Angat Public Market

"I am afraid," I told my wife as we were about to begin. I have always been afraid. Never a time I was not. I have endless excuses running through my head like a train three inches away. Her words strengthened me, "I would just tell the people that salvation is found only in Christ." I can almost hear the Lord asking me, "since you first began, have you ever lacked anything?" Nothing, O Lord. You have always, always been faithful to supply the grace necessary.

Forgive this miserable servant. Glorify your name.

Angat Public Market is a 15.3 kilometer ride from the border of Pandi and Bocaue. I have been asking for this place since the past plandemic, making about three return trips on separate occasions and finding almost no people due to the imposed curfew. I was not sure if we will find people here in the afternoon but I went with intention to preach whether there were people or not. There was a sizeable crowd when we arrived.

Very seldom have we stood on the same level as the people while delivering the message. The Word needs to be heard above their heads. Always. Finding a good makeshift platform is a must. And so this is the perfect post to preach to the market here. It functions as a stage well above the street where the market is and is visible to everyone. Behind this monument is a large Roman Catholic church. Although the thought crossed my mind it was never any concern for me to be careful who heard the message. All I needed to do was to stand and open my mouth. As always, God enables me with heaven sent boldness. 

This passage in scripture was impressed upon me as it strongly applies to me and why I live in Bulacan, Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. Acts 18:9-10

Whatever happens to me on the way and in the end I leave to God.

The first rule I practice that has saved me more than once is to always take the trouble to ask permission from the authorities. If there is none present, find one. Time and again angry listeners will question our presence in their territory. It helps our cause tremendously knowing they cannot do anything to tell us to stop, which suited us in this particular location.

As the Word of God against sin was proclaimed certain loud women who reacted not so kindly kept ridiculing the preaching and berating my wife again and again who it was that gave us permission to preach. Woman, be quiet. God commanded it.

Even Jose Rizal was listening.

Father always has people listening everywhere we are sent. Throughout the whole hour there were people who sat intently while the Word went out in power. We finished past 6 and it was already dark. The bibles and tracts we brought were all given away. We were far from home and would be riding through dark and unlit open fields and barrios. It was not wise to linger and have dinner here though this was supposedly our rest day. We opted to find a simple diner along the way nearer Pandi.

My eyes were blurry as I struggled to mind the road and I began arguing with myself, "And then what? What did you get out of it and what was it for?" I wondered on the way home. God sent a preacher; that much is all that matters: the people heard. Without a preacher, how will the people hear? The idea that none of the many people who claim to know Christ would bother to come out from under the bushel really burdened me. Had I simply continued attending church, what consequences might have befallen me? Over ten thousand people have received gospel tracts since God sent me out six years ago, and probably three times as many people have heard the gospel preach since then, vindicating God's name on judgement day. I can only pray that number would increase and that more pastors and professing Christians agreed that Christ is worthy of being proclaimed not just inside church buildings but outside as well in the public square. Praise God for those who do. Am I therefore special because I do these things? Not in any way. A candle cannot boast about doing what it was made to do. Have light, give light. I cannot help but wonder that that is perhaps the reason why our nation is dark outside. All the lights are inside church buildings.

I had to shake my head and humble myself before the LORD for the thought. It is frustrating, depressing and infuriating. By His grace we arrived home safe and in time for family worship.