Christians, when they meet together, should be much in "holy conference". This is not only an advice—but a charge: "You must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again." (Deut. 6:6). Indeed, where there is grace poured in—it will effuse out! Grace changes the language—and makes it spiritual. When the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, they "spoke with other tongues" (Acts 2:4). Grace makes Christian speak with other tongues.  A godly Christian not only has the law of God in his heart (Psalm 37:31)—but in his tongue! (verse 30). The body is the temple of God (1 Cor. 6:19). The tongue is the organ in this temple, which sounds in holy discourse! "The tongue of the just is as choice silver" (Prov. 10:20). He drops silver sentences, enriching oth...

The bruised reed is a man that for the most part is in some misery, as those were that came to Christ for help, and by misery he is brought to see sin as the cause of it, for, whatever pretences sin makes, they come to an end when we are bruised and broken. He is sensible of sin and misery, even unto bruising; and, seeing no help in himself, is carried with restless desire to have supply from another, with some hope, which a little raises him out of himself to Christ, though he dare not claim any present interest of mercy. This spark of hope being opposed by doubtings and fears rising from corruption makes him as smoking flax; so that both these together, a bruised reed and smoking flax, make up the state of a poor distressed man. This is such an one as our Saviour Christ terms `poor in spirit' (Matt. 5:3), who sees his wants, and also sees himself indebted to divine justice. He has no means of supply from himself or the creature, and thereupon mourns, and, upon some hope of mercy ...

Baptism is not a means to salvation. It is not a superficial badge of merit to accredit oneself as religious. It is not a mundane ritual established to add color to the church's activities. It is not an item to be checked off on a to-do list. It is not a meager practice to be lightly esteemed. Baptism is a one way ticket forward unto a life of service and allegiance to the banner of Christ. It is an external declaration of an inward regeneration. It is to be divorced from and dead to the world, and a rising into newness of life in Christ. It is an oath of one's self to render service to the Kingdom's cause, or to be offered as a sacrifice on the altar.  To fully understand that, to be a child of God is to resign oneself wholly to the Father, with the mindset of a Christ-committed martyr, and the resolve of a well-trained and disciplined soldier of the Word. A life worthy of the travail of the Lamb's soul. A life worthy of His satisfaction. The LORD added five souls to ...

This afternoon's heavy downpour would have been good enough reason not to go out, but it opened an opportunity  for mother and daughter, together with Neil, to take the gospel deep inside the unreached areas of the markets of Santa Maria. For the people here who literally sit in darkness, the light of Christ has shone upon them. Those who desire for the return of Christ should be found laboring earnestly for it. It is quite easy to excuse oneself and refrain from obeying the great commission, but more than a hundred and fifty souls would not have had the chance to read the gospel today had the flesh had its way. Looking back at all the tracts distributed within the short four years Father has gifted us, I shudder at all the lost opportunities, what could have been, had He left us languishing as simple church attendees.  I prayed for the LORD to give our laborers joy in their toil today, and Father was well pleased to grant just that in the fellowship that followed ...

By all accounts he was rarely gifted, and carried a brilliant intellect yielded to Christ. He had his own rustic school of theology, and his classes were attended by youths from miles around. Three of these class members sealed their testimonies with their blood, and their leader had oftentimes to flee. An impediment in his speech had made him give up the thought of being a Covenanting minister, but here was his own Bible School where he taught youth to resist unto blood, striving against sin.  In the summer time they held their classes in the sheepfold, and in the winter they sat around the peat fire in the kitchen. We rightly look upon John Brown of Priesthill as being one of our first founders of Bible Classes and Sunday Schools. Who would not like to see the Bible School at Priesthill with John Brown in his class of peasant students, candidates for martyrdom? The  year 1685 was a terrible year in a terrible era. The Killing Time reeked reddest then. The author of Robinson ...

Journal entry. Early morning. August, 2021. The spiritual health of a congregation can be seen in three areas:   1. Zeal in both personal and family devotion. The proclamation of the word is to take root inside the home even before it is taken to the public square. I take into account all of Christendom when I say the modern "Facebook church" is guilty of not being able to discern how it is merely maintaining its program simply to survive - not flourish. It is the fatal act of taking out the reading of the word of God inside the home by professors of religion, and reducing it to a ritual, and the responsibility placed instead on the shoulders of earthly shepherds - once a week. Not long ago, families gathered together around the table in their homes to read the word of God after every dinner, even before the dishes were washed. The modern church is too sophisticated for that. A student of academics will normally devote 8 hours a day for 5 days, even 6, to serious study in hi...

Will not ecclesiastical rank and dignity confer infallibility? No—they will not! It matters nothing what a man is called. He may be a Preacher, Minister, or Deacon. He is still a fallible man! Neither the education, nor the anointing oil, nor the laying on of hands, can prevent a man making mistakes. Will not numbers confer infallibility? No—they will not! You may gather together princes by the score, and ministers by the hundred; but, when gathered together, they are still liable to err. You may call them a council, or an assembly, or a conference, or whatever you please. It matters nothing. Their conclusions are still the conclusions of fallible men. Their collective wisdom is still capable of making enormous mistakes. The example of the Apostle Peter at Antioch is one that does not stand alone. It is only a parallel of many a case that we find written for our learning, in Holy Scripture. Do we not remember Abraham, the father of the faithful, following the advice of Sarah, and takin...

