Acrivities from November 12-26

November 12, in our preachers’ bible study, brother Daniel Pasaraba shared to us the lessons on “1 Corinthians 14”, the prophecy and tongues and an orderly worship.

November 13, in our midweek service here at Metro Tuguegarao, brother Rody taught his lesson about ”The Holy bible” in which he shows the three dispensation of time.

November 15, we went to Capadeco, Gonzaga to visit the brethren there who were also affected by the previous typhoon that hit our land. It is not like the typhoon Haiyan but still because the brethren live only in tents, their small so-called houses were destroyed. Brethren from the US send help through brother Rody and we went to distribute it to them. Before doing that, we shared to them God’s word. We started with singing, even though all the song books are wet and some are not readable already, we sing songs that are well known that makes everyone participate in the singing. Brother Rody preached about “Heed God’s word”. We also extended the invitation and 7 came in front to confess their faith. Aside from them, there are kids aging 10-11 came also in front, but when asked why they wanted to be baptized, they are not sure of their answer so we talked to them and told them to study and attend more of the meetings/services so that they will know the meaning of what they are doing. After the confession, we had an open forum, an aged woman asked about being baptize from other denomination same as in the church and so will she needed to be baptized again? Answer were shared so we sung another invitation song and 2 more souls came in front to confess their faith. There are total of 9 baptisms in this meeting. We baptized them in a near canal.

After the baptism, we gave them the help that came from the brethren. Clothing and rice are distributed and they are very happy for that.

November 16, brother Jun and I went to Manila and to be working at Edsa-Pasay Congregation.

November 17, in our Lord’s day service at Edsa-Pasay, brother Jay who traveled first before us led the opening songs and I led the opening prayer. Brother Jun taught in the bible study about “Is baptism essential to salvation?” After the bible study, I led the worship songs. In the sermon, brother Harry Osborne preached in the sermon about the things we need to know about “Baptism”.

November 18, our flight back to Tuguegarao is scheduled at this day and at 11:15 the plain will already leave but we stayed for a while in the preachers lectureship at Edsa-Pasay to meet with the other preachers from Manila and nearby places. I also led a spiritual song for the group on “This world is not my home”. After the singing, brother Jun and I left to the airport. When we arrived there, they asked us why we were late and so we are still thankful that even though we are 15 minutes late, we still have a sit and it is already in the very back.

November 19, I wanted to go to our preachers’ bible study but when I arrived coming from Manila, both my two kids and my wife are having asthma and hard coughs so we went to the doctor early hoping that they can be checked-up immediately but when we arrived there are already a lot of patients. We are in the clinic for almost a day. We thank God that they are all feeling better right now.

November 20, brother Robert Rances, one of our elders here at Tuguegarao sent me a text message asking me to teach in our midweek service in a short notice. I immediately prepared when he told me that and in the evening, I taught about “The goodness and severity of God”. We are thankful that God is so good to us but behind that, we should fear Him because of His severity when it comes to our sins.

November 23, I should be visiting the brethren at Palca but because of the continuous and heavy rains, it is re-scheduled for the next weeks.

November 24, in our Lord’s day service here at Metro Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught in our bible study about “Faith Only doctrine”. In the sermon, again the elders asked me to preached on this lesson found on the booklet about “Added to the church and joining the disciples”.

At Palca in the afternoon, I preached the same topic and the content of this is about the Universal and Local Church but because it is a sermon, I focus on our obligations on how to maintain being a member of the Lord’s church both universal and local.

I am very happy because this time we had a projector to use in our worship every Sunday or in all church activities in Palca. Brother Kevin Lachausse, Neil Wilson and Travis Pyle help me to buy the projector which in turn is very helpful in our studies of God’s word and more effective for the audience to understand the lessons.

This was taken before we started the worship.

