new song to the Lord! Let everyone in every language sing him a new song. Don’t stop! Keep on singing! Make his name famous! Tell everyone every day how wonderful he is. Give them the good news of our great Savior. Take the message of his glory and miracles to every nation. Tell them about all the amazing things he has done. For the Lord’s greatness is beyond description, and he deserves all the praise that comes to him. He is our King-God, and it’s right to be in holy awe of him.
Psalms 96:4 (TPT)
Another shot from my seat. See if you can identify who is who on stage.
By the end of the September 10 worship event, I got very blessed by the Lord and I noticed many others around me left for home happy, thankful and positive. There were no signs whatsoever about disappointment and that is not surprising at all because the event was a blessing from the Lord. I felt great and deeply satisfied as I walked to the parking area to get into the car. I was overwhelmed with the Lord’s holiness and was really happy as I drove all the way back home.
Very clearly, Planetshakers and their highly successful worship events are big blessings of the Lord for the Philippines! In 2020, people prayed for His protection as COVID-19 swamped the nation. In 2021, people prayed to Him for social and economic recovery from COVID-19. This year, our faith in Him strengthened further which will lift the Philippines to emerge from the COVID-19 stronger and more confidently. Planetshakers’ events here in the Philippines are clearly part of the Lord’s plans for the Filipino people. As such, I urge you my readers to always pray to the Lord, ask for His plan for you, follow His Word and live with uncompromising faith in Him. Become a blessing to others as you get blessed by Him. Always remember that the personal relationship with the Lord is truly essential.
Always remember that God has plans for you and you only need to decide to let Him into your hear, to walk with Him, follow Him all the way and let His Spirit – the Holy Spirit – in your heart work in guiding you. Never forget that Jesus is our most definitive Lord and Savior and it is only through Him that we can connect with the Heavenly Father. That being said, the Planetshakers event I attended heavily emphasized Lord Jesus’ name as worship went on inside the SM MOA Arena. All our praise and all the glory are for God, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Always have unwavering faith in the Lord! Always praise, honor and thank the Lord with all your heart!
At this point, I encourage you all to pray to the Lord wholeheartedly and with enduring faith in Him. For true quality time with Him, be in your room with the door closed and locked, then pray to Him. As the Lord blessed our nation with Planetshakers and their four nights of sold-out worship events, I also encourage you to pray for Planetshakers so that their ministry and network of church will continue to preach God’s Word and help people come to Jesus. Pray for Planetshakers’ co-founders Russell and Sam Evans so that the Lord will bless them as they keep on working tirelessly in serving Him and leading people to Him. Pray for Planetshakers’ pastors, musicians, dance ministry members and all their employees and stakeholders so that the Lord will bless them and support them as they organize more worship services. As Planetshakers keeps on serving the Lord and help lead people to Jesus, the following holy scripture below will resonate with the faithful and those who seek Him. I also encourage you to share the scripture to others…
Those who give thanks that Jesus is the Son of God live in God, and God lives in them.
1 John 4:15 (TPT)
In ending this article, I posted below the official music videos of worship songs related to Planetshakers’ latest album. 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! Live by Jesus’ eternal victory! Peace and amen to you all!
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from their official announcement. Some parts in boldface…
Planetshakers is so excited to visit Manila once again in September 2022! God is greater! He is greater than any circumstance that we may face and our trust in Him will see us overcome any obstacle and see victory over every enemy that may come our way.
With this belief in our hearts and that declaration in our mouths, we will experience greater than our highest thoughts and prayers. Join us at “Planetshakers – GREATER TOUR” to experience the greatness of our God as we worship together and come in faith around His word. He has greater things in store for us so with this in mind we know we will see His miracles unfold and the empowering of His Spirit to take us to that greater level in Him.
As of this writing, ticket categories and prices are listed as the following:
VIP – P1,600
Patron – P1,600
Upperbox – P1,200
Lowerbox – P1,200
General admission – P600
The ticket prices do not include the ticketing service fee. When purchasing the tickets online at SMTickets.com, be sure to have your own website account up and running, and your credit card should be prepared as well. Again, ticket sales will go live online on July 21,2022.
Planetshakers is coming back to the Philippines for the first time since 2020! Truly a blessing from God!
For the newcomers reading this, Planetshakers is a Christian church based in Australia and their worship music team produced a lot of worship songs that became not only popular with Christians around the world but also became part of their worship of the Lord. For your enlightenment, posted below is their official church statement…
The heart of Planetshakers Church is to see people’s lives radically transformed as they encounter Jesus, His tangible Presence and God’s family in a personal and powerful way.
Planetshakers Church is a church for all. It is a large, diverse and rapidly-growing family, made up of people of every age and cultural background (over 150 nationalities) who genuinely love each other and are whole-heartedly committed to the church’s mandate of Empowering Generations to Win Generations.
Planetshakers Church is led by Senior Pastors, Russell and Sam Evans, and an incredible team of pastors and leaders who are driven by an urgency to present the good news of Jesus Christ to a broken and hurting world. We have multiple campuses, both locally and internationally, and believe that the local church is the greatest vehicle through which people’s lives can be touched and changed by the power of God’s love.
Everyone is welcome!
