“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people:
but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee”
                                                                                                 Isa. 60:1-2

                The New Year 2009 is filled with a lot of uncertainties and serious concerns. With the global economic crises rising like a flood threatening to submerge a lot of economies all over the world, the challenges that face us are compounded in the home front by an unprecedented moral and spiritual crises brought about by widespread corruption in high places and a dysfunctional political leadership that has disregarded the principles of righteousness, justice and truth. Consequently, widespread poverty, hopelessness, desperation and distrust have gripped our people needing a mighty deliverance from all their woes!

This is the time and opportunity for God’s people to seize! It is in the context of crises that God’s glory was promised to His people! The prophet Isaiah declares: “ARISE [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you--rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! [Amplified] For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you [O Jerusalem], and His glory shall be seen on you” (Isa 60:1-2). It is the Glory of the Lord manifested upon God’s people that will make the difference!

The recent prophecies and the prophetic landscape of the past two decades tell us that change for the better is about to take place in the nation. The three landmark prophecies spoken by respected prophets tell us that: 1) The Philippines is destined to be a sheep (righteous) nation; 2) the Philippines will be a blessed nation; 3) The Philippines will be a missionary-sending nation. Prophetess Cindy Jacobs, in the last Ring of Fire Conference in Jakarta Indonesia last July 2008 declared that “…no longer will His words be delayed over the Philippines! If you stand and you pray and you believe, God, the Lion of Judah, is going to rise and shake His mane over the nation, and He’s going to roar out of Zion, and the darkness will be dispelled, says the Lord”. It is in this year 2009 that the Body of Christ will make a decisive thrust in the “Two Year National Fast” spearheaded by IFP/ Sagip Bansa; It is in this year that the PJM will go nationwide and strengthen the churches in her apostolic role for the nation; It is in this year that Bangon Pilipinas, the Christian political party will make a strategic grassroots mobilization for the 2010 elections; It is in this year that our church, CLSF, will shift into high gear in our evangelism, discipleship, church planting and missions work throughout the Philippines; will be reaching out and planting churches overseas where the Filipino OFW’s are; will be getting involved in cross-cultural missions work for the next 25 years following our  powerful and glorious Silver Anniversary of 2008!

Indeed, we will Arise and Shine in 2009! This is our greatest “Kairos” moment! Let us seize it and make a great difference pursuing God’s prophetic destiny for our people and nation!