November 26, in our preachers’ bible study, brother Virgilio Bocarile taught on “1 Corinthians 16” in the morning about the collection for the saints and in the afternoon, brother Rody shared to us the lesson “What should we do while waiting?” After the lesson, he showed to us the pictures he took when they traveled to the Visayas Island where the typhoon Haiyan has landed. They went to visit the brethren and gave the help coming from brethren both from here in Cagayan and from the US. It is so sad to see what had happen to them, even the church buildings of our brethren are destroyed. They are trying to fix it but it may take a while for them to rebuild everything.

Activities from October 20-November 10

October 20, in our Lord’s day service here at Metro Tuguegarao, the elders decided that only one will teach and  so brother Rody preached about “The Holy Bible” and talked also about thanksgiving because of sister Tessie’s birthday and the graduation of brother Teddy boy at college.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached about “The Parable of the ten virgins”. The main point of the lesson is preparation. Christians are like the ten virgins, some a wise wherein they diligently prepare themselves for the Lord’s coming and some are like the fools who knows that the Lord is coming but they are not prepared, they are even like the evil servant who says “my master is delaying his coming, and act accordingly (Mt. 24:48-49).

October 22, in our preachers’ bible study, brother Geronimo Ganela preached to us in the morning about “Studying the  Lord’s record” from the book of Genesis about marriage to Jesus coming. In the afternoon, he taught to us on “1 Corinthians 10” about the warnings from Israel’ history.

October 23, in our midweek service, I taught in our bible study about the lessons on “Matthew 25”, the “Parable of the ten virgins”, the “Parable of the talents” and the “Sheep and goats”.

October 25, I attended the gospel meeting at San Vicente, Tuao where brother Edwin Soriano and Alex Genilba preaches. Here are the speakers with their topics:

In the morning:

Brother Jerome Forelo – Salvation as planned by God

Brother Larry Guillermo – Receiving the good news

In the afternoon:

Brother Geronimo Ganela – New Testament Christianity

The brethren where edified not only of the lessons preached but also for seeing us coming from different places and gathering together in unity to study Gods’ word.

October 27, in our Lord’s day service here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught in our bible study about “Answering religious errors: Instrumental Music in worship”, and in the sermon brother Jerome preached about “The beginning of the Lord’s church”. This lessons were suggested by the elders to be studied as were written in the white booklet  entitle “The New testament Church”.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about “What we need to show the world?”  We are to show them that they are lost and we want them to be saved. We are to show them the love of Christ as it is written in the holy bible. And we also need to show them the reality of eternity.

October 29, in our preachers’ bible study, brother Robert Pader taught about “1 Corinthians 11".

October 30, in our midweek bible study, brother Robert Rances took the place of brother Efren because he was not aware of his schedule to teach. He taught on “Matthew 27”, the repentance f Judas, Jesus before Pilate, the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus.

November 3, in our Lord’s Day service here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught in our bible study about “Is one church as good as another?” and in the sermon, brother Jay preached “How can one become a Christian?”

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about “Remember Lot’s wife”. It is a very short verse, but has a powerful meaning. If we are already a Christian, we need not to turned back and look at the things we have left behind like our vices, what we do best, and what we are desiring but instead to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus.

November 5, in our preachers’ bible study, brother Jaymark Ramirez is scheduled to teach the whole day but he is not around and from his text message he said that he forgot. Brother Efren Respicio taught on “1 Corinthians 12” about charity and how to show it.

November 6, in our midweek bible study, brother July Aguinaldo taught on “Matthew 28” about the resurrection of Christ until He preached about the great commission.

November 10, in our Lord’s Day service here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught about “What is in the name?” of the church and in the sermon, I preached about “How should we worship God?” This was all taken again from the booklet.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them the same lesson “How should we worship God?” I am very happy of our attendance because there are only few chairs that are empty. Our attendance is 52 including the children.

Activities from September 25-October 16

September 25, in our midweek service here in Tuguegarao, we studied “Matthew 22” with brother Jerome as our teacher. It talks about the “Wedding Banquet”, “Paying Taxes to Ceasar”, “Marriage at the resurrection”, “The greatest commandment” and “Who is the Messaiah?”

