February 12, 2019th Year of Our Lord

Dear family, brethren, and friends around the world,

Each day has been a treasure this week getting to know Edwin Cortez better and better.  Friday, February 12, was no exception as we spent time again discussing many spiritual things while visiting historic sites in Paris.  Edwin had taken vacation days so that we would have this time together since the work schedules of other brethren did not permit us to immediately meet.

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or Sacre-Coeur Basilica is an impressive structure of ancient Roman and Byzantine architecture rising 272 feet high, completed in 1914.  Previous cathedrals we visited were filled with huge paintings and sculptures dating 200-300 years ago, but this church is lavished with the most intricate mosaics of religious scenes created from millions of tiny pieces of stone, an enormous number of which are gold and silver or plated with gold and silver.  These scenes cover entire walls in the portals, coves, or side chapels as well as the entire dome above the huge area where the main altar is constructed.  The artwork is stunning beyond words.

I witnessed a man crawl on his knees in approaching a huge silver statue and shrine to Mary, and then he kissed the base.  He approached another huge metal statue of Peter and bowed with his hands on Peter’s feet – as so many before him had done, so that the metal shows signs of wear and a small hole is appearing.

It hardly seems possible that anyone could actually compute the value of this basilica and its treasures, and yet it all is an insult and abomination to God!  All of this idolatry crushes the heart when we think of how our Creator made us in His image and warns us not to make images and idols to honor, reverence, venerate, and worship – God alone is worthy of our worship.

Our next visit was to the famous Eiffel Tower which stands 1,063 feet tall on a square base measuring 410 feet on each side.  It was built in only two years, 1887-1889.  We went up to the second floor observation level about 7:00 P.M.  Today was cold and rainy, and the winds increased throughout the afternoon. By the time we were perched high on the Eiffel Tower, the wind was roaring and whipping so badly that it was hard to stand upright and at times impossible to hold a camera steady to take a picture.  Though the scenery of Paris was beautiful in its evening lights, within 10-15 minutes I could no longer bear the cold and we gladly started down to the ground, shaking and shivering as we went.

As Edwin noted, such monumental works of men will some day perish with the world and the universe as God brings time to an end.  All things human perish – ultimately the only thing that matters is the gift of eternal life in heaven with God through Jesus Christ!

Saturday morning was spent preparing for the lessons to be presented this evening.  In the afternoon Edwin met me at the hotel to guide me again through the maze of trains, subways, and buses to reach the home where the saints meet after work for Bible study on Saturdays.  Fifteen attended as we sang, prayed, and studied.  Our session started at 7:00 P.M., then we had a supper break at 8:30, and we resumed until 11:00.  I presented a lesson entitled “The Gospel Makes Us Right with God” before supper and “The Bread of Life” afterward.

The open forum led into several questions which helped to clarify the work of the church as evangelism, worship, and emergency benevolence to needy saints.  I explained that it is the mission of McDonald’s to provide fast foods, but they do not function as the fire department.  If your house is on fire, call the fire department not McDonald’s.  Likewise, Christ designed the church to fulfill a unique spiritual mission of saving souls.  The church cannot be “all things to all men” and fulfill its divine mission.

Additional questions explored the necessity of using the local church treasury exclusively to fulfill the church’s divine mission rather than to sponsor social welfare programs, daycare centers, secular education, medical services, and recreation.  Regarding worship, we often review all the New Testament  passages on music to show there is a pattern authorizing singing or vocal music, which excludes instrumental music because we dare not act without divine authority (Matt. 28:18-20; Rev. 22:18-19).  Similarly, when we review all New Testament passages on benevolence distributed from the local church treasury, every passage shows there is a definite pattern authorizing aid to faithful saints, which excludes aid to sinners in the world because we dare not act without divine authority.

The discussion went well and some of the members wanted to share this information with their brethren back in the Philippines.  Our greatest joy of the evening came when a young lady 24 years old confessed Christ and was baptized by Edwin and myself in the bathtub – I barely managed to get her knees and feet under the water while Edwin carefully immersed her upper torso.  Our new sister is named Lyca Bernardo.

Sunday morning was spent again in study preparing to preach in the afternoon.  Edwin met me at the hotel and guided me to the Chinese restaurant named the Gourmet Grill where the saints rent a function room for worship every Sunday.  The service began at 3:00 P.M. and the room was nearly full with about 25 precious souls, all Filipinos.  After singing for 30 minutes, we engaged in a study of the subject “Fear Not, Neither Be Dismayed,” a lesson designed to encourage them in the face of many challenges they face in serving God.  During the worship I preached “Why Saints Assemble,” a verse by verse study of Hebrews 10.

For the sake of visitors, the final lesson entitled “To Seek and Save the Lost” explained God’s plan for our salvation.  I explained also how Catholic and denominational doctrines on salvation differ clearly and widely from the original gospel of Christ.  A Catholic lady who has been visiting the services warmly thanked me for today’s lessons.  During the open forum there were questions about giving and about the use of the treasury to support gospel preachers.  Questions are a good sign that people are interested and are learning.

After dismissing the assembly at 7:15 P.M., Edwin invited everyone to go to the dining room for a Chinese supper as the brethren customarily do.  Filipinos enjoy this restaurant because it serves food common to southeast Asia.

The brethren repeatedly asked me to relay their gratitude to everyone who helped make this trip possible.  These dear saints press on in serving the Lord in cultural and religious isolation.  It appears I am the first preacher to come their way for a visit.  These Christians love the Lord, the church, and the truth, and they are indeed hungry to learn.  They truly need our prayers and encouragement as they struggle against great challenges.

“International travel” has two “a’s” to indicate double adventure – never a dull moment!  I got up early Monday to check in at the Paris Charles Degaulle Airport for an Air France flight to Amsterdam in the Netherlands connecting on to Tokyo, Japan, and into Manila.  When the time to fly drew near, the flight was delayed a couple of times until I finally asked the gate agent if I would be able to catch my connecting flight.  No, I was told, and I was sent to stand in line at a transfer desk for almost an hour.  They finally gave me a new Air France ticket to fly through Bangkok, Thailand which took me over Italy, Greece, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and India.  In Bangkok I transferred to a Philippine Air Lines flight.  Both these flights went well except for some turbulence.

I arrived in Manila on Tuesday a little earlier than the previous schedule – where I waited and waited to collect my suitcase.  When it never appeared, I went to a baggage desk to have it traced – they found it in China!  I finally got to my hotel about 8:00 P.M. where I took some brief exercise, grabbed a light supper, worked on the email backlog until after 12:00 A.M., and finally had a fitful night of sleep, probably due to exhaustion and the seven hour time zone change from France to the Philippines.

I look forward now to the arrival of my suitcase and to the activities planned with saints here in the Philippines.  Though I still cannot find the moon, I continue to send my love to everyone – praying for you and thanking you for your prayers.

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