Activities from February 20 - March 5, 2013

February 20, in our midweek service, brother Jun shared to us the lessons we could learn from "Proverbs 26".

February 23, we went to the burial of brother Jesus Pader. He is the reason why there is a church in Maguirig and also the first christian there. Brother Geronimo Ganela preached a sermon about "Life and Death". 

February 24, in our Lord's day service here at Tuguegarao, I taught in our bible study about "A Few Things" (Few are saved, Few Laborers, and faithful over few things). In the sermon, brother Jerome preached about "Learning from death" (The Value of our life, brevity of life, vanity of earthly things, death is not the end of life, certainty of death, and each has his own spiritual responsibility).

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about "Proverbs 27:1-17". I am encouraging them to not think always of themselves but also look for the others and also about the reason why we are living and why we needed to work today and not always think of what to do tomorrow because we do not know if tomorrow will still come.

February 26, in our preachers' bible study, brother July taught in the morning about "Proverbs 31" then followed by brother Rody wherein he shared about the "Timeline of the Old and New Testament". 

In the afternoon, I shared to them "Acts 20" the continuation of Paul's Third Missionary Journey. I pointed out about the reason why Paul told the brethren that he might not see his face anymore because of the danger ahead of him and that tells us that if we needed to die for the gospel, then so be it, our reward is in heaven. From this chapter, it also tells us to preach the whole counsel of God because of the sacrifices Jesus did just for us to have salvation and to share it to everyone.

February 27, in our midweek service, I taught on "Proverbs 27". This time, I shared to them every detail on the whole chapter. Solomon intended this proverb for his son to not forsake God and the people around him but it is written in the bible so that we can also think on this things as a guidance for us to have a righteous life.

February 28, I should be going for a home bible study at Palca but early in the morning, they sent me a text message saying that we will re-schedule the study for next time because they have an emergency to attend to.

March 1-4, brother Jun, Teddy and I went to Manila to work in the newly opened congregation in Pasay. We traveled by night on the Friday and hoping to arrived there early Saturday but unluckily, when we are near Bulacan area, the bus got a problem and that we needed to transfer to another bus but the bus arrived about 30 minutes later. We arrived in Manila about 8 in the morning but we are still far from the Pasay area. We traveled by train but again the train's destination will not reach Pasay because of some technical problems also. We again ride a bus to reach the area and so finally, at 10 in the morning, we arrived safely at Pasay. Thanks to God's guidance for all the help he gave us on this trip. 

Saturday, we prepared the meeting place (clean, prepare the projector, making copies of our outlines,etc). 
Sunday, in our Lord's day service, brother Teddy led the singing and I taught in our bible study. We are still few when I started to teach because the brethren came from different areas around Manila and some are really from far places. I again taught the lesson about "A Few Things". I already preached this lesson from many places and I wanted to share also to them that there is a warning in the bible "Many are called but few are chosen". Even though we are a christian already, still there is Satan trying to get us back into darkness and wanting us to go with him in hell. In the sermon, brother Jun preached about "Did Christ's died in vain?" Many of the denominations today preach about neglecting Mark 16:16, Matthew 16:18 and other verses pertaining to Christ, the church and how to enter the church. If we say that it is not important to obey the gospel or the church, we are also saying that Christ's sacrifice on the cross is useless because without it we will be save as our friends from denominations teach. We have five visitors who attended the worship and four them are already christian who are looking for worship place here in Manila because they are members of the Lord's church in their provinces. Here are the list of names:
1. Jackson Edwas
2. Garry Laurencio
3. Judy Ann Matias (Non-christian)
4. Eric de Guzman
5. Sydney Sabiniano
We have a total attendance of 30 wherein two are kids.

Monday, we traveled back to Tuguegarao and arrived Tuesday morning.

March 5, in our preachers' bible study. Brother Gemiano Pader shared to us the lessons on "Acts 21" the end of Paul's third missionary Journey until his imprisonment. After the question and answer, brother Rody also shared to us the timeline of the whole bible.

ACTIVITIES FROM fEBRUARY 6-19

February 6, in our midweek service, we studied “Proverbs 24” that brother Jerome taught. He talks about not to look on what the evil man have, even though they have everything like money, cars, phones, etc the knowledge and wisdom that we have of God’s word, that is a greater riches.

