FAIR SUNSHINE

A journal entry. One early morning of September. A study on my morning readings, on John 10.  For whom did Christ die? For God so loved the world.. Many people, those who believe they know doctrine, along with those who do not know, take this to mean that "world" means ALL men. But since Jesus died only for his sheep (John 10:11), it is logical to conclude therefore that the Lord died for all men, because according to this thinking, all men are his sheep. Question: If the world means all men, and all men are his sheep, what part of the human population is Jesus referring to as "not of his sheep"? If his statement is true, then not all men are his sheep, and therefore the world does not necessarily refer to all of mankind. But we will go on.  If world means all men, it is logical to conclude that all men should hear his voice and should follow him (John 10:27), including those who went to hell, and everyone will agree that there are those who ...

I met Glen one morning at the place I was handing out tracts at, and among those who took from me, he was the only one who confronted me regarding what it said in the text. As I turned to leave he got up after me and asked me, "Hey, hold on there. It says here that God is good. Can you please explain to me how God can be good? This can't be true. I don't believe this. Where was he when my wife ran away with another man taking my daughter with her and all our belongings? My father, who is a pastor, never treated me like a son. My family shunned me, and treated me as a stranger. I have been living on the streets because of this. I'd rather live here than with my parents. My life is a mess. I have nothing in my heart but anger at my father and at God. So this thing that says, God is good, this doesn't make sense. It simply cannot be true." I can tell he wasn't asking for answers, not a confrontation. I asked him, if he was willing to listen, that I would...

There is no other salvation, except in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward for his suffering.

We were supposed to preach in the city but a sudden invitation swayed our plans. After asking and waiting on the Lord for confirmation, if indeed this was his will, it was impressed upon me that I needed to heed this one. Despite my apprehensions, I thrust myself into the hands of the Lord. Tondo is infamous for its hardened population, criminality and poverty. Debauchery here is an accepted norm. This is the hiding place of some of the lowest of the low. I was surprised to find out that there are a lot of active ministries here, if they be real ones though, I do not know. The people are used to hearing the love gospel, and was visibly struck with the open proclamation of sins that everybody is guilty of but no one talks about. The wrath of God and his holy hatred for everything evil, safe to assume, is never mentioned. This was confirmed when the lady pastor we were with (yes, a woman who calls herself a pastor) told us the people has never heard of God's anger, only his love...

My wife and I were blessed to return again to UN Avenue after a day's worth of errand in Makati. Finding Arman, the man we met days ago, in good spirits as he was pleasantly surprised, when upon waking up from sleep he saw me and immediately extended his hand out to me for a greeting. I did not have time to speak with him the last time, but today we were willing to hear his story for as long as it takes, his eyes were beaming as he narrated his life, and I can feel how elated he was to have someone listen and talk to about personal things he had kept for himself for so long. He showed me his back tattoo, signifying he was an ex-convict who spent a good part of his life in prison for homicide. It came about when a fellow street dweller aggravated him at a feeding session. So to exact revenge he searched him out, found out where he was sleeping, went there, waited, and stabbed him three times before escaping. He said he'd do it again if the situation calls for it. I felt sad...

Kenneth is around 15 years of age. He did not look anything like the typical street dweller we commonly see because he was even healthier than my children by appearance. But he was obviously hungry. The guard was not at his post when he entered the establishment we were in. This was just a chance meal we thought of having after distributing bibles and tracts at a busy market near the university belt in Manila, but some of our best divine appointments come about suddenly and without warning. Kenneth went from table to table, asking everyone eating for money, to buy food. He was waved off every time. When he came to us at last, we asked him to sit with us and told him we cannot give him money, but we can buy him food instead. I have learned that one of the best opportunities to share the gospel is when people are asking something from you. I asked him if he knew who Jesus is, to which he blankly replied, "tagapagligtas", (savior). "From what?", I asked. ...

A journal entry from August, 2018. Election is an essential truth of the work behind the gospel, and of grace, but it is not the Gospel. Whether or not an isolated and wretched tribesman living in a remote part of the earth understands how the LORD saves is not as vital as knowing Christ inhabiting the same man, and is now become the propitiation for his offenses. I hear of some arguing that to know election is essential to salvation, but I say to know Christ, that is to live him, to walk him, to speak him, to think him, is in himself sufficient. We are not saved by knowledge, but of the indwelling fulness and inhabitation of the Godhead. He gives the understanding of the nature of his work to some of the redeemed, but he unveils the truth and power of the cross of Christ to all his elect. Simply put, one is elect because Christ, who himself is salvation, and truth, lives in him: thereby making him a new creature. And if one is indeed elect, then giving all the glory of his salvation...

A snippet from an entry in my journal. August, 2018. The trouble with my old self is that when the LORD should tell me, "Depart from me, ye cursed, I never knew you", I would have replied then, "but Lord, I spent my life preaching about Christ!" Whereas now I would simply say, "Amen. Righteous are your judgements, O LORD."