Father comforted me greatly last night. My wife and I had fellowship around 2AM regarding fresh realizations in our new direction. Filipinos have a tendency to simply keep silent, and instead not to stir the waters just to avoid the ire and attention of their peers. Disturbing the status quo is unthinkable for spineless cowards. Even most who take pride about their orthodoxy in sound doctrine do not command the authority to demand holiness from the flock entrusted to them. Most preachers in our day desire to have a ‘ministry’ to show off the world what they have accomplished for Christ. “Anything which is endured today in the religious world cannot be sound doctrine; anything which is approved of, well-attended, popular, is not sound ‘doctrine’. When God raises up His servant, equips him and sends him forth to preach, that servant will necessarily preach the word, and denounce all that is opposed to the world: hence his message is bound to be unpopular, in fact hated by all who are not...

Saturday is mother and daughter public reading day. I was a bit anxious letting them out on their own, but they have taken this upon themselves to contribute in the service the LORD. The God who looks after me also looks after them.  So long as they come accomplish what they set out to do and come home safe, I am already tremendously thankful.  

It was but yesterday morning, whilst engaged in my most needful devotional exercise, that the Lord met me with such tender power. As I turned the sacred pages to the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John, and my eye fell upon the twentieth verse, I could not restrain the rising tide of emotion—and I broke down entirely before Him. For weeks, the only sorrow that truly burdened my spirit, since parting ways with the congregation where we sought fellowship, was not the fear of any man’s opinion, nor any worldly concern, but this single, earnest petition: "Am I still in the center of your will, Father?" In that very moment of distress, my God came near and greatly, yet oh, so gently, comforted my soul. The Lord’s own voice seemed to leap right out from the very pages, wrapping me in a perfect peace that brushed away all anxiety. The Master of the wind and waves had spoken directly to the tempest in my heart, gently whispering eternal, assuring words: “It is I. Do not be afraid.” ...

Last Wednesday, one of our dogs was shot by an old tenant who lived some distance from our home. Barely making it back alive, he collapsed after my wife tried pulling him inside.  Going to the veterinarian was not an option. We had no money for it. We comforted our faithful beast as much as we could, and left the matter to God. But the next day, without asking for it, money came in specifically for the dog so by afternoon we were able to get a scan, and it showed what appeared to be an object lodged around the lung area. After taking two trips, we were finally told he has a 50/50 chance to die to the nature of the wound, and they cannot operate on him themselves, but presented instead to an even hopeless option: to go to a more expensive clinic, and undergo an operation that will cost between 35 and 50 thousand. So we took our dog home, and we resigned our dog to the LORD, contented to wait till he expired. I was at peace with it all, and was confident in the LORD that it will not ...

God bless this young man.  When he wrote to me last year, he expressed his strong desire to preach the gospel. But I urged him instead to set his eyes on an even greater pursuit than that of preaching, and that is to know Christ. A thorough and systematic study of the word grounded him deeper into the truths of God and the great relevance of His word in the Christian walk. There he fell in love with the Savior who died for him. Now his heart is in the right place. And he goes out willingly on his own without any prodding, with a greater understanding of these last days' urgency and gravity. The importance you give to the kingdom's cause is measured by how much of your life you give to it. It is all or nothing. In deed and in the mind, our service in this world is worth nothing. It is all Christ's work. But in return, God honors us by pruning us to make us more fruitful. And we are only thankful that He has given us crowns to give back to Him. I have learned that the best wa...

Facebook Post. November 9, 2020. Marriage is the mysterious earthly parallel of Christ's love for His pure and spotless bride, the redeemed elect. It is not the union between two human beings seeking personal gain and enjoyment from each other. The foundation of a happy marriage is founded upon the perfect purpose of its author: selflessness. A sacred vow broken only at death. It is where the wife seeks to serve her husband better than he loves her, and the husband seeks to love and serve the wife better than she loves him. Credit to the owner of the photo.

Moureen, our daughter in the LORD, did her first reading of scripture in the power of the Spirit. Unashamedly. There was no hint of apprehension in her voice, nor holding back in her demeanor. Somebody somewhere was asking the LORD to send laborers into the harvest, and my eyes have been witness to His mighty answer.  Neil who has since joined in the labor demonstrated his sincerity by moving all his work and belongings from Pasig, to Bulacan, - without telling us, so he can fellowship with us. To my added surprise, he ordered tracts from my printer for himself, bought his own bullhorn and lapel, and constructed his own cross. Such earnestness to take the Lord's work seriously! May Father prune him into utmost fruitfulness. My daughter did the first reading, Moureen did the second, Neil carried the repent cross, my beloved wife made rounds distributing tracts to everyone, and my daughter Ky assisted us. I finished with pleadings to the crowd. And the cross? It was also doing its wo...