February 9, I went to Palca for another Home Bible Study at sister Fermina Quines house. I preached to them about 1 Corinthians 2.

February 10, in our Lord’s day service here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught in our bible study the topic about “Nothing”. He speaks of us coming into this world without anything and when we die, we will also bring nothing to where we are going. In the sermon, brother Jerome preached about “Excuses of Moses”. When God called Moses to go to Pharaoh, he have many excuses and that is also the excuses a lot of Christians say today when it talks about sharing God’s word.

In Palca, I preached to them about “The thief on the cross”. Many today believe that we can also be like that thief wherein he is save but when we study carefully, we cannot. God already gave His plan of Salvation and we needed to be baptized in order to be saved. I also preached to them about “By the Gospel, You will Know”. We will know what is the whole duty of man, that the gospel should be obeyed and that we needed to abide in the doctrine of Christ.

February 12, in our preachers’ bible study, brother Jimmy Duque discussed to us on “Acts 19” the Third Missionary Journey of Paul.

February 13, in our midweek service, we studied “Proverbs 25” that brother Jay taught. It is not good to find much wealth because we might forget serving God and focus on riches, that is the main point of his lesson.

February 16, I went to the Gospel Meeting at Minanga, Iguig where brother Ronald Valdez is preaching. I went there in the afternoon because in the morning, there was a scheduled meeting in my daughters school but it ends early. I tried to go immediately to Minanga but when I started my motorbike, I suddenly felt dizzy maybe because I am sick for three days already. To tell you the truth, my two kids have asthma right now and my wife got cough and flu that makes four of us in the house sick. Finally, at noon, I felt better so I decided to travel to Minanga. I arrived there but unluckily, it was already the last speaker “Edgar Licodini”. I lead the invitation song but no response from the audience. When I got back home, I feel very sick again.

February 17, in our Lords’ day service here at Tuguegarao, I should be the one teaching in our bible study but because of my condition, brother Jun take over my spot. He both teach in our bible study and preached in the sermon about “The Seven Blunders of Man”. Here are those:

1. Rejecting Jesus as God

2. Thinking goodness can save

3. Looking only at things seen

4. Thinking we are too bad to be save

5. Thinking faith only can save

6. Thinking the church unnecessary to salvation

7. thinking we have lots of time to “one day” obey God

In the afternoon, I tried to contact brother Edgar Corpuz if he can go to Palca because I cannot do it, my body is very weak at that time, but he said, he is scheduled to go to Alibago so I pushed myself again to go to Palca. I arrived there a little bit late because I cannot drive the usual. I preached to them about the lesson “Few Things that Jesus said”. There are few that will be saved, few laborers in God’s vineyard and we must be worthy of the few things He gave.

February 19. In our preachers bible study, I should be the one teaching on “Acts 20” but because brother Cornelio was not present when he was scheduled to teach Acts 18, I gave him the chance to share what he prepared. I will be teaching next week, if the Lord’s will.

Report for January 29 to February 5

January 29, in our preacher’s bible study, we studied Acts 14 that brother Jaymark Ramirez taught. The lesson started in Iconium for the journey of Paul, to the idolatry in Lystra where people thought Paul and Barnabas are gods who went down for them, to the stoning and their escape in Derbe and finally the strengthening of the converts on their way back.

January 30, in our midweek service, brother Rody taught Proverbs 23. The lesson was very interesting wherein Solomon is teaching us to not focus on reaches by overworking because everything in this world is temporary.

TRIP TO MANILA

We are thankful to God for the opportunity to also go to Manila and work in the newly established congregation. Brother Jun and I are scheduled to go there because brother Rody will be working here in Tuguegarao. He is going to Palca on Sunday while I am in Manila.

January 31 and February 1, we are already preparing our lessons. I made copies of my outline so that they can easily follow what I am teaching them. In the night of Feb. 1, we travelled to Manila. We arrived there at about 9 in the morning. We prepared the meeting place in that day by cleaning and making sure everything is already in place for the service.

February 2, in the Lord’s day service, I taught in the bible study wherein the lesson is all about “3^rd option”. I read this lesson many times from the sermon of brother Steven Deaton and got encourage by it. There is a good place called heaven and a bad place called hell, but is there really a third option? Of course, we don’t there is none, so we better obey God to go to heaven or reject all His will to go to hell.

