Dear family, brethren, and friends around the world,

Having finished the classes on the home and family at Cabanatuan City, we traveled by van back to Manila on Saturday, April 21. Sammy Paet again was our expert driver in the vehicle of Jun Bautista.  A terrible accident nearly occurred just immediately in front of us along the way, but at the last moment it was avoided.  Even though the trip took a very tiring five hours, we thank God for His mercy in giving us safe travel – and we thank all of you who are praying for us!  After arriving here in Manila, we took exercise and made our preparation for the next day’s appointments.

Mark spoke during the both the morning services and in an afternoon service at Edsa-Pasay with Jun Gumpad and Sammy Paet on the Lord’s Day – Mark reported good attendance and good attention to the sermons.  Jerry Toreja picked me up before 7:00 A.M. to preach at Kaptibahayan, Navotas for their 7:30 and 8:30 services.  About 80 souls heard two lessons entitled “Selecting a Mate: The Lord Builds the House” (Ps. 127:1).

This congregation has many young people approaching the age for marriage.  In the first sermon I challenged them to pray and trust in God’s providence in seeking a mate.  In the second sermon I challed them to be a true Christian in character in order to find a true Christian to marry.

After the two services, the congregation divided into classes. The men asked to have a Q & A session, mainly to discuss the best ways to nurture and encourage new congregations without violating their local autonomy.  New congregations are often being planted and formed in the Philippines and this was a profitable discussion.  I commended them for their desire to be careful in respecting congregational autonomy while also keeping the door open to help new congregations in any way possible.

Jerry and his son, Jeriko, took me to lunch at the Pancake House and then delivered me to the place of Jimmy Battung in Paranaque City where the church meets in his converted garage.  Five of these members are approaching the age for marriage, so I repeated the same two sermons on “Selecting A Mate.”  Both the young people and their parents expressed appreciation.

They wanted to ask questions, so I fielded questions for an hour on the conditions for forgiving someone of a personal sin against us (Lk. 17:3-4), the difference between forgiveness and trust (as when a mate commits adultery), the complications suffered by a family when divorce occurs, God’s law on divorce and remarraige (Matt. 19:9), and whether cremation is right (it is a matter of liberty and personal judgment).  Though this church is small, it is evident they are growing in zeal, spirit, and strength of conviction.

All three of these congregations are excited abut the coming visit of Zach and Taya Martin in July!  The saints are already encouraged just by knowing Zach and Taya care enough about Filipino Christians to plan such a trip.  I too am excited about the potential for good created by their coming.

For last year plans have been unfolding to teach the book of Revelation at the Kapitbahayan church in Navotas, Metro Manila.  Monday, April 23, marked the start of these classes and we are using Dan King’s workbook on Revelation as a guide.  I taught three lessons introducing the book as a prophetic book of apocalyptic literature similar to parts of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah, i.e., it uses a lot of figurative language which must not be misunderstood as literal.

Revelation as written to preapre the early church for the onslaught of persecution by the Roman Empire when it tried to enforce emperor worship.  Christians were urged to be faithful to Christ even in the face of death.  Mark covered chapters 2-3 which contain short addresses to the seven churches of the Roman province of Asia which was a hotbed of emperor worship with temples dedicated to emperors.  Jonathan Carino taught the sections of Revelation 4:1-8:1 which pictures the opening of seven seals by Christ, depicting the future persecution which was beginning to unfold.

There were 48 in attendance and again we were pleasantly surprised at the good number of teenagers sitting right at the front and ready and anxious to participate.  When called on to read passages, they read loudly and clearly with excellent pronunciation.

We got up before 6:00 A.M. to get an early breakfast and meet Jun Gumpad who drove us to Kapitbahayan to begin the classes at 8:00 A.M. sharp because we needed to cover Revelation chapters 8-20 on Tuesday.  Mark taught chapters 8-11 regarding the seven trumpets that sounded as God chastened the Roman Empire for persecuting and executing His saints.  From 10:00-12:00 I taught chapters 12-14 regarding the two wicked beasts that rose up serving Satan by carrying out this policy of persecution.  After lunch I discussed the seven bowls of wrath poured out in God’s final judgment against Rome in chapters 15-16.

I focused on the final scenes of God’s judgment of Rome represented as Babylon the harlot from 2:30-4:30 P.M. covering chapters 17-19.  By 6:00 P.M. Mark completed a study of chapter 20 which pictures the final victory of Christ shared by his martyred saints who rule with him as a result of Satan’s defeat.  Christ had been ruling since the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, but he accomplished his 1,000 year victory over Satan and the martyred saints shared in his rule by means of this victory.  Satan always has but “a short time” to push his wicked agendas, but Christ and his saints share a total and complete victory over Satan represented by the number 1,000 years.  Typical of apocalyptic literature, the 1,000 years are not years counted on a calendar but simply represent completeness.  Mark included time for a short open forum which our brethren always enjoy.

Our audience could not have been more attentive as we challenged them to have the martyr’s faith which will endure any trial and every sacrifice to be faithful to Christ to the end.

We headed out early again Wednesday to get the classes started on time.  Mark and Jonathan presented studies on Revelation 21-22, emphasizing the final reward of the righteous who will spend eternity in heaven with God.  After a short break, Mike Willis’ workbook Then Comes the End was distributed to serve as our next study guide.

In two hours I taught four lessons covering death, the immortality of the soul, hades, and errors of reincarnation.  I took some extra time to admonish the audience about God’s good providence which brought us together by the combined efforts and sacrifices of many saints.  This privilege should motivate those of us who are older to pass the torch of truth to a new generation and it should motivate the younger men to keep the torch burning brightly.

In the afternoon Mark covered the second coming of Christ and the destruction of the universe.  Jonathan helped the students study the Catholic doctrine of purgatory, and the great theme of the resurrection of the body.

Again today the students listened intently and participated enthusiastically.  They have an assignment each night to read from Revelation and make brief notes of verses the understood.  This exercise will build their confidence that they can understand this book which has been feared by many people and abused by many false teachers.

I was exhausted after teaching for about five hours today, but what a wonderful way to be tired.  And to top it off, I saw the beautiful moon which relayed your uplifting beams of love and returned beams of love from me to all of you!

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
http://www.HebronChurchOfChrist.com
http://www.biblework.com
http://www.truthmagazine.com
http://www.CEIbooks.com