“For who has known the mind of the lord, or who became his counselor”

(Romans 11:34)?

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

I am learning to walk without fear, in confidence that my sovereign God is working His purpose. No matter what happens, if I am in His purpose, this life and the one in eternity are good. I share my observations and experiences to encourage you. What I have come to know about God and His working in my life is spectacular. I want to give Him praise and glory for the mighty things He is doing in establishing His Church in the Philippines through the ministry His gives us.

I am a missionary serving our Lord in the Philippines. My family and I arrived August 2011. We plant new Christian churches in remote barangays (small neighborhoods with governing councils) and their associated smaller neighborhoods called sitios. Many are accessible only by dirt road or footpath, sometimes hanging bridges or crossing rivers with no bridge. They are often many kilometers from a town and paved road.

The remote barangays often consist of people, who are malnourished, have little or no education and typically no healthcare. These are our target locations where there are no other Christian churches. As of the end of 2016, we have planted twenty-eight new churches. Of these churches, seventeen have a newly constructed church buildings and parsonages, and eleven are house churches. We call these churches River Rock Church Philippines (RRCP).

However, most importantly, these are the new congregations in barangays that have never had a church before. Most hear the Gospel for the first time from us. Each church has its own pastor who lives among them, teaches and loves them. False religion, superstition and witchcraft are being replaced with the truth of God and His love for them. Prevalent is hopelessness in these barangays. It is being replaced with hope. “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love” (Romans 5:5 NLT). Thank you, Lord!

CHAPTER 1

The God I Have Come To Know

“Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a level path Because of my foes. Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence” (Psalms 27:11, 12).

I want to tell you about the God that we serve in the Philippines. I will tell you about His Church that I have come to know and finally about my life with Him.

Our ministry is establishing His Church in remote places of the Philippines. In each church we have met the roaring of the enemy trying to keep us out, discourage us from starting, and many times trying to destroy the church once established. Jesus said about His church “And all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18 NLT).

As I have fellowship with God and come to know Him, this is what I have come to know about Him. He is the Lord God Almighty as revealed in His Word the Bible. He does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He is the Creator of heaven and earth and all that has life. He is life. He is the I Am, the Alpha and Omega. He is the God of Abraham, Isaack and Jacob. He is my Savoir and Lord; my God. He is the God I follow in this ministry.

Our Enemy

"The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken. "The lion perishes for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered” (Job 4:10, 11).

His interaction with us as we move in faith is powerful, sovereign and absolute. This is why the enemy can only roar. This is why the enemy has no teeth. This is why we are victorious in what He has given us to do.

It is not a surprise that many times the greatest enemy we face comes from religious leaders and institutions. It was the same in the time of Jesus. Unfortunately, it is the same today. “Do you remember what I told you? 'A slave is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted Me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to Me, they would listen to you” (John 15:20 NLT). It was the religious leaders who persecuted Jesus. It was his people; Even His own family.

There are some denominations in the Philippines who come against us calling it “in Jesus name” to try and thwart the work we do of planting new churches and caring for God’s people.

There are two denominations here that have tried to cause us the great of harm. One of them claims the filling of the Holy Spirit with evidences of convincing people to vomit out demons and sicknesses. They claim angelic presences in their worship services. They claim these angels have been given the names of God like YAHWEH-JIREH: "The Lord Will Provide" and YAHWEH-RAPHA: "The Lord Who Heals" and so on. I believe the absurdity of this is self-evident.

The other denomination claims to be the largest denomination in the Philippines. Yet they have targeted us and all their attempts have been overpowered by our Lord. They have claimed publicly that they will take over our churches including land and buildings. They have sent imposter attorneys, impostor surveyors and been caught falsifying documents. The enemy is cunning, but our Lord is absolute and sovereign. His will prevails! I have learned not to stand against them or try to battle them. If I do then the fight is between us and them. But we give the battle to our Lord, then He is always faithful and thwarts the enemy!

I am reminded of the seven sons of Sceva.

“But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, "I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded” (Acts 19:13-16).

There are some people and even churches that claim the name of Jesus, but in reality do not know Him. This was true then and now. When they try to exercise power over us claiming in Jesus name it has in every case been reversed on them or they have been embarrassed. Some have even become sick.

A third and truly the largest most powerful of the denominations is more covert. It is the Catholic Church. They attack us behind closed doors in Politian’s chambers. They try to take our churches from us. Many times after a church is built; just as it is finished, comes the challenge to take the building from us. We are well prepared for this. All our legal bases are covered and secure, but still the attempts comes. It is the enemy roaring without teeth. Typically, they own the only cemetery in each area and will not let Christians bury their dead.

As to some of their motives, the Apostle Paul said there are those who preach and teach from selfish ambition. “Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment” (Philippians 1:15-17).