In the sermon, brother Jun preached about “Know the truth”. He discusses about the Godhead, the church and also what are the acts of worship.

After the worship, we talked with the brethren and learned that two are still not yet a Christian. We also have a new comer in the room; one is a Christian (brother Jeff Fuentes) who told us that he is going for worship in Navotas but he saw the big tarpaulin outside the building so he came to worship with us; the other one is a member of Iglesia ni Cristo that Felix Manalo built. He is Sonny and a businessman. For the whole duration of the worship, I saw him intently listening to every word we speak in front. We gave him tracts and calling card and also invited him to attend the lectureship that will be held this Saturday with brother Harry Osborne.

February 3, brother Rody arrived early in the morning together with sister Tessie. We help him in other things needed for the coming lectureship and also for the registration of the church in Tuguegarao. We travelled back home in the evening and arrived 7 in the morning here in Tuguegarao.

Activities from January 19-27

This is our group going to Iguig tract distribution

January 19, we had a bible tracts distribution at three villages of Iguig (San Esteban, Minanga and San Vicente). Brother Ronald Valdez was the preacher there and he asked to make some bible tracts. We distributed everything in just a half day. We also had a bible study in one of the houses of his cousin (Manuel Gabriel). The only Christian in their family is his daughter. Brother Efren Respicio preached to them about “Things Above”.

brother Efren preaching at Manuel Gabriel's house

January 20, in our Lord’s day service here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun and brother Jerome both taught and preached about “John 13:1-17” about the “Washing of the Feet”.

In the afternoon at Palca, I preached about “Is Satan also doing some good things?” Part 2. This time I shared to them things that Satan do when it comes to prayer, he wanted us to be prideful in our prayers and even in our worship to the Lord he also wants us to have additions like instruments, choirs, dramatizations and many more. Satan is in our worships and that should be a good things but he is not there to listen and worship God but to destroy our focus on the service.

January 22, in our preachers bible study, brother Edgar Licodini preached to us on “Acts 16”.  He explained well about the topic about Timothy joining Paul and Silas, Paul’s vision in Macedonia, Lydia’s conversion and Paul and Silas in prison. I didn’t attend our morning session because I need to take my son and daughter to the doctor. They have been suffering from flu and cough for the past three days. The doctor said it was an asthma attack so we again bought many medicines that we again use a lot of our support for the month. Until today, January 28, they still have the asthma. We ask for your prayers.

 

January 23, in our midweek service, I preached to them about “Proverbs 22”. These are all good advices from the wisest King, Solomon to all of us. He mentioned that even if we are weak as the poor, God is our strength and he will never forsake us. It teaches us also on how to train our children in the fear of the Lord.

In our midweek service where I taught Proverbs 22

January 26, we went to Palca for another home bible study. This time in the house of brother Junior Quines. Brother Manny Pader, Robert Rances and July Aguinaldo are with me. The wife of brother Junior was in attendance and for long time, I am trying to invite her to come to the church but unluckily, she does not. Brother Manny preached about “Go..Preach the Gospel”. The reason why we need to preach to everyone and what might the hindrances be. Mrs. Lagring the wife of brother Junior is listening intently and sometimes tears are falling from her eyes. After the lesson, I invited her again to join us in our worship on the Lord’s day. I don’t know how many times I told that to her and she kept on answering “YES”. The next day (Sunday), sad to say that she is not in attendance. I asked brother Junior and he said, she was out of town. Hope and pray that someday, she will also join us in worship and Lord willing, obey the gospel also.

In our home bible study at Palca (brother Junior Quines house)

January 27, in our Lord’s Day service here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught in our bible study about “Forward and backward”. He gave some bible examples like Lot, Abraham and the Israelites. The lesson discusses about moving forward toward the goal not backward going back to the old man that we are. In the sermon, brother Rody preached to us about “How the gospel spreads?” He arrived with us Friday coming from a 2 weeks preaching at Manila where He also started a new work there. Lord willing this Friday night, me and brother Jun will travel to Manila and serve in the worship on Sunday. I will be teaching in our bible study and he will preach in the sermon. We again us for your prayers for our safe trip.

In the afternoon, I preached at Palca on “Proverbs 22”. I discuss this as a sermon type that suited their spiritual needs. The weather was cold that everyone is shaking but still they are happy to hear the words of God.