With regards to the Planetshakers music team, their worship songs are truly anointed and I reviewed several of them on this website. Check out my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) pieces of Planetshakers’ songs by clicking here, here, here, here, here and here.
Very clearly, the return of Planetshakers to the Philippines is a new blessing from the Lord and we should all be thankful to Him, praising Him and honoring Him! In closing this post, posted below are varied worship music videos of Planetshakers for your enjoyment and your praise to the Lord.
If you are looking for encouraging news about our country and its struggle to rise up from the COVID-19 crisis, be aware that more than half a million foreign visitors have been counted since the Philippines reopened its borders months ago, according to a recent news report by BusinessWorld.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the BusinessWorld article. Some parts in boldface…
FOREIGN VISITORS have totaled 517,516 as of May 25, since the reopening of borders with minimal quarantine requirements in February, according to the Department of Tourism (DoT).
The DoT said in a statement that the US was the top source of arrivals between Feb. 10 and May 25 with 104,589, followed by South Korea with 28,474 arrivals, and Canada 24,337.
“Australian nationals, British, and Japanese were next on the list with 23,286; 20,846; and 13,373 respectively,” the DoT said.
“Other foreign visitors during the early months of the year include Vietnamese, Singaporeans, Malaysians, Italians, Irish and French,” it added.
On Feb. 10, the Philippines started accepting nationals that do not require visas to enter the country. Since April 1, borders have been opened to all nationals.
“The DoT is looking forward to an uptick in tourist arrivals in the coming weeks following the further easing of entry requirements,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
Starting May 30, the DoT said fully vaccinated and boostered inbound foreign visitors will no longer be required to have a pre-departure test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The looser entry rules are authorized by Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 168.
However, the DoT said arriving passengers are still encouraged to obtain travel insurance. All types of vaccination certificates, regardless of country of origin, will also be accepted.
“Based on the resolution, the visitor must be at least 18 years old and must have received the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and at least one booster shot,” the DoT said.
For the newcomers reading this, more tourists from overseas means better opportunities for local businesses to make more money and recover whatever losses they had as a result of lockdowns and quarantine-related business restrictions. Tourism-related businesses like hotels, resorts and connected transportation and food-and-beverage services badly need the spending of foreign visitors.
In relation to this tourism industry development, be aware that there were foreign participants in the recent Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) which was a big sports even that attracted hundreds of participants on May 1 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Speaking of the said location, I personally saw lots of hotels, restaurants (note: read my feature articles about Gourmet Garage Subic and Xtremely Xpresso), stores and other leisure facilities that operated as if the country is back in the pre-pandemic days. The more foreign tourists coming in plus the more local tourists engage in holidays, special events and travel in the country, the better it will be for local businesses to recover (plus pay their fees, taxes and keeping their hard-working employees longer) and the nation as a whole. I believe that the Philippines will continue to rise socially and economically from the pandemic.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this tourism-related development? Do you believe the Philippines will be able to attract 2 million foreign tourists by the end of 2022? Do you run a business that catered to foreign tourists?
Merry Christmas to all of you my readers and my fellow Christians! We honor and remember our Lord and Savior Jesus whose birth, life, sacrifice and resurrection remains highly significant to this day. It is during the Christmas season we should focus mainly on Lord Jesus and not allow ourselves to be distracted by the elements of this screwed-up world we live in. Christmas is all about Lord Jesus, nothing else and nobody else!
That being said, it is time for us all to take the opportunities of today to deepen our faith in the Lord and this is about what to watch this Christmas.
No, I am not talking about the venomous Hollywood movies that pretend to be about Christmas, nor those movies that used Christmas as a backdrop or a setting. In fact, I am not talking about movies at all.
What I am talking about are Christ-centered events and presentations that we can find online and easily access. For starters, we can warm up ourselves with the many Christmas musical performances by Hillsong Worship and a few from Planetshakers below.
Now we can focus on upcoming Christmas events. In fact, a few of them will happen today – December 24, hours from now to be precise! Let’s start with Hope Unlimited Church (HopeUC) and its Christmas Eve service which will start live streaming via YouTube today at 2:45 PM Manila Time (5:45 PM in Australia). For the newcomers reading this, HopeUC is headed by the famous pastor Darlene Zschech and her husband Mark.
Next is the Christmas Eve service of Hillsong Church which will start live streaming via YouTube at 3PM Manila time (6PM in Australia) today. Expect to see Brian and Bobbie Houston.
Tomorrow, Hillsong Church will have its Christmas Day service. It will start live streaming via YouTube at 6:30 AM Manila time (9:30 AM in Australia).
Another Christmas Eve event you should pay attention to is Yugto, to be organized and presented by Church of God, World Missions Philippines. This special event will start streaming live via the megachurch’s Facebook page and its YouTube channel tonight at 10PM in the Philippines (1AM of December 25 in Australia).
Each of the scheduled Christmas special events of HopeUC, Hillsong and Church of God, World Missions Philippines will include teachings of the Word of God, musical presentations, prayers and other special activities that viewers can focus on and deepen their faith in Lord Jesus.
In ending this, posted below are YouTube videos of the recent Christmas-related events that you might have missed. Enjoy them and remember to take steps when you want to deepen your faith in the Lord. Merry Christmas to you all and remember to keep on being the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!
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Author Carlo Carrasco 