February 18, 2015

Dear family, friends,& brethren,

Friday got off to a good start when the young men who visited our Wednesday night service came early for our scheduled Bible study this morning. The study and discussion continued for a solid three hours. I presented an overview of God’s plan of redemption from Old Testament to New Testament times, followed by summary of how Catholicism and denominationalism developed. Then I guided him through a study of Mark 16:15-16 coupled with examples of gospel preaching in Acts 2, 8, 16, and 22. Next, he opened his notebook where he had written summaries of things he had read or heard preached, and each entry had a list of questions generated by his reflection on these things.

At one point he had written “baptism results in salvation or salvation results in baptism.” He commented that today’s study had definitely settled that question in his mind. He proceeded to ask about such typical topics as the ends times, premillennialism, miracles and gifts today, etc. At 23 years he is quite perceptive because he has observed people in services with loud music and dynamic speakers get emotionally stirred and confuse their feelings with salvation. We hope and pray this young man will have an honest heart so that he will obey what is learning, but we must be patient because he is hearing a lot of new information.

The young man was not able to attend the evening service.  Though only 8 attended, our audience included Jane, one of the ladies who joined the Tuesday morning home Bible study. My lesson affirmed the unchanging nature of Christ’s authority and truth, followed by an explanation of the evolution of the apostate Roman Catholic religion. During the open forum there were many good observations and questions, and it is evident Jane is learning many new things.

We must continue to sow the seed and let God give the increase. This meeting has already been a success in several ways.

Saturday was another busy and fruitful day including more work catching up on old email, studying to preach, and reading Bible stories to Timothy and Seth. I also tried to earn my keep by pulling some weeds in the yard and removing a huge mud nest created on the front porch ceiling and wall by Australian Welcome Swallows. Jamie and Deborah let the nest remain until the little ones had hatched and left.

The house rented by Jamie and Deborah has a swimming pool. When I was a child I lost a brother to drowning. I then had swimming lessons for several years until I was certified by the Red Cross in life saving. All of this training saved my life a few years ago when I swam a river at flood stage in the Philippines to reach people waiting to hear the gospel. I was diligent to teach my own children to swim, and to help them find places and opportunities to swim without going to public swimming places where people are in various stages of nakedness. When I can squeeze in a few minutes, I have been teaching Timothy and Seth some simple swimming strokes. If my brother had known even the rudiments of swimming, he could have saved his life by just a few strokes in the water.

Jamie and Deborah invited three families from the Rockhampton church for “tea” (supper) and it was a joy to visit with them again. I preached in a gospel meeting or “mission,” as Australians say, for Rockhampton a couple of years ago. With these reinforcements there were 16 present to hear the lesson tracing out how denominations were formed from reform movements breaking away from Catholicism. The sermon also showed why these denominations are not the churches of Christ found in the Bible. Jane was back and brought her friend Helen who is in her 80’s and both of them listened intently.

Again tonight there were several good questions and comments including this, “The Bible plan is so simple, why do people not recognize and follow the truth?” The answer is that Satan is a master of deception, and people are easily deceived into believing and practicing things that accommodate their weaknesses and sins. That is why Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13-14).

The Lord’s Day is always a beautiful day when we gather in the presence of our Creator to honor and glorify Him and especially to remember our Savior who died and arose for our salvation! There were ten who assembled for our services including one saint who is astray and three visitors from the denominational world: Jane and Helen were back, and a 7^th Day Adventist lady heard the gospel for the first time.

These visitors could not have been more attentive as I presented a study of how men step by step found their way back to the original authority and teaching of Jesus Christ. I demonstrated that men are still doing so around the world, and I challenged our audience to have the same spirit of searching for the truth.

When I presented a lesson on “Avoiding Apostasy Today,” it involved warnings against denominational practices which are being embraced by liberal-minded brethren. This gave our visitors an even fuller picture of the contrast between the original Christianity revealed in Scripture and modern religious errors. The new visitor turned to Scriptures cited and took notes as well as taking some of the literature offered. I had a conversation with Helen that showed she understood what was taught on men rather than women leading in the work and worship of the church and also on instrumental music in worship.

Only God can measure the final good that will be accomplished by the series of six lessons on “The Authority of Christ,” but it is certain God opened a door for us to sow the seed of the kingdom and He will give the increase according to His will. Many larger congregations which conduct a week of preaching do not have the number of visitors we have had during the past week. The saints here have made repeated comments about how the studies have edified and encouraged them, and if nothing else were to be accomplished but to confirm their faith, our labors have not been in vain. Please pray for the small band of saints in Gladstone as they press forward in serving God and proclaiming the gospel in its original purity and simplicity.

On Monday, February 16, Deborah and I took Timothy and Seth for a picnic at a park where there are beautiful beaches and trails for walking. We came upon a cluster of trees filled with very large bats called Flying Foxes. It look like something form a horror movie to see hundreds of bats hanging from the trees and nervously moving from limb to limb or tree to tree every few seconds. We stayed at least 15 minutes observing and taking pictures and they never bothered us in any way. Their wing span is about the same as a large owl and they really look foreboding in flight. I have seen bats all my life but never anything like this scene!

After getting home worked on pulling weeds that grow up around the yard. Shortly after Jamie got home, brother Bong Tacbad came over for supper and a visit. He is a Filipino working on the same project as Jamie is working on and he is a faithful Christian who is an asset to the church at Gladstone.

On the 17^th I got up a little past 5:00 A.M. to catch my flight from Gladstone to Brisbane, and then on to Manila via Darwin which is on Australia’s northern coast. The flight arrived in Manila a little past 6:00 P.M. and I came to the hotel ready to rest. For the next couple of days I will complete arrangements for more Bibles in Filipino dialects to be shipped to brethren who have requested them, and then will fly home to Kentucky which is frozen like much of the nation.

This trip has been fruitful and encouraging in many ways. I am always edified by observing the faith, hope, and love of brethren in the Philippines and also in Australia. I can learn much from their dedication to the Lord and from their sacrifices in serving the Lord and each other. None of this would be possible without the prayers and financial help of many churches and brethren who cannot visit these places but who do what they can to strengthen the cause of Christ around the world.

And I am often reminded that I could not be doing my part in this work without the patient and dedicated efforts of my wife Donna who is always busy behind the scenes taking care of a dozen details.  Her heart is in this work as much as my own.

May God bless and keep each one of you.

In Christian love,

Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to: