Philippines Day 5 and 6

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Day 5


Because of the Typhoon, classes were canceled. I was supposed to preach at BBCA, but I did not because of class cancellation. I got to talk to Helen on Skpye and how I praise God for the Internet. We then proceeded to RockWell Mall and watched Captain America. Went home by 3:30 and slept most of the day because I have not adjusted. We ate dinner and I read a little.

Day 6

About to Board to Iloilo. My cell phone works here. Praise God!

Devotions in Matthew

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Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand."


Matthew 7:11 "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

Matthew 9:12-14 "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Matthew 9:37
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Everyday, the Scriptures seem brand new to me. To be honest, I do not know what I am doing and where I am going. I just know I want to follow Jesus and treasure Him. I feel the pull of sin in my heart to treasure other things rather than Christ. But these passages spoke to my heart this morning:

1. In Jesus Preaching ministry, he emphasized the need for repentance. Why? Because the kingdom of God is at hand. In other words, in the person of Christ, he has and will inaugurate God's kingdom where He will reign and put down all the wicked and unbelieving. I must preach to others here to "Repent" and believe the good news of Christ.

2. God wants me to ask good things. I want to treasure Christ in my mind, but my heart pulls me towards different directions of sin, worldliness, and temptation. God help me treasure you because I know in my heart I don't. I'm asking honestly to help me turn my eyes away from worthless things that distract me from seeing your glory in everything and all that I do. You promised to answer this prayer. Give me a heart that treasures and magnifies Christ.

3. Jesus comes to call sinners to repentance. This is good news for me because I am desperately wicked. I am glad that my Lord is aware of my shortcomings and failures, yet He comes to save, redeem, and renew sinners.

4. There are few following Christ today. God is telling me to pray for more workers in the harvest field. I pray that I would be a humble servant and obedient servant and willing servant that I may proceed into God's harvest field.

Father in Heaven,

Do for me what I cannot do for myself. Help me follow your will and make your will clear to my life and stay out here in the Philippines.

In Jesus Name,
Amen

Goals when I Get Home

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(1) Talk to Desiring God and TMS to get more books for the Philippines


(2) Build the Library of CBS and BBCA

(3) Send a Balikbayan Box over there

(4) Pray about building a school/seminary/TMI/orphanage over here

(5) Pray about having a consistent team to come here to minister

(6) Pray about teaching modular courses in the Summer

Philippines Day 3 and 4

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Day 3


Woke up early in the morning and went with Pastor Art to a province north of Manila. Pastor Art taught a three hour counseling class. The people were warm and receptive. We then had lunch with Pastor John and proceeded home. I got to talk to my lovely fiance on skype and then proceeded to Robinsons where we met Pastor Luis, Joshua, and Dan to eat Chinese food.

Day 4

Woke up early and went to a Senior's Ministry. Pastor Art made me preach on the spot!But I preached the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-10). After the meeting was over, we went upstairs and talked to some slum kids who were detained for stealing. My heart was breaking for them because one six year old girl had no shoes and steals because of the poverty in the Philippines. My heart was breaking for them and I really wanted to buy them shoes. Afterwards, we took a two hour car ride to Antipolo where Center for Biblical Studies was located. It was raining hard today and it was type 1 Typhoon (which is not so bad). Ate Cookie greeted us when we got there and showed us the library. The students were fascinated to see a foreigner visit (BTW: Cookie is Pastor Art's Sister and "Tita Ritz" in the Philippines for CBS). 3pm came and Pastor Leo was going to teach apologetics. However, when he found out that it was my field, he insisted that I teach his 3rd year class. I was rushing and scattered because I was trying to teach them everything in one hour sitting. I gave some the students Piper books and they were leaping for joy. We proceeded to the faculty lounge where we had fellowship with Cookie and Pastor Leo. We ate shakeys pizza. Cookie and I were discussing possible opportunities in the future to teach at CBS. Need to pray about it. We then left CBS and went to Pasig where Pastor Art played basketball with the other pastors. I read J.I. Packer's Keeping in Step with the Spirit. Packer argued that the main ministry of the Holy Spirit is to mediate the presence of the living Christ to a believer. As I was reading, I got stung by a lot of mosquitos because it was really humid. Long day. Tired. But God is good. I am a sinner, but the Spirit is still working in me. I really miss Helen.

Philippines Day 2

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I preached this Lord's Day on Ephesians 2:1-10. I woke up at 5a.m. and started to prepare my heart to preach. God is so kind to me in answering my prayers. After the service, we went to Manila Bay to eat at "Army & Navy" which was an imitation of Chipotle. We came back to Pastor Art's House and I read, rested, and slept till seven in the evening. At night, we went to Robinson's Mall to eat KFC with the Youth Group. Praise the Lord for my salvation in Christ, his answer to my prayers, the internet so that I can talk to my lovely fiance, and safety.

