August 25, 2019th Year of Our Lord

Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Randy Cabrillas took me to the Auckland airport at 4:00 A.M. on Thursday to fly to Australia. Most of the way we drove on an eight-lane highway with virtually no traffic, but we entered a strong rain.  Shortly before arriving at the airport, a vehicle moving at a high rate of speed coming from the opposite direction suddenly turned right in front us, apparently trying to beat a red light, and barely, barely missed crashing crosswise into the front of our car.  Someone must have been praying for us at that moment!  The driver surely saw us, and how could he have imagined such a sudden turn would not cause him to crash into us?  Randy is a careful driver, but this is a reminder that even the best drivers cannot predict the rash moves of other drivers – our lives hang by a thread every moment we travel on the roads and highways.  We must be prepared to leave this world every moment of every day!

My flights to Brisbane and then on to Rockhampton, Queensland went well, affording the opportunity for a couple of good naps.  Daryl Johnson greeted me at the airport about 12:30 P.M.  During our good visit over lunch, he said he is planning a trip with his wife to visit her relatives in Illinois during July of next year, hopefully, and they would like to visit the Hebron Lane church in Shepherdsville, KY.  It would be a special joy to return the hospitality which has been shown to me on numerous occasions by these two saints.

Having left New Zealand’s cold rainy weather, I was amazed to arrive in Rockhapton to beautiful clear sun-shiny weather in the 70’s.  It has been a dry winter here and it appears spring is well under way, though it does not officially start until September.

Each day I keep thinking everything will slow down, but every day seems to be full – which is a blessing in many ways.  Friday I awoke to immediately work on email, ate a quick breakfast, and then went with Daryl to prepare copies of the outlines to distribute.  They are stapled as a unit so that each person gets the whole set.  Rockhampton is divided by the Fitzroy River, a saltwater river which opens to the Pacific Ocean on the western coast of Australia.  We ate lunch at the Riverboat Restaurant which overlooks the river.

After studying on lessons again for tonight, I got an email from a Filipino giving the name and address of an Australian he baptized who lives here.  On the way to the service, Neville Johnson helped me locate the address.  The elderly mother of the man was home, but we could not locate him.  I had forwarded the name and address to Daryl, and it turned out he also stopped by to invite the man.  Since I have the address, I can easily walk there tomorrow and try again.

Twenty were present for our first service to study “Evidence God Exists” and “Where Are the Dead?”  All six topics for the weekend are posted on a large banner at the front of the church building.  I have never seen a banner like that, but it is very effective.  People passing by can easily read it.  Australia like other Western nations is very secularized and few are interested in learning about God.  I admire and appreciate these saints who are persistent in proclaiming the gospel in Rockhampton.  We must never stop until the Lord returns, just like Noah who preached until God closed the door of the ark.

A visitor named Steve listened closely and intently.  During the open forum, we discussed how the dead are fully conscious and retain their memory.  My wife will not be my wife in the hadean realm because there is no marriage there, but I will know she served as my faithful wife and she will know I served her as her husband as well.  After we dismissed Steve said everything was very clear and he had no questions but plans to return.

On a large table I spread CD’s of sermons and songs along with tracts, books, workbooks, and booklets covering many topics and invited everyone to take anything they would like.  It is difficult for them to locate such materials here in Australia, and this blessing is made possible by the donations brethren make for these trips.

After arriving back at my room, I worked on email, took a late walk, talked with Donna, and got to bed ready to sleep at 1:30 A.M.

When I awoke Saturday morning, I immediately studied the lessons for tonight, then ate breakfast, and returned to work on email.  Late in the morning I walked to Colin’s address and he was home.  His Filipino wife was visiting relatives in the Philippines and will return next week.  He is not able to attend this evening’s service but promised to join us on Sunday. After lunch I was exhausted but had a good rest. During a short afternoon walk I crossed paths with Steve and he assured me he will be present this evening.

A large filling in one of my teeth is beginning to chip away, and today a large piece broke off exposing a sharp pen inserted to hold the filling together.  I have already asked Donna to make an appointment with my dentist at home to have that tooth crowned, which is my only option now.  Meanwhile, I emailed Dr. Teresa Toreja to see if a dentist can smooth the sharp points and remove the pin on Tuesday while I am in Manila before I go to Mindanao.

Twenty-two people heard the two studies entitled “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be” and “Whatever Happened to Hell?”  During the open forum one of the questions asked was, “Does Satan know what will happen to him on the Judgment Day?”  The answer is yes, for even the demons who serve him know what is coming and tremble (Ja. 2:19).  The gift of free will can be terribly abused and the heart can become so stubborn as to persist in the path of rebellion knowing full well God’s wrath will be poured out on all who disobey Him.

I hope tonight’s lessons make us all more determined to be faithful to God and to spend eternity with Him in heaven, and to flee the eternal punishment of Satan and his followers.

I came back to my room, studied for tomorrow, took a walk, talked with Donna, worked on email, and collapsed in the bed at 2:30 A.M.

The Lord’s Day was gorgeous with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the 60’s.  Daryl picked me up at 10:00 A.M. and drove me out into the countryside to a small sleepy gold mining town named Mount Morgan.  It is almost a ghost town now because mining played out in the 1990’s, so this town nestled in the mountains struggles to survive.  Daryl’s parents moved from this town to Rockhampton and were converted in a tent meeting (or “mission,” as they say here).

This drive to and from Mount Morgan was eye-opening as I viewed the scorched ground a week before spring begins.  There has been little or no rain for eighteen months.  Some river beds we saw are dry as a bone.  We must join these saints in praying for rain.

In 1957 Daryl’s parents and other saints pulled out of the church of Christ in Rockhampton because it joined hands with the Associated churches which attempted to unite in a conference or association, and instrumental music was added to the worship.  The church which began on the foundation of the New Testament pattern meets at 209 Denham St.  The original group continued on their trajectory of liberalism while the new group continued to fight the good fight of faith in maintaining the old paths (Jer. 6:16).  The secularized culture surrounding them ignores the gospel, but these saints are not ashamed of the gospel.  They distributed hundreds of invitations to this gospel meeting and I count it a great privilege to work with them again.

There were 33 souls assembled today as we studied a two-part lesson entitled “God’s Truth VS Satan’s Lies.”  Steve was back and said he understood the lessons well–he really pays attention.  Colin, the man married to a Filipina, was not present, but the brethren will follow up.

Good questions were again submitted.  I clarified that young children and people lacking the capacity to make moral judgments are innocent of any sin and are not morally accountable for their actions.  Therefore, when they die, they enter Paradise in hades to await the resurrection unto eternal life. Next, Christians should not participate in buying or selling raffle tickets because this is a form of gambling.  Next, 1 Timothy 5:23 and Proverbs 31:4-7 clarify that alcoholic drink can be used as a medicine, but this does not permit so-called “social drinking” or “moderate drinking” – ploys of Satan to intoxicate our minds and to confuse our moral compass.

May God continue to bless these saints as they continue to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3)!

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

P.S.  The latest update from Donna is that Danny Denison and Laymon Byers have been moved from their hospitals to rehabilitation centers.  Please continue to pray for them in this long journey of recovery.  Also pray for Ron Daly, an evangelist in Indianapolis, Indiana, who was struck by a car while mowing grass in a median strip on the road.  He sustained very serious injuries but is expected to survive.

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