The MidCity Church Baguio

26/08/2026

Devotion by Pastor Pacio Seguin

UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

INTRODUCTION: Gusto ng Panginoong Dios na magkaisa ang bawat mananampalataya. Kaya sinabi Niya sa John 17:20-23:

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete Unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

UNITY means to be one, to be united with the body of Christ, and to bring together one body.

1. Jesus prayed for all who would follow Him, including you and others you know. He prayed for unity (17:11), protection from the evil one (17:15), and sanctification (holiness) (17:17). Knowing that Jesus prayed for us should give us confidence as we work for His Kingdom.

2. Jesus' great desire for His disciples was that they would become one. He wanted them unified as a powerful witness to the reality of God's love. Are you helping to unify the body of Christ?

A.) You can pray for other Christians.
B.) Avoid gossip.
C.) Build others up.
D.) Work together in humility.
E.) Give your time and money.
F.) Exalt Christ.
G.) And refuse to get sidetracked arguing over divisive matters.

Ito ang dapat nating gawin bilang magkakapatid sa pananampalataya.

3. Jesus prayed for unity among the believers based on the believers' unity with Him and the Father. Christians can know unity among themselves if they are living in union with God. For example, each branch living in union with the Vine is united with all other branches doing the same.

Application:

To be one in Christ, we should:

Pray in unity. Pray for other Christians, not only for ourselves. We should avoid gossiping. We should lift up each other, etc.

Prayed for all of you in Jesus' Name.

To God be all the glory...

26/08/2026

Devotion by Sis. AmyGrace Kiat-ong Manuit

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth." - Psalm 67:1-4

Lord, may I praise You in my thoughts and in my actions. Sunday is the perfect day to give thanks and praise to God for all the blessings He has given us. We have been gifted with salvation, knowing that Jesus has conquered sin and death. We have assurance that we can be forgiven for all the times we have sinned. We know that God is just and judges us by our faithfulness to Him.

Take a little time today to think about all the blessings you have been given. My gratitude begins with my parents, who passed on to me the faith that they had and gave me the opportunity to let it grow. I'm grateful for my children and blessed with two beautiful grandchildren. I am also grateful for having friends who were there when I was growing up and are still with me today, the ones I made along the way, as well as my brothers and sisters in Christ who are helping me in my spiritual journey. Then I need to be grateful for my good health. I am grateful for a place to live, food to eat, and a rewarding job. I am sure that you have your own list of blessings too. As I praise God and thank Him for His goodness to me, I invite you to do the same with your list.

I praise You, Lord, for all that You have done for me and all of Your children. May we always appreciate the blessings You have given us and use the gifts we have been given to benefit others. In Jesus' name, Amen.

25/08/2026

Exhortation by Sis. Paz T. Seguin

The Conclusion of the Matter

Ito ang wakas na bagay:

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." - Ecclesiastes 12:13

Introduction

Maraming bagay ang hinahabol ng mga tao: yaman, kapangyarihan, kasikatan, at kalayaan. Subalit ipinapaalala sa talatang ito na sa huli, ang pinakamahalaga ay ang ating relasyon sa Diyos. Ang tunay na tagumpay ay hindi nasusukat sa dami ng ating ari-arian, kundi sa ating paggalang, pagmamahal, at pagsunod sa Diyos.

Ang "pagkatakot sa Diyos" ay hindi pagkatakot na may pangamba, kundi malalim na paggalang, pagpupugay, at tapat na pagtalima sa Kanyang kalooban. Kapag ang Diyos ang sentro ng ating buhay, ang bawat hakbang natin ay magkakaroon ng tunay na layunin at kahulugan.

"Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you." - Deuteronomy 4:2

"And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." - Deuteronomy 10:12

"He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." - Micah 6:8

Application

Ang buhay ay maikli lamang. Darating ang araw na haharap tayo sa Diyos. Kaya habang may pagkakataon pa, piliin nating mamuhay na may takot sa Diyos, na may malinis na puso at may tapat na pagsunod sa Kanyang mga utos. Hindi man tayo kilala dito sa mundo, pero kilala tayo ng Diyos bilang tapat na lingkod Niya. Iyan ang pinakadakilang paglilingkod sa ating Diyos na buhay.

All people will have to stand before God and be judged for what they did in this life. We will not be able to use life's inconsistencies as an excuse for failing to live properly.

