FAIR SUNSHINE

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 The Karen people inhabited northern Thailand and the highlands of Burma (Myanmar) for generations.  A prophecy that was part of their oral traditions stated that the Creator God, Y'wa, had once given them a book that contained His truth. They believed that their forefathers had lost this book long ago as a result of their disobedience to Him.  Tradition told that the missing book would eventually be returned to them by a white brother who would come across the ocean.  Despite not knowing the Bible, they sung old hymns about Y'wa being everlasting, holy, and the creator of everything. This prophecy kept alive a desire for the restoration of truth. Adoniram Judson comes to Burma in 1813, and opened his first public preaching place in 1819. For seven years he labored among the Burmese Buddhists, working on...

I was beaming with gladness and my heart ablaze once again after the LORD led me to find this brother who preaches the glorious gospel in public with his son in the Andes,Peru. Such conviction is aroused by speaking plain truth of the great need of our times. May the LORD advance His kingdom among the people in this place and call them home through this dear brother's labors. Even in the beginning of the LORD's work here in our place we have been praying for the unnamed and unknown missionaries who have left their lives behind to labor in places where Christ has yet to be named. May the LORD answer their prayers. May He give their families comfort. If they are in peril, may the LORD hold their faith and see them through to the end. Oh, what sweet gladness for me to hear these faithful soldiers praise God as they see the face of Christ in the end smiling at them. Ushering them into His eternal promise and rest where they will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. I am granted ...

Some gain the things of this world in the strength of their youth at the cost of the next life, and all they have are rusty memories that die with them. While some set their eyes upon eternal things at the cost of this temporal life, and gain a crown that will never fade away. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Matthew 19:29-30 

Last Lord's day after finishing with our worship service we headed out again to Grace Plant Santa Maria Reformed Baptist Church, after pastor Reuben graciously invited us to their in-house service prior to their flight back to the UK. Lord permitting he will be back next month to continue with the work. It is always precious to be around people who love to talk about Christ. Brother Reuben is such a man. With regards to the general state of Christendom here in Bulacan, the city itself being huge, it is also an open door that is perfect for the planting of the gospel. Sadly public preaching here locally is a trivial church activity. A tedious chore no average professing church-goer will undertake - unless either the church is going, or they are asked to. It is not something the nominal attendee will have a burning passion for. The darkness prevails because the gospel is mostly kept within closed walls. The gospel is not preached to the people because the pastors do not believe it to...

I honestly know little of the ministry of this blessed missionary couple, but I know the gospel enough to recognize it preached biblically. Last Sunday was their 2nd official service since starting as bible studies. And we are well pleased to ride out and support them in fellowship. I bless the LORD for brother Warren's Facebook post. Bulacan is a place ripe for the gospel. Praise God for sending more laborers here who have a heart for Christ and people. Perhaps I would be writing more about them in the days to come. May the LORD prosper His Word in Bulacan through their lives and the church. Grace Plant Santa Maria is a reformed baptist church, led by brother Reuben Saywell and his lovely wife Cathy.

The dear wife of a precious son and brother in Taiwan visited us to fellowship and join us this Sunday all the way from Pangasinan (140 kms). Along with her came these pleasant gifts from the LORD. We have been waiting to acquire these for quite a long while now since stocks of our previous bible titles have gone out of print. This particular version costs twice, but the LORD has always provided for the work and continues to do so. Hopefully we can purchase these regularly from the current source from now on.

This is an old file stashed away for some years now than I go to every now and then to remind me of the reason for my salvation. It is to make His great name known. But oh, to behold the Philippines as a field ripe for sowing, is like standing on the edge of the desert, with nothing but dead bones as far as the eye can see. I used to be one of the lost, till God opened my eyes, and I saw Him pointing to these bones.  And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Ezekiel 37:3 Some are trapped in boxes of pea-sized Christianity, full of myths about missions that rob them of incentive to care about the unreached. David Bryant A church that is not a missionary church is contradicting itself and quenching the Spirit. Lausanne Covenant I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light John Keith Falconer God's work done in God's way will never la...

Missions is one of the true hallmarks of authentic biblical Christianity. And while everyone in church will affirm this, the fact remains that almost no one will participate in it, much less make it a personal matter. David Livingstone, missionary to Africa, rightfully said, "Sympathy is useless without action." Believers who have the gospel keep mumbling it over and over to themselves. Meanwhile, millions who have never heard it once fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation story. K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia Bible Society. "Not called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and ...

We have an appalling tendency to lose ourselves with work. Not that it is something new for me, but I have had such an experience these past months. I never expected that my load would more than double when I stepped down from the corporate world, mistakingly thinking that family life and ministry will be easier. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There were recent negative circumstances that somehow worked out for good, as it  "forced" me into reopening our family devotion. Father has been continually stretching out new horizons for me. First, no family should be without a devotional life. Back in the days when families took Christianity seriously, devotions came right after dinner. The dishes were set aside for washing, and the father of the house took his rightful place as priest and pastor, teaching scripture to the entire household. And after this and the dishes, the mother would in turn tuck the children in their beds, and spend another hour teaching them further ...

From the fish port, and after nearly an hour of riding we arrived at Hagonoy's Public Market. We proceeded straight to work. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they no longer have any excuse for their sin. John 15:22 This place is a mix of humble souls and proud devils. People who have known nothing but hardship hardly have any interest in hearing the word. Just when we arrived a funeral slowly crept past us with the pall bearers carrying the dead's casket, and people whom I assumed were relatives and friends walking behind it. I cannot help looking at the tarpaulin where an old woman's picture was displayed, thinking if she was a believer in the LORD, or do these poor souls following her wake have their eyes open to see the reality of death right in front of them. We walked towards the back end of the market just before the bridge. I always look for whatever elevation I can find, and the railing offered just the perfect stage. Ri...

I first heard of Prince Kaboo's story, a Liberian prince, ten years ago. His life is one remarkable testimony to the simplicity of a child who frequently talks with God, whom he affectionately calls 'his Father'. I was glad to see Torchlighters' animated rendition of his life, and a well made short film about it as well. It will serve us well to be inspired by this man, who after living as a light for God went home to be with his Father at a young age of 20.  Over 130 years ago, in a small Liberian village in West Africa, Samuel Morris was born Prince Kaboo, the eldest son of a Kru tribal chieftain. While still a child, a neighboring clan defeated his people and demanded Kaboo’s father pay a hefty ransom for his son’s return.  The conquering chief subjected Kaboo to terrible treatment and cruel labor. During one of many intense whippings, Kaboo said he saw a bright light and heard a voice from Heaven telling him to flee. Kaboo recalled the rope binding him fell to the...

Women are frowned upon by the evangelical world when they are known to preach. Stemming from a portion of a letter by Paul to Timothy forbidding women not to teach, to which I agree to wholeheartedly, women do have their place in the Lord's vineyard, and that the pulpit is not one of them. But I believe to a certain point this must be taken into context, that, for one, if there is a man present who is able to preach, then the woman must keep silent. Two, if there IS NO man available and the woman IS ordained by God (not by man) for a special errand in His ministry for missions, no man has the right to hinder her. Surely God will not reprimand the soul who seeks God's glory with a pure heart. God operates as He wills, and uses whoever He wills.   Amy Carmichael is one such woman that comes to mind. She single-handedly confronted India's problem of young girls being offered by their families to be temple prostitutes, and was used mightily by God to stop what the Indian gov...