Dear family, brethren, and friends,

The lectureship with four lessons on the theme of “Suffering: Why, and How Long?” was presented Monday at the church in Lanton, Apopong, General Santos City, South Cotabato with Jolly Julom.  140 souls from throughout the region joined us.  The open forum was challenging and covered a lot of ground.  I will share a few examples of the questions.

Is God the ultimate source of suffering?  God put man in a perfect garden with no sin and no suffering.  God warned that sin would bring suffering and death.  Satan, not God, tempted Adam and Eve to sin with the result that suffering and death entered our world.  Suffering and death were the malicious intents of Satan. God overrules Satan through the gospel of Christ by forgiving our sins and opening the way to heaven where Satan, sin, suffering, and death cannot enter in all of eternity.

Does God already know who will go to heaven and to hell?  Romans 8:29-30 shows that God completed the perfect plan for our salvation before time began and it cannot fail.  Nowhere does the Bible teach God knows who will and who will not obey the gospel.  He gave us free will and we choose our own destiny by obeying or by rejecting God’s perfect plan in Christ (Mk. 16:15-16).  The Bible does show that God has the power to exercise foreknowledge regarding the attitudes of certain men, both good and bad, thus He knew certain choices they would make and, therefore, He chose to use them accordingly to accomplish His own purpose (see Abraham in Gen. 18:19; Cyrus in Isa. 44:28; Judas in Ps. 41:9; Zech. 11:12–13; Matt. 26:24-25).

What is willful sin in Hebrews 10:26 which cannot be forgiven?  In the context of this book, the writer is warning about the danger of departing from the truth of the gospel to return to Judaism, hardening the heart, and refusing to repent.  When a Christian abandons Christ, he should know there will never be another sacrifice for our sins and, therefore, his stubbornness leaves him hopeless.  He cannot be forgiven for such willful sin because he will never repent.

Will God punish people differently for sins committed in ignorance?  Leviticus 4-5 shows that God holds people who sin in ignorance accountable and they were to bring sacrifices seeking forgiveness when they learned of their sins.  God rules the universe in a way that allows all men to find Him if they seek Him (Acts 17:27).  Men who spend their whole lives ignorant of God and His will do so willfully and are “without excuse” (Rom. 1:20; 2 Pet. 3:5).  Saul zealously persecuted the church because of his ignorance, but when he learned the truth he obeyed it (1 Tim. 1:13-14).  Ignorance is no excuse with God because He makes the truth freely available to all men.

I saw the moon again while walking tonight.  God put it in the sky so we can watch for it and share the ties of its beauty and our friendship with Him and each other!

Tuesday was reserved to visit sites where our brethren have been forced to relocate because of the series of earthquakes.  This, again, required travel on all sorts of roads and pathways off the grid.  Along the way, we passed buildings destroyed by earthquakes including a McDonald’s Restaurant which was gutted in one town we passed through.  At one point, we drove past an area still being cleaned up after terrible landslides which killed people and left piles of muddy debris and boulders along a long stretch of highway next to the ocean.  

Our first stop was in the city of General Santos where the Balite church has met for many years and where I have preached several times through the years.  This was a substantial building, not like the rural buildings made of light materials.  The ceiling collapsed and the walls cracked open so that the only choice is to raze the structure and rebuild.  They have received some donations but will need to find another $12,000 to rebuild.  The church is meeting next to their destroyed building under a temporary shelter. A widow’s house next to the building was gutted. 

Salvador Parbo guided us to Molo, Malapatan, Sarangani where he had purchased land in this remote area where 20 new houses are being built for saints who have lost their houses and where a new church building is being erected.  I spoke to about 50 souls from Psalm 23 on “God Is Our Shepherd-King.”   An invitation song was sung and three souls decided to obey the gospel of Christ.  

These 20 new houses will create a small new community to be named Christian Village.  All of these new structures are being built of better materials which can withstand earthquakes better than the light materials used in the past. 

Next, we drove, bumped, twisted, and bounced to reach the saints at Patban, Glan, Sarangani.  Once, again, I preached to an audience of about 50 souls on the topic “Victory in Christ” (Rom. 8:29-39).  Eighteen new houses will be built here and several are already underway.

Another couple of hours driving brought us to Maltaan, Bawing, General Santos City far out in the countryside where about 20 people had been waiting for us since noon. Darkness had already fallen when we arrived at this site where a new church building is going up.  We greeted each other and I prayed for God to bless these saints and the good work of providing houses for them.  Ten new houses will be constructed here, God willing.                         

I tried to assure the saints at all of these sites where they are living in primitive conditions that God knows their plight and saints in far away places are praying for them and trying to find help for them.  They are encouraged to know that saints in other places know about their suffering and care for them.

Other places we might have visited were not safe because of damaged roads and unstable land resulting from the earthquakes, flooding, and landslides.  It will take many months and a lot of money to repair or replace damaged and destroyed houses and church buildings.  These saints need our prayers and financial help.  I can help facilitate getting funds where they are needed.

Wedneday I had mixed emotions leaving all of these dear brethren behind and also parting company with my longtime helpers Jonathan Carino and Jack Jaco, but also looking forward to returning to Donna and all the loved ones I missed at home.   My flight from General Santos City to Manila gave me a good chance to nap after these several exhausting days and we arrived safely about noon.  James Paet met me and we took our lunch at the Pancake House (can’t beat those pancakes!).  Then, he drove me to downtown Manila to the Philippine Bible Society where I purchased 510 Bibles in various dialects to be shipped throughout the country where they have been requested as I have traveled for these past five weeks.

My Thursday has been spent completing this last report and sending all the notices to brethren who had requested Bibles to let them know the shipments will soon be made and they will receive their Bibles within the next month or two, God willing.  I also spent some time in vigorous exercise which helps prepare me for the 24 hours of travel on three different airplane flights going back home tomorrow.  I leave about noon Friday which is midnight at home on Thursday and will arrive at midnight on Kentucky time, which is noon on Saturday in the Philippines.  By the time many of you see this report, I will be somewhere high in the sky between Manila and Louisville, Kentucky.

I thank God for Donna and all the saints at home who help to make these trips possible.  I thank God for the dear Filipino saints who are laboring so diligently under difficult circumstances in this time of great harvest in their nation.  Thirty more souls obeyed the gospel during our joint efforts since July 24.  I am always edified and greatly encouraged by working side by side with Filipino saints.  They are always in my heart and prayers.

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook