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Showing posts from April, 2022

Halfway

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Laboring in the LORD's vineyard at the usual Pagan/Roman Catholic/Islamic fishing hole. Every week after service our sister church in Taiwan and fellow saints in Cavite labor vigorously for the gospel. It is an honor to fight this war alongside them. Pastors Blaine and L.A. are shining examples of mature and faithful shepherds both keeping and leading the flock.  

The First Leaf

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This young man is our neighbor. He often spent time with his phone sitting outside our kichen wall where we held out nightly bible studies. One time he overheard us, and not long after, became our unseen listener. "Attending" outside our walls. As he heard the gospel night after night he became curious enough to ask if he could join. That was last year. Today he makes his first public stand for Christ. May the LORD cause his fruit to endure to the end.

Grotto Vista

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The shorter version. May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.  

Grotto

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I will update this article once I get over a mind numbing pain I suffered once we got home. As of now the pain is hampering my ability to think straight. Let alone write. It was a really blessed outreach that we pray Father would be pleased to bear fruit. I thank the LORD for delaying the pain while we were laboring this afternoon.   *** The situation was unpredictable, since this is the first time since this plandemic hit that the people will gather again for this once a year parade of dead woods and pretentious piety. We wanted to bring everyone who wanted to join but Grotto was 16.3 kilometers one way from where we came from. People came in droves in the previous years, walking all the way from Cavite for some (almost 50 kilometers on foot), a grueling pilgrimage to this so-called holy site, to earn favors from God. We were stopped about half a mile from the site by a barricade that enforced a strict curfew. People who were still coming in were turned away. The only parking availa

The Last Batch

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Our new batch of tracts came in this morning, Wednesday. We had it made last Saturday and it usually takes 10 days before it arrives. I asked Father if we could have it by Thursday, in time for Friday ministry use. It took only 4 days this time. A day ahead of my asking. God never fails me. Our printer in Bacoor, Cavite, Dynaspan printing, prioritized us the way they always did.  Dynaspan Printing is a family-owned business ran by Mr. Willy Pardilla and his wife. They are good people. When I say good you get it to mean they are decent and dependable in business transactions. Although they are strict Catholics with weekly rosary devotions, still they accommodated our need and delivered quality work every time. They have been our printer since October of 2018, printing close to ten thousand tracts for us. Sometimes even giving us 200 pieces over for free. I have have been praying since then that the Lord would at least be pleased to use the tract to testify of the gospel to everyone in t

Danilo

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Danilo is 13 years old.  He drew close to us as I talked with Tatay Junior sitting on a bench just outside Chowking. The guards came twice to shoo him away but he kept returning. I signalled him with a smile to wait for me. He understood, and just stretched himself on the pavement like he was on a comfortable sofa. After quite a lengthy retelling of the gospel, to which Tatay Junior listened intently, I asked to be excused from his audience, so I can mind young soul who patiently waited for me. He thanked me sincerely with an affectionate hand on my arm.  Danilo lives in Pandi. A few kilometers from the busy commercial area of Santa Maria. He earns $4 a day by assisting people taking the commute with their groceries. His father died at 46, and says he's in heaven because he was a good man. His mother on the other hand, is at home without work, and the only Danilo told me of her is that she often beats his 15 year old sister, who is already married. His older brother weaves basket

Contact

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Yesterday's fellowship was a reason for joy. One, we were finally enabled to connect with our 116 Bible Church Taiwan family for a brief meet and greet online and introduce ourselves. We were so happy to see our dear brother Blaine, our beloved Ingrid, the their beautiful congregation. Two, our fellowship this afternoon started around 245PM and was so sweet that it lasted till the sun went down around 6PM. The hours went by fast. And had we more light we would went on longer. The LORD was pleased to lavish upon us His love as our commitment to Christ and each other was re-ignited. I bless Father for his miraculous hand in tenderly guiding us all this time since we began last year.  Seeing our church family's beautiful faces, seeing how happy they were to see us as well, was enough to set us up again. God was moving graciously upon the new converts with deepening conviction, and empowered the rest of us to understand and pursue the LORD's cause in such fresh new light as ne

Overwhelming

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"I am Christian too!" , this woman exclaimed with intensity and anger. Time and again in this work the LORD lets us catch a glimpse of our past, ugly, proud, and foolish selves. She forcefully swiped the tract from my wife's hand and it flung unto the sidewalk. It is such a sorry sight to see as I watched the replay on video. Like most of the people we meet outside, she is dangerously close to an eternity of regret and unimaginable pain. Seeing this every time causes us to thank the mercy of God in taking us out of darkness into His marvelous light. If He had not quickened us first, we would still be dead in our trespasses and sin. This past week was a blur. Overwhelming with many, many great things. The LORD was pleased to open unto us a door that only He can open. Such a door far beyond what I was continually pleading for. One morning, we were simply running an errand, come evening, we finally found a church. A home. A loving family perfectly reflecting the true face an

To Wrestle With God Instead

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"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." There are a few phrases that I have heard once that has stuck with me since. This is one of them. It refers to the fallacy of arguing from mere theory and not practice, from mere intellect and not proficiency, from reading others without experiencing for themselves. This was birthed out of it: You will only be at the level of the people you spend time with. Iron sharpens iron. But dull blades are useless. How much Christ means to me is measured in the price I am willing to pay to follow Him. Man's ordination matters nothing to me, what matters is the fire of God. I prefer to wrestle with God not with men. I prefer to run with horses not with men. I prefer the commendation of God and not those of men. The word of God, not the opinion of men. I choose to be faithful rather than be defensive. To be anointed than be recognized. To be found by God in secret, than be praised openly by vain men. Holine