I pray we are also the latter of good will and love. I believe we are and God moves with us accomplishing all that is done in this ministry. If we were not attacking the darkness with the Light of the Gospel: If we were not establishing His church in the strongholds of the enemy. If the lost were not being saved, then the enemy would not be against us, but would welcome us with open arms. In our experience, the enemy has always been conquered and even humiliated. His Church and His Gospel has always been victorious. The Light, Jesus Christ, always expellees the enemy’s darkness.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” John 1:5 NLT).

“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined" Matthew 4:16 NLT).

“To open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18 NLT).

Indeed the enemy is great and powerful and he roars fiercely. He is not to be underestimated. However, our Lord is the Creator of all and He is the only God and there are none who prevail against Him. “Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do His will. And I know that I will not be put to shame” (Isaiah 50:7 NLT).

Our mission prevails not to our praise, glory or purpose, but to His praise, glory, and purpose. These are His churches; this is His work: His harvest. We, to our surprise and satisfaction, are just simply His workers in His harvest. What a privilege, thank you Lord!

I want to share our God that we have come to know with you.

He is awesome, magnificent, glorious, supreme, sovereign and absolute.

He accomplishes He will.

In every event or story in the Bible, God is causing the events: Always revealing His power, will, sovereignty, and glory. Sometimes He does so obviously, while at other times He is more subtle. He is sovereign to work His will in each situation. “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish” (Isaiah 46:9-10 NLT).

“Remember”

God has revealed Himself throughout history. When He acts, He is a mighty and powerful God revealing His glory and majesty. “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like Me.” Indeed there is none like Him. For me the act of creation revealed just how awesome He is. Even today, science has not explored or come to the end of understanding the boundless work of creation. It unveils His glory.

We see His love in creating a perfect paradise world; creating man in His own image; the gift of creation to man; His providential working in the lives of people and nations; His life on earth full of compassion and love; His contempt of religious hypocrisy; His demonstration of love on the cross; the power of the resurrection; establishing His Church; His infinite patience with the disciples; on and on and on. We need to remember His providence, love, patience, and miracles in our own lives and the lives of those around us. REMEMBER ALWAYS HE IS OUR ONLY GOD: THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM!

“I do whatever I wish.”

I think most people object to those words. We want to put God in our box. For instance, the Bible says that He is good: “For the LORD is good: His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations” (Psalms 100:5). And also, all His ways are just: "The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He” Deuteronomy 32:4).

Our Notion of God

However, we want God to be what we perceive to be good. We want God to be just, as long as it fits our notion of justice. We want God to be what we want Him to be.

This may be a key to why there are so many religions. Each religion has the god or gods that its worshipers want. Indeed, it may be a key to why we have so many denominations. Sometimes “theologians” stretch or ignore scripture to meet their personal ideas of God. They twist scripture and God to meet their own ideas of the church and salvation. Some interpret scripture based on their preconceived notions of God. They interpret scripture based on loyalty to a teacher or creeds rather than an honest search for their Creator and loving Savior. Here in the Philippines, many claim the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and yet they are completely ignorant of what the Bible says. They have little or in most cases no education or training in God’s Word. Whatever emotion they feel or thought that comes to mind they claim it from the Holy Spirit and act accordingly.

We cannot put God in our box. He is much too immense. We cannot understand God even minutely. As we study scripture; as we contemplate the workings of God in the lives of people in the Bible or people throughout history, or those around us and even our own lives, we can begin to see God and understand Him. But it is only from a finite discernment. The apostle Paul said “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT).

Because God IS good, just, faithful and righteous, He sets their standard. He, Himself is the definition if these. If we judge these then we judge God: we judge his very nature; His essence. Or worst yet, we become God, and define them.

As I share God from my understanding, I am at best understanding God “partial and incomplete.” I am sharing God from my puzzling mirror. However, this is how I see God as one who walks closely with Him as a missionary in a life wholly dedicated to Him. I walk with God through trials, tribulations and dangers. I walk with God in victories, joys, divine protections and witness His providence up close and personal in all I do. I share God based on my honest understanding of God’s word, my experience with Him, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. These can never come in conflict. They must validate one another and be in harmony. There is only one God, one truth, and one purpose. In my walk with God I pray to know Him as He reveals Himself through His Word, experience, and working of the Holy Spirit. I am not dogmatic about what I am sharing. I leave room for error. However, this is how I understand my Lord. I pray what I have come to know about God will inspire you as it does me. I pray it will give you peace and confidence as you face life with God.

I am learning to walk without fear, in confidence that my sovereign God is working His purpose. No matter what happens, if I am in His purpose, this life and the one in eternity are good. I share my observations and experiences to encourage you. What I have come to know about God and His working in my life is spectacular. I want to give Him praise and glory for the mighty things He is doing in establishing His Church in the Philippines through the ministry His gives us.