To live properly we need to:

1. Recognize that human effort apart from God is futile.
2. Put God first, now.
3. Receive everything good as a gift from God.
4. Realize that God will judge both evil and good.
5. Know that God will judge the quality of every person's life.

To God be all the glory! Praying for all of you. Keep safe, stay healthy. Shalom.

25/08/2026

Devotion by Bro. Marvin Corpuz

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" - Matthew 6:25-27

Lesson

God is the One who made the heavens and the earth. He is in control of everything. So we must not overthink by not sleeping the whole night, for worrying will only give us illness instead of blessings. Kapag we waste our time worrying the whole night, in the morning and the following days, did our problems go away?

So if we say that we trust our awesome God, we must stand in our faith that He will get us through it. All we need is to pray and worship Him rather than worry. This is the real strategy.

Just like when God tore down the walls of Jericho: Israel did nothing but march around it and waited until God ordered them to shout and make a joyful noise, then the walls came tumbling down. The walls represent our problems. The fallen walls reveal our answered prayers.

Praise be the name of our Lord Jesus. To God be the glory. Amen.

Lord Jesus, I come to You. Teach my heart to fully trust in You always, and let no trouble disturb my faith in You. Help me to enjoy everything that is happening in my life. Help me to endure all my sufferings. This all I ask in Your mighty name, Jesus. Amen.

24/08/2026

Testimony by Sis. Elle Kate

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock." - Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

Lately, my mind has often felt like a storm of worries. I am currently on leave from work, and although I am carrying the precious gift of a growing baby we have prayed for, there are still moments when I feel sad and helpless. I cannot help my husband financially, my medications are expensive, and the bills continue to come. Sometimes I ask, "How will we get through this?"

My husband often reminds me not to worry too much, but to trust God more deeply and continue praying. He reminds me that God will not leave us and that He will provide.

There was even a time when one of my medications became unavailable. We searched different pharmacies, but it was out of stock. The alternative medicine was more than twice the price. It was frustrating and frightening because I needed the medicine.

But God already knew what we needed.

A friend eventually found some stocks for me, and another friend even offered to help provide medicine when my supply ran out. While I was still praying and worrying about what would happen next, God was already making a way.

This reminded me of Job. He went through seasons of great difficulty, yet he continued to trust God. In Isaiah, I am reminded again of God's promises: when my thoughts are fixed on Him, He gives peace.

Sometimes we lose focus. Worries become so loud that they consume our thoughts. But when we look back, we realize that we have made it through days, weeks, and even difficult seasons that we once thought we could not survive.

God was there all along.

Trusting God does not mean that I will never worry. It means that when worry comes, I choose where to place my focus. I can focus on the bills, the uncertainty, the things I cannot control, and everything that might go wrong. Or I can fix my eyes on God, the One who knows what I need even before I ask.

I may not know how everything will work out. I may not have all the answers. But I can choose to trust the One who does.

God has already carried me through so many things. Looking back reminds me that His faithfulness has never failed.

So today, instead of asking, "How will we get through this?" I want to ask, "Lord, help me trust You one day at a time."

My circumstances may change, but God does not. He is my firm foundation. He is my everlasting Rock. And when my heart is overwhelmed, I will fix my thoughts on Him and trust that He will provide what I need in His perfect time and in His perfect way.

Father God, thank You for reminding us that You are our eternal Rock. Forgive us for the times when we allow our worries to become bigger than our faith. There are moments when we become afraid of the future, especially when we think about our finances, our needs, and the things we cannot control.

Help us to fix our thoughts on You instead of focusing on our fears. Thank You for the ways You have already provided for us, even in ways we did not expect. Thank You for the people You have used to remind us that we are not alone. When we are worried about what would happen next, You are already making a way. Teach us to trust You not only when we see the answer, but also when we are still waiting. When we feel anxious, remind us of Your faithfulness. When we feel helpless, remind us that You are in control. When we don't know what tomorrow will bring, help us trust You with tomorrow.

Give us Your peace, a peace that does not depend on our circumstances, but comes from knowing that You are with us. We surrender our worries, fears, finances, needs, and our future into Your hands. You are our provider. You are our strength. You are our firm foundation and our everlasting Rock. Help us trust You one day at a time. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.

