Preaching activities from July 5 to August 2, 2017

July 5 (Midweek service at Metro Tuguegarao)

We continue to study the book of first Thessalonians. And now we are on the second chapter. Brother Jay discussed it to us. Many of our brethren are not around because we experienced heavy rains throughout the day. Sister Amy even informed me that water entered their house and it is above the knee already. We include them in our prayers during our service.

July 9 (Sunday worship at Tuguegarao and Palca)

In the morning, here in Tuguegarao, brother Jay taught in our bible study on “Reasons why we need to read the bible” and in the sermon, I preached about “Housetops”. There are many things we can learn from experiences in the housetops in the bible times. An example is when David woke up and walk in the top of their house, he saw a lady taking a bath and sin came. Another is when Jesus was preaching inside of a house full of people. 4 friends came with the paralytic friend and went in the top of the house just to bring their friend to Jesus so that he will be healed. We can learn to things in this lesson, one is sin and one is faith.

In the afternoon, I preached the same lesson about the “Housetops”. After the service, together with some of our brethren, we went to visit again sister Valentina because she continuously have problem with her health. We again prayed in their house together with his grandkids. She is already 87 and cannot recover immediately with every sickness she have. It’s already been two months since she attended our services.

July 12 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)

I taught in our bible study on the 3^rd chapter of 1^st Thessalonians about the faithfulness of the Christians and their continuous growth.

July 14 (Gospel Meeting at Sampaguita, Solana)

We were invited to attend the Gospel Meeting at Sampaguita Church of Christ and also to celebrate their one year anniversary. It’s already been a fruitful year for the brethren there but there are still many things to fix in their church building. The walls are done but still no roof. We only use a tent to cover the top on the building. According to brother Jerry Soliva, their preacher, when it rains on Sundays, they cannot worship in the building but instead they will all go in the small house of brother Mario Garma.

Brother Joeben Jacobo was the first speaker and he preached about “Hezekiah” and the last speaker is brother Rody Gumpad who preached “The Glorious Church”. After the preaching, invitation was extended and there were 2 precious souls who obeyed the gospel.

July 16 (Sunday service at Metro Tuguegarao and Palca)

I preached in our bible study about “Noah”. The lesson is merely like a mirror to what Jesus expects us to do in our time. Like Noah, he need to obey the words of God to be save and follow all the instructions. Today, we needed to obey all the instructions of Jesus in order for us to be save. In the sermon, brother Rody preached about “Guarding our faith”.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them “Overcome evil with good”. As a Christian, we need not to avenge any evil deeds they are doing to us, but instead we continue to bless and pray for them as the Lord teaches us. Let us put our trust in God that He will take care of every situation that is happening in our lives.

July 19 (Gospel Meeting at Villa Hermosa, Maddela, Quirino)

We traveled at around 6 in the morning here in Tuguegarao expecting to arrive at the first gospel meeting in Quirino at their municipal jail but unluckily, heavy traffics where on our way that leads to 5 hours of travel. We didn’t attend the first activity in the morning but we arrived early for the preaching in the afternoon. Brother Rody and his company where in Quirino since Monday and the four of us (Jerome, Jay, Efren and Me) just this day.

In the Gospel Meeting in the afternoon at Villa Hermosa, brother Jay preached about “How to extend the Gospel to others” and brother Rody was the last speaker. Sorry I forgot the lesson he preached, I even cannot locate any picture of him but I got pictures of brother Jay preaching. We extended the invitation but no response from the audience. Brother Robert Domingo is inviting us again to be speakers in their next Gospel Meeting and he wanted that it will be a whole day activity. He said the maybe later this year he will contact us.

In the evening, brother Otey Pastor invited us to their house and have a prayer devotion. Before having our prayer, brother Rody shared the book of Jude. We all prayed together not only for their family but also for all the work in their area.

I traveled back to Tuguegarao the next day because of lack of funds to use in other preaching travels and also there are other things I need to do in my way back.

July 23 (Sunday worship at Tuguegarao and Pacla)

In our bible study here at Tuguegarao, brother Jay taught again “How to extend the Gospel to others?” and in the sermon brother Rody shared about “Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage”.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about “The blood of Christ”. I first introduce why blood matters in the old covenant and also why Jesus Christ blood matters to us today.

July 26 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)

In our bible study, brother Rody shared to us 1 Thessalonians 4.

July 27 (Gospel Meeting at Santiago, Iguig)

Brother Jimmy Duque invited us to preached in the newly established congregation in Iguig. They do not have any chapel yet but they have services in the house of brother Rizal. We held the Gospel Meeting in a tent. Brother Rogelio Esperanza was the first speaker and he preached about “Spiritual Healing”, I am the second speaker and I preached about “For what reason Paul was sent for by Cornelio?” and the last speaker was brother Rody who preached about “God has spoken”. I prepared a powerpoint outline for my preaching and brother Rody brought his projector, but they do not have any electricity during that time. We extended the invitation after the preaching and we are happy that 3 precious souls obeyed the gospel call.

July 30 (Sunday service at Tuguegarao and Palca)

In our bible study here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun Gumpad preached about “Jesus: the bronze serpent lifted up” and in the sermon, brother Rody preached about “Why Christians do not drink alcohol?”

In the afternoon at Palca, I preached to them about “The God in the bible”. There are many gods that people believe and there is the God that we can read in the bible. I shared to them about the kind of God people think and I showed them what the true God thinks of those reasoning’s. For example, the God they know will save everyone and bring all of us to heaven, but the God in the bible says that He will save all those who will fear and obey Him.

August 2 (Work in the church building in Minagbag and Midweek service at Tuguegarao)

In the morning, I helped in the work at Minagbag where brother Jay Gumpad is preaching. We renovated their church building because many of the walls are already falling apart and we needed to do the paint jobs. We are about 10 preachers and 5 brethren from Minagbag who worked together. We finished the job at around 3 in the afternoon.

In the evening, we had our midweek service here at Tuguegarao. Brother Rody discussed to us 1 Thessalonians 4.

Preaching activities from May 31 to July 2

May 31 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)

I taught in our bible study the first chapter of Colossians and also what is the background of the church and what is the reason why Paul wrote a letter to them.

June 4 (Sunday service at Metro Tuguegarao and Palca)

In our bible study, brother Jerome preached about “Money can’t buy happiness” and brother Rody preached in the sermon about “Is there a place of Christ’s words in us?”

In the afternoon at Palca, I preached to them about “Naaman”. The content of the lesson includes many ideas on how we can apply it in our lives. Like the young girl on how to become a faithful servant to her master and the obedience of Naaman that healed him. The body of the lesson consists of 9 different parts. I started to preached at around 1:45 p.m. and ended almost 3:15 already. My voice is already changing when I led our closing song and closing prayer.

June 7 (Midweek service at Metro Tuguegarao)

Brother Rody continued on our study on the book of Colossians. This evening, we studied the 2^nd chapter.

June 11 (Sunday service at Tuguegarao and Palca)

In our bible study, I started to preached about the same lesson on “Naaman” but because I only have 30 minutes to finish, I choose to divide the lesson into two parts. In the sermon, brother Rody preached about “The Church”.

In the afternoon, because I prepared again a very long outline, I also divide the lesson into two. The topic is about Jesus’s sermon on the mount specifically on the part He said “Ye have heard that it was said” and that is also the title of the lesson. After the worship, in our prayers, we included again sister Valentina Mabborang who continues to feel ill because of her pneumonia and always feels dizzy. She is already 87 years old that her body cannot recover easily from any illness. We prayed for her in our closing prayer and because her house is just on the next block, some of the brethren came with me to visit her. When we arrived, she is outside their house, in a hut, resting. She prefer to stay outside because there is air then inside the house where it is very hot. We have 37 degrees Celsius during that time. After taking time to talk with her, we again joined together in prayer.

June 14 (Midweek bible study at Tuguegarao)

Brother Jay was scheduled to preach during this time and he continued with our study on Colossians. He discussed to us, chapter 3.

June 18 (Sunday service at Tuguegarao and Palca)

I again preached in our bible study, and now the second part of my lesson on “Naaman”. In the sermon, brother Rody preached about “3 mistakes fathers should avoid”.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I also continued with the lesson I preached the last week about “Ye have heard that it was said”. After the worship, I noticed that our visitor, Mrs. Paulina Ramos is not with us. And because their house is just on our way back, we stopped by her house. She also is not feeling well at that time, she has a fever. Because she cannot have long conversation because of her illness, we just prayed together. I noticed that there are just two of them in their house and one of our sister told me that her husband committed adultery and left them. Please include her in your prayers.

June 21 (Midweek bible study at Tuguegarao)

Brother Rody discussed to us the last chapter of the book of Colossians.

June 23-25 (Preaching in Manila at Edsa-Pasay congregation)

After our midweek service on the 21^st, brother Jun gave me a call asking me to go to Manila and preach at Pasay on Sunday because he will travel back to Tuguegarao to fix some important matters. Brother Rody also asked me to go because he is also here in Tuguegarao. On the morning of 23^rd, together with my wife and kids, we left Tuguegarao through bus at 10:30 a.m. and arrived safely at Manila at around 2:30 a.m. on the 24^th. I cleaned the chapel on Saturday afternoon and prepared all the things needed.

On the 25^th, I preached both in the morning and afternoon services at Pasay. In the morning, I preached about “Why few enter the narrow gate?” Brother Sammy Paet asked me to speak on our bible study and sermon and so I decided that I will again split my lesson into two. In the afternoon, I preached the long sermon about “Naaman”. There were two visitors who joined us in the day’s worship. According to brother Sammy, the cousin of brother Ryan decided to be baptized on this day but because of unavoidable circumstances, he needed to go back to their province at Quirino to take care of his father who is very ill. I hope and pray that he will obey the gospel soon.

We should be traveling back to Tuguegarao on the evening of 25^th but there are no tickets available anymore. We got tickets for the next day trip. We arrived safely here in Tuguegarao 9:30 a.m. of Tuesday.

June 28 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)

I preached to the brethren the first chapter of 1^st Thessalonians. I also gave the introduction of the book, when was the church started in the area, who are they and why Paul sent them a letter.

July 2 (Sunday service at Metro Tuguegarao and Palca)

In our bible study here in Tuguegarao, brother Jay preached about “Faithfulness” and in the sermon, brother Jun preached about “What is your life?” Brother Jun is still with us here in Tuguegarao but brother Rody already went to Manila to preach at Pasay.

In the afternoon, I preached in Palca about “As the days of Noah” and emphasized that those who will only be saved are those in the ark, and during our period, only those who are inside the church will be saved. After our worship, Mrs. Paulina Ramos came to me and told me, she already wanted to be baptized. I am very tired during that time but when she told me that she wanted to obey the gospel, every muscle on my body just woke up and it seems that I am very much alive. I am very happy with her decision and I know God and His angels are too. Together with some of the brethren, we jumped up in my car and immediately went to the river. After her confession, I immersed her in the water and we joined together again in prayer and thanksgiving to our Almighty God that He gave His son to save us from our sins.