God Is Not Surprised

Through serving in the Philippines, I come to realize that one, God is sovereign. He does whatever He wants. That is the reality and lesson of Job’s story. “Then Job answered the LORD and said, "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:1-2). I trust His sovereignty. Second, God is not surprised. This is also what I find in my life; ministry. God knows what will happen from eternity. He knows every detail of my life and this ministry. He is not reacting to situations and then working it out to good and His purpose. His purpose was established from eternity past and is now and will be in the future.

More and more as I experience the providential working of God, I come to understand there is no coincidence of events or luck. There is only a divine orchestration of events established from before time and assured by Him as the present events unfold. As God opens doors for something to happen, we see in our limited way how God has been working sometimes decades to the success of events that are in His purpose of establishing churches. I see since my birth God’s hand in everything and in all things. Even my rebellion, was working toward God’s purpose of my life. I see Him allowing me to be a part of His divine purpose. Truly, I see Him causing not responding. Seeing this in my life and ministry is only a minuscule part of His grand scheme of His purpose and good.

CHAPTER 2

God Causes

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Some would say God is not deliberate even in Creation. They say God sparked life and then evolution took over. This would say God is not powerful enough to create; to make something from nothing or speak creation into existence. And of course this would say that much of the Bible is false. Evolution becomes more powerful than God. Evolution becomes even more deliberate through the process of “natural selection.”

There are some that would say God created and then set things in motion. That the events of history are random. Events are man caused. Once in a while God intervenes, but in general He is removed from time and history.

Some would say miracles are explainable in human terms or historical events or science or superstition. Was there really a flood? Was Israel delivered through the reeds of the Red Sea in ten inches of water or did God part the sea and they walked on dry ground? Did Moses turn water to blood or was it red mud from a nearby volcano? Did Jesus really die for our sins and was He resurrected for our eternal life, or did He just simply appear dead? Did the disciples revive Him from near death in the tomb or steal His body away in a great conspiracy?

When Pastor Alagos, his wife Edna and I pasted through men, who we were told would cut our heads off, without incident, luck? When my car radiator exploded boiling water on my face without burns, only weird or strange. When late on a typhoon stormy night, Pastor Alagos’ motorcycle mysteriously stopped just before a washed out bridge coincidence? When we opened a church in place that when tried years before resulting in death and now successful just random luck? Is establishing 25 churches in five years just good management or talented people? I know it is neither. If what we do here is in human strength, then my life and work are of no consequence. It would be temporal at best, or superficial. It would be all in vain. It would be better to relax in my retirement, and sit on my terrace in my rocking chair with a good book and glass of wine.

“Everlasting To Everlasting”

“Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalms 90:2).

“He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

God lives in the realm of everlasting. He knows the end from the beginning, “Only I can tell you the future before it even happens.” Because God lives in the everlasting realm outside of time and its limits, He can prophecy or tell the future before it happens in the realm of time. As an example, God told through the Bible more than 300 prophesies about Jesus. Most were fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The more than 100 remaining prophecies about Jesus will be fulfilled in His coming at the end of time or this age. They are prophesied in detail.

As an example, hundreds of years before Jesus came, it was prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem; that He would be hung between two thieves; His hands and feet would be pierced; not one bone would be broken. We cannot see beyond this moment. That is why we wear seatbelts, right? We cannot predict the next second. God sees it all: knows it all. He knows and lives in eternity past, present and future. “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting! And all the people shouted "Amen!" and praised the LORD” (1 Chronicles 16:36 NLT).

Revelation

The Book of Revelation tells us the future. The unveiling or revealing of future events. John wrote at the end of the first century with grand detail exactly what will happen in the end of our age. He wrote careful detail of the coming judgment and consummation of God’s Church; His bride; you and me. The revelation was given to him by the resurrected Jesus Christ himself.

As an example of God doing what He wants throughout time and eternity, God tells us of a future event were this earth and heaven come to an end. Then a new earth and heaven are made. God lives with us in the new earth and heaven. This event is told several times throughout history. About three thousand years ago Psalms declares “Long ago You laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with Your hands. They will perish, but You remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them” (Psalms 102:25-26 NLT). Then two thousand years ago this event is proclaimed again in the New Testament book of Hebrews. “And, "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands; they will perish, but You remain; and they all will become old like a garment, and like a mantle you will roll them up; like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end" (Hebrews 1: 10-12).

Then nearly thirty years later, the apostle John writes the Book of Revelation about 97 A.D. He writes about the end of the age. It is at this time that the earth and heaven are discarded and God creates a new heaven and new earth. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away” (Revelations 21:1a).

God created the heavens and the earth and one day at the end of this age and the beginning of the new, like old worn out clothing He will discard them. One day we will be there to witness the event. We will be part of the predicted event. We will be the predestined event. Just like those who were there at the predicted and predestined coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. “This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23). They lived at the time when more than 300 prophesies: scriptures were fulfilled.