24/08/2026

Devotion by Sis. Josielyn Mecate

God's Plan: Hope & Purpose

Topic: Plans βουλαι (boulai)
Meaning: to decide, decision-making

"Sapagkat alam ko ang mga planong inilaan ko para sa inyo," pahayag ng Panginoon, "mga planong para sa ikabubuti ninyo, at hindi sa ikasasama ninyo; magbibigay ito sa inyo ng pag-asa at magandang kinabukasan." - Jeremias 29:11

Kumusta po ang buhay natin sa taong ito? Kumusta ang mga plano natin sa buhay? May mga plano ba tayong naging tagumpay? O may mga nabigo? Iba-iba man ang ating mga plano, iisa ang paalala ng Diyos sa atin ngayon.

Alam nating pamilyar na ang Jeremiah 29:11. Nakikita na natin ito kahit saan, pero pinapaalala muli ito ng Panginoon sa atin. Ang mensaheng ito ay isinulat ni Propeta Jeremias para sa mga Judio na naging bihag sa Babilonia. Kung babasahin natin ang buong kabanata, ang panahong iyon ay puno ng matinding paghihirap at kawalan ng katiyakan. Wasak ang kanilang bayan, sira ang templo, at tila wala nang pag-asa ang kanilang kinabukasan.

Ngunit sa gitna ng lahat ng iyon, narito ang paalala. Mula pa noong tayo'y nasa sinapupunan pa lamang, mayroon nang plano ang Diyos para sa atin. Ang liham ni Jeremias ay hindi galing sa kanyang sariling kaisipan; ito ay galing mismo sa Panginoon, upang bigyan sila ng lakas at pag-asa sa gitna ng kanilang paghihirap. Hinimok sila ng Diyos na magpatayo ng tahanan, magtanim, mag-asawa, at magkaroon ng pamilya, hindi upang kalimutan ang kanilang sarili, kundi upang mabuhay nang may kabuluhan at panatilihin ang pananampalataya sa Kanya kahit nasa gitna ng pagsubok.

Ganoon din tayo ngayon. Marami tayong plano sa isip: may mga natupad, may mga hindi. Minsan, pakiramdam natin ay nabigo tayo, o masyadong mabigat ang ating dinadala, sa pananalapi, sa pamilya, sa pakikisalamuha, at gusto na nating sumuko. Pero tinatanong tayo ng Diyos: inilalapit ba natin ang ating mga plano sa Kanya? Para ba ito sa Kanyang kalooban, o para lang sa sarili nating kagustuhan?

Tumingin tayo kung nasaan tayo ngayon: buhay pa tayo, nakikinig sa Kanyang salita o nagbabasa, at naglilingkod sa Kanya. Hindi tayo inilagay ng Diyos sa ganitong kalagayan kung wala Siyang layunin. Minsan, kapag ang sarili nating plano ay hindi natupad, akala natin ay nawasak na ang lahat, pero hindi iyon hadlang para ituloy ang buhay. Dahil mas higit, mas maganda, at mas dakila pa ang plano ng Panginoon kaysa sa kaya nating isipin o hilingin. Ang akala mo sapat na lang ay simpleng bagay, higit pa rito ang ibibigay Niya.

Noong una, akala natin ang tagumpay ay yaman, kasikatan, at magandang buhay. Pero alam ng Diyos kung ano ang tunay na makabubuti sa atin. Baka kung natupad agad ang lahat ng gusto natin, lumayo pa tayo sa Kanya, o makalimot na tayo sa Kanya. Baka may panganib na iniiwasan ang Panginoon, kaya't inililihis Niya tayo sa ibang daan, hindi upang saktan, kundi upang ingatan at iligtas tayo. Ang plano ng Diyos ay hindi lang para sa panandaliang saya; ito ay para sa kabutihan natin ngayon, at maging para sa ating kaluluwa.

Kaya mga kapatid, anuman ang pinagdadaanan natin ngayon, pagkabigo, pagkabahala, o kawalan ng pag-asa, alalahanin natin ito: hindi tayo pinababayaan ng Panginoon. May plano Siya, maganda, tapat, at puno ng pag-asa. Kahit mahirap ngayon, manatili tayong kapit sa Kanya. Ipagkatiwala natin sa Kanya ang lahat ng ating mga plano, dahil hawak Niya ang ating buhay at ang ating kinabukasan.

23/08/2026

Testimony by Pastor Billy de Castro

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." - 1 Peter 4:12-14

No one naturally desires suffering. We long for a life that is light, easy, and free from pain. Yet Scripture reminds us that trials are not strange interruptions, but part of the Christian journey. Even Adam and Eve, who lived in the perfection of Eden, fell short because of their own desires and choices. Suffering, therefore, is not foreign to humanity. It is woven into our earthly existence.

