Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Lordy Salunga and the saints at the Southside church of Christ in Angeles City, Pampanga have been preparing for the Vacation Bible School (VBS) classes which started today, Monday, April 24.  Fifty were present for the first day.  The workbooks on How to Study the Bible by Cecil Willis were distributed.  My lessons discussed the need for Bible study, our expectation to understand the Bible, and some improper attitudes and methods of Bible study.  Lordy taught reasons we study the Bible and Jonathan taught the necessity of preparing the heart.

I called on every student to read passages of Scripture – all were attentive and all participated well.  What a great blessing it is for young people to learn to study God’s Word so that it can guide their lives in a way that honors God, brings personal fulfillment, and defeats the devices of Satan which poison and destroy souls.  The Psalmist wisely said, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Ps. 119:9-11).

One student who was becoming ill went home, but otherwise our Tuesday classes went quite well.  My presentations covered the importance of word studies and good translations along with figurative language in Scripture.  In addition, I taught a lesson not found in the workbook which presents this challenge: “Young People, Read the Bible.”  This is based on Psalm 119:18-20, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.  I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.  My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.”                       

Lordy discussed rightly dividing the word, the context of a passage, and the historical setting while Jonathan covered the Old Law nailed to the cross and taking all the Bible says on a subject.

A parent in Manila asked her children whether they are missing their parents – they answered, “No,” because they found the classes were so interesting and their minds were fully occupied with the various topics.

Jerry Moral has been teaching classes on singing in worship every morning and Wednesday was his last day – and the last for all of us.  Jonathan taught on the silence of Scripture to complete his part of the workbook lessons, then Lordy and I presented lessons on mixed topics today.  Two of my studies addressed “Selecting a Mate: The Lord Builds the House” (Ps. 127).  I stressed the importance of having a godly character in order to find someone with a godly character to marry.  Another topic needed by all young people is “Modest Dress through the Ages” (1 Tim. 2:9-10).  It was well received.

Lordy preached on “The Agony of Christ” and extended the Lord’s invitation – two students immediately came forward to confess Christ and to be baptized into Christ.  I commended all the young people who attended the VBS because they really came to learn.  The youngest was 11, but as each one took turns reading Scripture, he did such an outstanding job I dubbed him “The Official Reader.”

May God bless all of these young people to serve Him faithfully, to marry godly mates, and to spend eternity with Him in heaven!

Two days of study for preachers were scheduled for Thursday and Friday at the Southside church of Christ here in Angeles City.  I studied until 2:00 A.M. preparing and then started the day at 7:30 A.M., anxious to see the brethren who will come.  Our workbook used as a guide is entitled Then Comes the End, written by Mike Willis.  Lordy, Jonathan, and I will cover 17 lessons in these two days.

Forty attended today.  I taught all morning from about 9:15 to 12:45 P.M. with only one 10 minute break, but everyone was focused as we moved steadily through lessons on death, the immortal soul, hades, reincarnation, and the resurrection.  Such weighty matters cannot fail to engage the minds of people who are serious about serving God and understanding the issues of life and death.  Every living person is preparing for death whether he knows it or not – God’s Word answers our questions and guides us to make all the necessary and proper preparations.

During the Q & A period there were questions about the resurrection of Christ, the doctrine of karma associated with reincarnation, the difference between reincarnation and resurrection, the end of death and hades, and the final consummation of the great plan of salvation by God.  This was a fruitful morning, but I returned to my hotel exhausted (did someone say I might not be as young as I used to be???).  After lunch and a rest, I walked for an hour in an effort to boost my energy – a very light rain with a breeze cooled the air to a tolerable temperature as I walked (do I remember a song “Count Your Blessings?”).  Now, I must study and prepare for the next day while Lordy and Jonathan are teaching through the afternoon.

It was hard to realize Friday had arrived so quickly!  My morning lessons discussed the Bible doctrine of heaven and the false doctrine that all prophecies related to the end of time were fulfilled when Jerusalem fell in A.D. 70 (realized eschatology).  Jonathan discussed hell and surveyed some millennial theories, then caught an afternoon flight back to Cebu City.  Lordy suveyed Matthew 24-25 and contrasted truth and error on the 1,000 year reign of Christ in Revelation 20:1-4.

My final topics were the false doctrine called the rapture and the proper understanding of the battle of Armageddon in the book of Revelation.  I presented a survey of the book of Revelation since several of our topics referred to his important book.  It was written to prepare the early saints for the onslaught of a vicious systematic attack by the Roman Empire on the church of Christ. Emperor worship was enforced and saints were imprison, banished, and even executed.  They needed to know their cause would be vindicated and Christ would be victorious over all his enemies.

One brother I have known for over 20 years said he now understood the theme of the book of Revelation for the first time in his life. Also I learned today that another student from the VBS classes told her parents that the lessons she learned convinced her that she needs to obey the gospel.  When she attends worship on Sunday she will confess her faith in Christ and go to the water to be baptized into Christ.  Such reactions make us believe our efforts in these classes are worthwhile!

It has been a privilege to work again with Lordy and Jonathan in teaching God’s Word.  My association with such sound, knowledgeable, and sacrificial servants of God has enriched my life and faith.  I thank God for saints who have donated funds and offered up prayers to God in order to make these opportunities possible!  God knows each one of you by name — He will surely bless and reward 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