My Point

My point is God knows everything from beginning to end in all detail. Nothing takes Him by surprise. He is sovereign in all things happening. All things, all events, all life are by His will only. Matthew says not even the death of a single bird or the falling out of each human hair goes unnoticed by God. "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:29-30). He knows the beginning, end and everything in between in complete detail. He either causes events or works through events or allows events to His purpose.

There is only one God and His one purpose: His purpose. “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure” (Isaiah 46:10). Here is God’s purpose and pleasure. “God decided in advance [purposed] to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:5 NLT).

The deciding “in advance” was before the creation of the world. “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Ephesians 1:4). His choosing “in advance” was that we would be Holy and blameless through Jesus Christ. God determined that the salvation of man would only come through Jesus Christ. He did this before creation; “before the foundation of the world.” Also, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

As I Understand It

God’s one purpose was to create you and me in His image and likeness, save us from ourselves (sin resulting in death) via the sacrificing of Himself as the Word incarnate on cross and the resulting resurrection freeing us from death and then live with us in eternity.

We are His supreme (sovereign) good and purpose. Everything else; all creation, all effort, all events, all that is predestined, and all predetermined serve only God’s one good and only purpose; you and I and our relationship with Him now and eternal. Our lives, if we love Him; if we respond to His call of salvation, live within His good and purpose. Whether we suffer in trial, testing or death; if we live in His purpose and will then all is good. If I suffer or die or rejoice, if it is outside of God it is all for nothing. However, if I suffer, die or rejoice in His purpose then there is reason, purpose and good in all. I remember a movie line “it’s a good day to die.” Or maybe it could be said it’s a wasted day to die, or even worse, a wasted death and even more than that a wasted life. We all live and we all suffer and we all rejoice and all die. Will our life be within God’s good and purpose or for not?

Now we can see more clearly Romans 8:28. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

God is not being caught by surprise and then arranging unseen or unknown events, suddenly made known, to work out somehow if He is able or willing. He has purposed before the foundation the world what would happen. His will was established; His will is being accomplished; His will is insured by Himself; His is sovereign; He is all present everywhere and at all times; He is all knowing; and He is all powerful! "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'” (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Romans 8:28

If we love God and are living in His purpose, God is causing and working His purpose in and through our lives. He does this absolutely because He is sovereign and it is His “good pleasure.”

Romans 8:28 is God telling us that we, each of our lives, are a part of God’s eternal plan. At the end of the age, we will either be in judgment and death because we lived lives of no consequence outside of God’s purpose, or resurrected to eternal life with our loving God. If we are resurrected unto eternal life it is because we lived life in His purpose and for His good. His good is our good. Consequently, when He rolls up the dead corrupted creation like an old garment and discards it, then the new heaven and the new earth come, then God lives with us there for eternity.

God’s Good Is Our Good

You see, since before creation, in creation, through history and specifically in our lives, “God causes all things to work together for good.” God’s deliberate purpose is that salvation is through His Son Jesus Christ. We can refuse God and His purpose or accept it. This is clearly known through what has been revealed in His Word. Every life, every life story and each event reveals God working to bring us to discover Him or know Him better. We come to know His purpose of salvation. We come to know how our own lives work in His sovereign and everlasting purpose. God is causing His purpose throughout time, and in each of our lives.

God was not surprised by the choice of Adam and Eve to sin. The sending of the Savior was not plan “B”. He knew they would sin and reject Him as God; even before the creation of the world. The process of creating man in Their own Image; sin and death entering our lives and the world; the sending of a Savior; The Gospel calling us to repentance was predetermined. It was ordered by God. God works and causes His will to be done, even in my life and your life and all God has given us to do. The new heaven and the new earth are the culmination of the creation and salvation of man.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them (Revelation 21:1-3).

Considered Job

A further illustration of God causing events to His purpose is the life of Job. In this story God causes, tests, allows and ordains events.

In answering the accuser, Satan, God says "All right, you may test him," the LORD said to Satan. "Do whatever you want [allow] with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically [ordain]." So Satan left the LORD's presence” (Job 1:12 NLT). Then later God allows and ordains; grants Satan even more power to test Job with his health. "All right, do with him as you please," the LORD said to Satan. "But spare his life" (Job 2:6 NLT).

After the testing of Job was finished, God reversed all the harm and blessed Job even more than before. God is good and just. “When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before (Job 42:10 NLT)!

The interpretation and application of Job’s story is difficult at best. However, some things are clearly understood. God caused the testing of Job and allowed his suffering with limit and divine purpose. Satan was the agent of the testing and suffering. In the end God blessed Job. God was sovereign and deliberate in all.