Philippines Day 1

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I arrived 3:40 a.m. in Manila. It was a blessing because I slept for ten hours on the plane. I had a whole row to myself or the first few hours. Pastor Art picked me up and then we came back to his place. At 9:30 a.m., we went to Robinsons Mall where I went to a starbucks to prepare for the evening youth service. We came back home, ate shakeys, and rested for a bit until 5pm came. We arrived at Pastor Faller's Youth Service where four different churches gather together to sing. The music was very contemporary with each youth group performing their songs. I preached on 1 Cor. 15, "What is the Gospel?". I hope these kids do not have a shallow understanding of God, but that they may see Christ magnified.

The wrong reasons to avoid sin

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"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

I have been noticing that I avoid sin for the wrong reasons. For example, I want to avoid sin because I want to be the "perfect pastor." Or I want to avoid sin because I hate failing God. Or I want to avoid sin because I hate feeling guilty. The problem with this mind set is that it is not rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I fundamentally avoid sin because I want to be my own savior, that is why I keep failing to keep God's standard (Rom. 3:23).

As I was meditating on Ephesians, holy living always flows from gospel believing: God loved us that He would send His Son to die for us, lavish his grace upon us, predestine us, redeem us, raise us from the dead, seat us with Him, make us alive in Him. In other words, I should avoid sin because I have been bought with a high price. To sin is to disbelieve the infinite riches I have in Christ. To sin is to disbelieve that my salvation is precious. To sin is to disbelieve that I have been bought with the blood of Jesus Himself. To sin is to grieve the Spirit of God that has been freely given to me when I trusted Jesus to save me from my sins. To sin is to disbelieve that God is good. To sin is to neglect the promises of God. To sin is to ultimately reject Jesus and the greatness of what He has done for me so that He can deliever me from my radically self-centered self, sin, and death. May I remember that I have been bought with a price, the precious blood of God himself in the person of Jesus Christ.

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me for my sin. I confess to you my unwholesome talk and for dishonoring your name with my behavior. Thank you that Jesus has bought with His blood. Please seal within my heart the good news of Jesus death and resurrection. Make it clear to me so that I might not sin against you. Thank you that Jesus was the perfect pastor. Thank you that Jesus is the perfect Savior. Lord, please examine my motives and help me repent of any hypocrisy and unbelief.

In Jesus Name,
Amen

Salvation by Christian Ministry vs. Salvation by Christ and HIm Crucified.

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May I never forget the sufficiency of Christ and Him crucified. I am not saved by how well I preach, how many disciples I make, how many people acknowledge me. I am saved by the blood of Christ crucified period. He makes righteous through his death and resurrection. And the grace of God teaches me to renounce wordly passions, sin, ungodliness, and unbelief.


Lord, I believe in the gospel, yet help my unbelief.

The Practice of Godliness

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In The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges, he gives some very helpful exhortations in the pursuit of godliness. First of all, godliness begins with a sincere devotion to God. It begins with a fear of God, understanding his infinite majesty and being. God is holy. God hates sin. God will judge sin. God cannot stand evil. But not only should we fear God, but we should understand the love of God. God's love is so deep because He sent his Son to atone for all our sins. We do not earn merit through our good deeds, but only through the shed blood of his Son by which we are forgiven. Both a fear and love of God will lead to a desire for God. Understanding who God is and what He has done for us will lead us to worship and desire to please Him. Jerry Bridges argues that the practice of godliness will ultimately flow from devotion to God. How do we practice godliness?


(1) Godliness demands commitment

We cannot mystically wait to be godly and "let go and let God." Sanctification does not happen like that. We must be active in our sanctification (Phil 2:13), while God works within us to accomplish His good will.

(2) Godliness demands the Right Teacher

We must be trained by the Holy Spirit. And the greatest means the Holy Spirit uses is the Word of God. We must commit ourselves to reading the Word of God daily. The Word will inform us, convict us, rebuke us, encourage us, strengthen us. In other words, the Word will keep us in relationship to God as we meditate and pray.

Second of all, we must memorize scriptures on the holiness of God, the love of God, the mercy of God, forgiveness, etc.

(3) Godliness demands practice

We must practice godliness in all our lives. We must be prayerful in how God should lead us.

Lord, increase my devotion to you. I've been busy, but not being busy devoted to you. Lead my heart to you again. Forgive me for my transgressions and sins against you. Turn my heart to you again and help me be active in my fight against sin. In Jesus Name, Amen.