September  28, I went to visit the brethren at Palca who are seldom attending the services. I first went back to the house of sister Lolita. Only her daughter is attending the services (sister Kenneth), while her other two daughter and her is not. She told me that since her husband became an official of the village, they were very busy. I still tried to encourage her to continue with the faith she started and put God first in their lives. Then I went to sister Adelaida wherein I have the chance to talk to her husband who is not a Christian.  Sister Adelaida is at her work so it gave me the chance to share the words of God to her husband.

September 29, in our Lord’s day service here at Metro Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught in our bible study about “Do you imitate Paul?” and in the sermon, brother Jerome preached “Let all things be done decently and in order”.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about “Take the Blessed walk”. I us the Eunuch in Acts 8 as an example.

The Eunuch:

A.   He went to Jerusalem to worship

B.   He was reading the book of Isaiah

C.   He was searching and studying

D.  He was humble

E.   He invited the Lord’s anointed to ride with him

F.   He was eager to be baptized

G.  He rejoiced on his way home instead of worrying about Philip’s disappearance

Lesson to all men:

A.   Let us go to worship

B.   Read the Bible

C.   Search and Study

D.  Be Humble

E.   Invite the messenger of God to your “Chariot”

F.   Be eager to be baptized

G.  Rejoice

October 1, in our preachers’ bible study, Rody taught about the “Everlasting God” in the morning. And in the afternoon, brother Gil taught about “1 Corinthians 7” and finally brother Rody preached “Some men of God who drop their guard?”

October 2, in our midweek service, brother Jay taught “Matthew 23”. “The warning against hypocrisy” and “The teaching of the Pharisees”.

October 4, in the wake of my father, we had a funeral service that brother Rody led. He shared bible passages regarding death. Only few are in attendance because they haven’t heard the news about my father passing away yet.

October 6, in our Lord’s day service, brother Jerome taught “Christians: warned and reminded” while brother Rody preached in the sermon about “Remembering”.

October 8, again in the wake of my father, we had another funeral service. This time brother Denis preached. Many of our fellow preachers came and help with the service. And also, we already have many visitors from the brethren to my father’s friends and relatives.

October 10, we had the last service in the wake of my father. Brother Jerome preached a very good lesson to everyone. The room was almost full because it was the last night. The lesson comforted me much and helps me accept what happened.

October 13, in our Lord’s day service here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught “What Jairus’ daughter saw in her father?” and in the sermon, brother Jerome preached about “How safe is your treasure?”

In the afternoon at Palca, I invited brother Robert Pader to come with me. He preached about “Too Strict” wherein it talks about the people in the bible who strictly followed God’s commandments and those who did not obey.

October 15, in our preachers’ bible study, brother Kernel talks on “1 Corinthians 9”. He showed the rights of Paul as an apostle.

October 16, we went to Payagan, Ballesteros for a Gospel Meeting. I was very sleepy while travelling because I was awake all night taking care of my daughters who have a very high fever. But that does not stop me from listening to God’s word. Here are the list of speaker with their lessons:

In the morning:

brother Edgar Licodini – Importance of the Holy Scripture

brother Jerome Forelo – What is a Christian?

Brother Rody Gumpad – The Church of Christ in the bible

We extended the invitation after those lessons and we are very happy that three souls went in front to confess their faith. They are the in-laws of the preacher at Payagan who is brother Johnson Ramil. Everyone was very emotional because for 15 years that they were studying, they decided to obey the gospel now. They came from Iglesia ni Cristo(1914), a church founded here in the Philippines by Felix Manalo. The father-in-law of Johnson is the head deacon of the congregation at Payagan.

In the afternoon brother Rody preached one more lesson about “No matter what”. An attitude that every Christian should have, that no matter what happens, we remain faithful and always trusting in God.

We arrived late in Tuguegarao for our midweek service. I should be the one teaching but because we are already late, brother Robert took my place. He taught on “Matthew 26” while I will be teaching next week if the Lord’s will on “Matthew 25”.