God was deliberate (caused) in setting up the testing of Job by asking Satan if he had considered Job. God knew Satan would accuse Himself and Job. This was no surprise to God. He knew the entire situation and the outcome. That is who Satan is - the Accuser. “For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night.” (Revelation 12:10b)

Divine Purpose

Job’s testing results, or God’s divine purpose made known: Satan came to know that Job’s faith was genuine. Satan had accused God of bribing Job’s faith with favoritism. Indeed God favored Job, but it was because of Job’s faith not to receive Job’s faith. Job was faithful in both blessing and adversity. Job came to understand God in a greater way. “Then Job replied to the LORD: "I know that You can do anything, and no one can stop You.’ You asked, 'Who is this that questions My wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me” (Job 42:1-3 NLT). You and I, as we examine Job’s trail come to understand God better, also. Job’s life reveals to us a window into God’s nature and sovereignty.

The Honor to Defend God

The testing of Job’s faith proved that his faith was genuine. But more than that, Job’s faith defended the honor of God. Satan accused God of favoritism. He accused God of being unjust. Job’s faithfulness proved Satan’s accusation against God wrong. Job’s faith was not the result of favoritism but knowledge that God is and of his faithfulness as God’s servant. Job was a faithful man in prosperity and suffering need. Like a Knight defending his King. Job defended the honor of the Lord God Almighty. OH TO BE GIVEN SUCH A DISTINCTION AND PRIVILEGE.

When others see us in prosperity or suffering a trial, will they see the God we proclaim? Will the see our God as faithful, sovereign, good and just or will they see by our action that we believe His is none of these?

Chapter 3

Faith in God’s Purpose

Testing or Trial

As a result of the experience of knowing God, I have faith in the process of testing and trial. I call these times The Enemy is Roaring. Satan roared in the testing of Job. I am sure he thought he had both God and Job over a barrel. When God granted him even more authority over Jobs health, he must have roared with delight. “Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.” (Job 2:4) Satan thought Job would give up even his faith in God to spare his own life.

The lessons here have many applications. One, God knew Job’s faith and knew he would endure the trial faithfully. Two, Satan came to know man can worship God because of love or faith not for what he can receive. Three, the relationship of Job and God was genuine. Four, deeper faith and greater understanding of God comes through testing or trial. Five, God has purpose and design in trial. Six, whatever the trial, God is deliberate, absolute and sovereign. Seven, better to stand strong in faith then fold. In each trial, we come to know even more that God is sovereign and He is faithful. No matter what, we can trust Him! We cannot help but trust Him; He is God! Amen!

This why Pastor Alagos and I say to each other often The Enemy Is Roaring ~ The Lord Is blessing! Also we recite Romans 8:28. We love God and we are in His purpose. There is cause and good in each trial. Even our trial is working God’s purpose and His good. Our faith is that God’s purpose and good is also our purpose and good, we pray. Through each roaring of intimidation come purpose, good and God’s sovereign will. For us, our God given purpose is to preach His Gospel and establish His Churches in remote places of the Philippines.

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. (1 Peter 3:13-15)

For us, always the results of the roaring enemy is God blessings as we successfully deliver His Gospel of salvation. Lives are saved. Families and relationships are healed. His Church is established. Hope becomes real for the hopeless. The gates of hell have no power. Satan and his pawns are defeated and dishonored as they see the glory of God become evident. The children of God are revealed. Amen!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:18-21).

Through the adversity we face in this corrupted world and its evil, God reveals Himself as our Savior and loving God. As we walk through the trials of life our faith is made known and our salvation is matured: it is made evident.

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:7-9).

Exodus - Just One More Illustration

Exodus is also is an amazing story of God’s deliberate sovereignty in causing events. God had arranged that Israel would become slaves in Egypt. “God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. "But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions” (Genesis 15:13-14). Now remember that God knows this even before creation.

After God told Abraham that his family, through Isaac, who became the nation Israel, would be slaves in Egypt. Jacob the grandson of Abraham was later renamed Israel. His 12 sons became the nation called Israel. God arranged through Abraham’s great grandson, Joseph one of those twelve sons, that Israel would settle in Egypt. The story of all the hardships of Joseph and providential blessings of God are remarkable.

Joseph’s brothers hearts were hardened against Joseph. From the time of his first dreams to rule his family, to the pit, then a slave in the household of Potiphar, then prison, and finally second in command of Egypt was God’s providence made evident. God maneuvered Joseph’s life to rule with Pharaoh in order to bring Israel’s family there. "Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, "God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay” (Genesis 45:9).

God also moved the earth’s weather and climate to accomplish His purpose. He caused seven years of exceptional weather for abundant harvest. Then He caused seven years of famine. This prediction moved Pharaoh to appoint Joseph to manage the events for Egypt. The famine also caused Jacob to send his sons to Egypt to by grain. The trip to Egypt caused the reunion of Joseph to his family and the subsequent move of Israel to Egypt where they would eventually be enslaved just as God had told, predicted, to Abraham.