This year has been a tapestry of mixed emotions for me. I walked through the valley of loss when my father passed away. Outwardly, I did not grieve much, but inwardly I wrestled with the reality of his absence. Still, I hold on to the hope that he has finished the race set before him by our Creator.

At the same time, God answered a prayer: my spouse became pregnant. Yet even this blessing came with challenges: the physical strain on her body, the costly medicines, and the adjustments required of me as a husband and father-to-be. I learned to be present, to support her in every way, and to love her more deeply.

Work also pressed heavily upon me. Quotas to meet, staff concerns to address, and operations to oversee demanded resilience and patience. And beyond these, the ministry, the highest calling, remains a responsibility I cannot set aside.

Balancing all these aspects of life, I often wonder how I managed to stand firm. The answer is clear: Christ sustains me. Though the burdens of this world weigh heavily, His presence makes them light. Even in suffering, I find joy, because the Lord Jesus Christ carries the load with me.

It is easy to choose the path of comfort, but it takes courage to face the struggles of this world. Yet we are assured: "He who promised is faithful and just." In Him, suffering becomes a place of blessing, and trials become testimonies of His grace.

23/08/2026

22/08/2026

Devotion by Sis. Rachel Sabino

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." - Psalm 51:10

Observation

Ang verse na ito ay nagpapakita ng sincere na desire ni David na baguhin at i-renew siya ng Diyos. Na-realize niya na ang repentance ay hindi lang tungkol sa paghingi ng forgiveness, but about having a heart that is renewed and transformed by the Lord. It reminds me na kahit nagkakamali tayo, God is always ready to forgive, restore, at tulungan tayong maging mas mabuting tao ayon sa Kanyang kalooban.

Application

Sa buhay ko, kailangan kong patuloy na i-check ang aking puso at isuko sa Diyos ang aking mga struggles, weaknesses, at mga bagay na hindi nakalulugod sa Kanya. Hindi ko kayang baguhin ang sarili ko gamit lang ang sariling lakas, kaya kailangan kong hayaan si Lord na mag-work sa akin. I will continue to seek Him through prayer and His Word, and I will allow Him to transform my thoughts, attitudes, and actions para mas maging katulad ako ni Cristo.

Lord, thank You for Your unfailing love and mercy. I ask You to create in me a clean heart and renew my spirit each day. Patawarin Mo po ako sa aking mga pagkukulang, at baguhin Mo ang mga bahagi ng buhay ko na kailangan Mong ayusin. Bigyan Mo po ako ng lakas na sumunod sa Iyong kalooban at mamuhay ng isang buhay na nagbibigay ng kaluwalhatian sa Iyo. Amen.

22/08/2026

Devotion by Sis. Mary Grace Poquiz Baliton

"Jesus Calms the Storm"

"That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, 'Let us go to the other side.' Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also boats with Him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, 'Teacher, don't You care if we drown?' He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?' They were terrified and asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!'" - Mark 4:35-41

In this scripture, the disciples, including us, witnessed the power of Christ. One important lesson is that being with Jesus does not mean we will never experience storms. The disciples were following Jesus, yet they still encountered a frightening storm. Similarly, in our everyday life, we may be trying to live faithfully, yet we still experience problems and disappointments. But these difficulties do not mean that God has abandoned us.

Another lesson is that God's silence does not mean God's absence. Jesus was asleep, and the disciples interpreted His silence as a lack of concern, yet Jesus had never left the boat.

In our personal experience, we may also feel that God has not been listening to our prayers, but just like what Jesus did, He did not pretend that the storm was not dangerous. Rather, He taught them that their fear had become greater than their awareness of who was with them.

Another strong lesson is when Jesus said, "Let us go to the other side," He did not say there would be no storm between where they were and where they were going. So sometimes we think that if God is leading us somewhere, the journey will be easy. But scripture shows people encountering difficulties while moving toward God's purposes.

Our greatest security is that Jesus is always with us, no matter what storm we are in. Storms will come, fear may come, but never will we face these storms alone.

A lot of times we pray, "Lord, remove this storm." And sometimes God's work in us is teaching us to say, "Lord, until this storm passes, help me trust in You in the middle of it."

Heavenly Father, thank You for calming our hearts as we trust You through life's stormy seasons. Amen!