The Pharaohs that came to rule after Joseph, enslaved the growing nation Israel. God waits 400 years to rescue them. When Israel’s family came to Egypt because of Joseph they were seventy in number when they entered into Goshen of Egypt. During the 400 years God grew the family of Israel into a significant nation. It’s estimated by some that at the time Israel left Egypt in the Exodus they were a nation of six-million plus.

When they left Egypt they took all the spoils with them. God blessed their slavery to become a great and wealthy nation of God. God had told Abraham “afterward they will come out with many possessions.” Israel’s slave labor made Egypt a wealthy nation. At the freeing of Israel, God gives that wealth to Israel. It was all predestined by God. Because God is sovereign. He deliberately made it come to pass. God moved people, events and climates to accomplish His purpose.

The raising up of their deliverer, Moses, to lead them out of the bondage of slavery was indeed another deliberate act of God. God created the irresistible beauty of the baby Moses that led his mother to spare him, it was God’s hand in it all. Even the basket sent on the Nile River with the baby Moses in it was no accident. “The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile” (Exodus 2:2-3).

God ordained the discovery of the basket and baby Moses by Pharaoh’s daughter and he was raised in Egypt as her son. It was all providential. God deliberately acting to raise up a deliverer for Israel at God’s appointed time; 400 years as He told Abraham. “He has made everything appropriate in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11a).

The raising of Moses in the household of Pharaoh for forty years and the shepherding for forty years in Midian was all the providential hand of God to prepare Israel’s redeemer. “Is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush” (Acts 7:35b).

Finally, the appointed time for Moses to free Israel arrives with God appearing from burning bush. From the bush the Lord told Moses "Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.” Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:9-10).

But there would be delays and obstacles before Pharaoh would let Israel go. God caused all of the events through His hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. "But I will harden Pharaoh's heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 7:3)

The Roaring of The Enemy

Even though God told Moses of the delays, for Israel and even Moses it looked like they would not be freed. It was the roaring of the enemy. At the first meeting of Moses and Pharaoh, it appeared that Pharaoh was too strong even for the name of God, I Am. Pharaoh burdened the people even more to make bricks finding their own straw. Moses and Israel were dismayed as the enemy roared. “Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? "Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all" (Exodus 5:22-23). All of the events that appeared to be harm were actually God caused in order to bring about His glory both to Egypt and Israel. "But I will harden Pharaoh's heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.”

As The Enemy Roared – God Demonstrated His Sovereignty and Arranged Israel’s Blessings

Finally the day of their freedom arrives. God was not finish with Egypt or Israel. More of His glory was yet to be revealed in the freeing of His people and the judgment of Egypt. "But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve.” We can speculate about the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, but the reality was God had judged Pharaoh and His nation. They were under judgment and the penalty was that they, Israel’s enemy, would be destroyed by the Red Sea.

Satan

I want to add here that Satan does not have the same abilities as God. He has no foresight. I believe as events unfold he is a spectator either cheering as he see events in his favor or he goes away defeated and planning a new strategy to defeat God and His loved creation; man. Satan did not see that God was using him in the test of Job. Sometimes Satan thinks he causes events. After God granted Satan to test Job, I believe Satan thought his accusations would be proved true about God and Job. I believe that every time God hardened Pharaoh, Satan was delighted. Each time Pharaoh’s heart was hardened Satan, the enemy, roared. However, it was all God’s greater plan. We are God’s plan; His purpose; His good for His glory and our eternity. Amen!

Chapter 4

God’s Deliberate Sovereignty

Heartache and Tragedy

Because we are on the subject of God’s deliberate sovereignty, I feel it necessary to attempt to explain further how God interacts with us. For instance, heartache and tragedy are a part of life. As well as joy and triumph are life experiences. We experience them all in life. The reality is we live in a broken, sinful and corrupted world full of sinful people and evil intentions. Indeed evil is in the world. Just looking at the nightly news of beheadings, mass slayings, rape, murder and the list goes on are all the proof one needs. Sometimes heartache and tragedy come to us as a result others actions, sometimes of our own actions.

Disease and death are a part of our reality. They are not God caused, but sin and rebellion caused. Sometimes our own sin unknowingly or knowingly causes heartache and tragedy. For instance, my generation did not know the deadly consequences of smoking in our own lives, our family’s lives through second hand smoke or in pregnancy. But still look at how much heartache and tragedy smoking caused through ignorance. Even in this day, knowing about smoking’s consequences, we could say indifference or open rebellious behavior causes disease and death. People smoke even knowing it is harmful to themselves and others. It is the same with alcohol. It hurts our bodies. The effects of drunk or alcoholic parents on spouses, children or others is tragic. If someone drives drunk and kills one of our loved ones, it is by another’s action. If I drive drunk and kill myself or someone else, it is by my own action. Also, evil governments or institutions play a big part of heartache and tragedy.

Mostly what I have been talking about previously is God’s deliberate acts in the lives and events of “those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” In the Old Testament they were called Israelites. In the New Testament they are called Israelites and Christians. We who know God and know His calling in our lives come, hopefully, to maturity about God. We are willing to live in His purpose even through heartache and tragedy. These are painful, but most come to peace and hope about God’s working in our lives. God works through heartache and tragedy. We, through testing even through fire, come to trust God. Indeed, it is because of the fiery ordeals that our trust matures.

But what about heartache and tragedy in the lives of those who do not love God or those who will not respond or have not responded yet to His calling. God works through individual life’s events to bring about His purpose for His church and also in the individual lives of people. God is always working in the events of those who do not love Him in hopes to bring them to repentance. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Yes, God knows if we will respond or not, but still He gives us the opportunity. But ultimately, God works through everything to His purpose. Just like when God worked through the persecutions of Saul against the Church. The result was the Gospel spread throughout the region and many people came to salvation. Also, Saul’s life was saved through his persecution.

Those outside of God as well as those in God are all a part of His sovereign plan. God can work through evil people, governments and institutions to bring about his purpose. Like with Satan, God used him to bring about His purpose. All the exorcisms in the New Testament of demons where used to show the authority of Jesus over them and Satan their leader. It demonstrated God love to set the captives free. Another example is God using Satan, the accuser, in the testing of Job. Another is Satan’s testing of our Lord in the desert. The desert testing, demonstrated Jesus was without sin. It demonstrated the power of God’s Word over sin and the tempter, Satan.

Pharaoh is another example in that God harden His heart to bring about His glory. Pharaoh lost his first born son, his wealth and the power of his army in that exchange. Maybe Pharaoh after he saw the power of God repented. The Bible is silent about him after that. But one is certain, Pharaoh came to know God is real.

God will save all who repent. The Apostle Paul is God’s example of His unfathomable mercy. “But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the worst sinner, the Messiah Jesus might demonstrate all of his patience as an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16 ISV).

Trails of Punishment - Judgment

I wonder how many times our suffering or trails are setup and allowed for a divine purpose we cannot see or understand? As a matter of fact, I believe each and every trail is God ordained and part of His divine purpose, even if the trail is punishment meant to lead us to repentance.

And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline. (Hebrews 12:5-7)

Yes, sometimes trial, heartache, and loss come by way of discipline. Sometimes it comes because of judgment. The story of Ananias and Sapphira is an example of God’s judgment.

But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife's consent, he kept the rest. Then Peter said, "Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God!" As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified (Acts 5:1-5).

Thank God not all judgments end in death. Most judgments are meant to lead us to repentance.

I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

My salvation came by way of both judgment and punishment. It was when I could endure a life of rebellion and its consequences no longer that I came to my knees with pleas for mercy and forgiveness. Thank you Lord that you did not let me go, but caused me such sorrow in my rebellious life that it resulted in me asking for mercy and forgiveness.

As time passes I gain understanding of previous trails, especially as lessons learned are applied in future events. Many times, here in the Philippines I have been thankful of previous lessons that confirmed my faith and made me strong and unwavering in my faith here. The trails of testing are not easy to endure, but I thank God He made me strong to lead in the mission field.

More about a Corrupt and Dying World

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:20-21).

The result of sin, Adam’s and Eve’s and looking ahead to our sin, was death entering into the world. God pronounced the judgment and penalty.

To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you. Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return. (Genesis 316-19)

Those outside of knowing God want to blame Him for death, disease and injustice in the world. There is disease, death and injustice in the world. We all get sick and we all die. We have all felt the pain of injustice in our lives. It is part of the cursed world we live in. We brought this about on ourselves through disobedience. None of us can stand before God and say we are undeserving of the consequence of sin. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). I often humorously ask when teaching this “if you are without sin – raise your hand.”

We see the same reaction in our children when we enact judgment and punishment to them. I can remember when I was younger as I was going to my room for a punishment, often I would be thinking how unfair and unjust my mother was. However, always as she pronounced the punishment she would also say “you can come out of your room when you realize why I sent you there and you apologize for your behavior.” It is the same with our Lord. When we come to realize our plight of sin and its consequences and come to repentance we are forgiven. Our lives are restored.

There is injustice in the world because of evil men and their institutions, governments and religions. Also, I’ve seen, most regrettably, evil from false judgment, hypocrisy and legalism in so called Christian churches. However, God works through these also as He did through Pharaoh of Egypt.

God Is Personal

Finally, as I come to know Him; as we work together; I come to know our relationship is secure and dependable. I trust Him. Therefore, everything that happens to me is acceptable to me.

In the working of His will is also my personal relationship with Him. God answers my prayers. He knows my tears. The Holy Spirit searches my heart. From my mother’s womb He knit me together. He knew my name before the foundations of the world. He allows, by grace and mercy, me the privileged of working in His will to accomplish His will in my life and others. He has ordained me a servant to accomplish that task He has set before me (Ref: John 1:12; Hebrews 4:16; 4:13; Psalms 56:8; Romans 8:26-27; Psalms 139:13; Revelation 13:8; Ephesians 3:7-8). "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).

Our prayers and intimate relationship with God can shape things. They too are a part of God’s sovereign plan known from before creation. Abraham bargaining with God over the judgement and destruction of Sodom is a good example. Abraham bargained God all the way down to just ten found righteous to save the city. “Only this once; suppose ten are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the ten" (Genesis 18:32).

I believe God knew the heart of Abraham and allowed Abraham to partner with Him in judgment and salvation. The same with God knowing Satan would accuse both Himself and Job. God knew Job would be faithful. God works His purpose though everything.

Our prayers for our own lives and those we love or called to shepherd, God hears and answers. “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15, 16).

I love my deliberate God – I Love this deliberate life He gave me – I love His deliberate love for me – He is sovereign and I trust Him.

Hannah’s God, our God, is personal and sovereign. She prayed for our Lord to give her a son. She knew the sovereignty of our Lord. She knew her womb was shut by the Lord and only He could open it and give her a son. She prayed for a son combined with a vow to God.

“She made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head’" (1 Samuel 1:11).

The Lord answered her prayer and gave her a son. After she weaned him she fulfilled her vow. Here is her prayer.

“Then Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. "There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. "Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the LORD is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed. "The bows of the mighty are shattered, But the feeble gird on strength. "Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes. "The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. "The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts. "He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, And He set the world on them” (1 Samuel 2:1-8).

I pray what I have come to know about God will inspire you as it does me. I pray it will give you peace and confidence as you face life with God

The Man of God

Qualities of Church Leadership

First, by way of criticism, let me establish a comparison between the man of God and current day success models to build churches. Many churches have gone the way of the business model. Formulas for success and copying successful models seem to be signs of the times.

Business models produce a product of large churches. The success models provide the same. Church organizations (denominations) sometimes claim their success on the wisdom of their leaders or adherence to a particular teaching or denominational greed. Cults can also build big churches and devoted followers. Although Biblical education is important, the MA degree can replace the sold out man of God who is filled with the Living God in his heart and soul. The man of God may be overlooked due his lack of education, etc.

Books abound on success formulas and models. But what I’m not seeing are books and teachings on the power of service through holiness by a dedicated life and humility. How about books on the man of God serving in, by and through the awesome power of God and His blessings?

Often the business model’s message is, no matter what sin you are engaged in, God’s grace is big enough for you. Grace will always abound and win the day. But the apostle Paul had this to say about grace only.

“Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living” (Romans 6:15, 16 NLT).

The key words here are “choose to obey God.” The Gospel of salvation says that grace comes by way of faith. Saving faith requires not only belief but a belief that leads to repentance (a changed life) and obedience to God’s commands for holy living.

So, the business model produces mega churches via messages and programs geared to produce the product of multitudes of people. The Biblical model is a man of God -- humbly but in the power and blessing of God -- speaking repentance to hearts, resulting in multitudes hearing the call of the Gospel unto salvation.

The following verses are key segments of the first Gospel message and the results.

First off, Peter establishes that this is all about Jesus: the one that God confirmed in front of them.

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22).

He points out their sin, pulling no punches. It’s not sugar coated. They nailed Jesus, the one God had sent, to the cross. They killed Him!

“This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23).

And then he gives further proof He is the Messiah. Not only is it further proof, but it is The Proof: the undeniable ultimate proof. GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD.

"But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power” (Acts 2:24).

So the conclusion is, they killed their Messiah: the promised One.

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36).

So here are the results of a man of God preaching Jesus the resurrected Christ and man’s need for Him because of his sin. “THEY WERE PIERCED TO THE HEART” and sought repentance if possible. They asked, “WHAT SHALL WE DO?” They were convicted of their sin and ready to repent: ready to do whatever was necessary to change their way.

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ’brethren, what shall we do’" (Acts 2:37).

Peter told them exactly what they needed to do – REPENT (change their heart and life) and be baptized. They needed to change, and, equally important, be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ for their forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38).

They were obedient, and three thousand souls were saved that day

“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).

Because the message was Jesus is the Christ; their sin separated them from Him; He rose from the dead; and salvation comes through repentance, baptism, and obedience, therefore, our Lord continued to add to their number daily. This is Biblical church growth: the Biblical pattern or model. It is certainly worth duplicating. This pattern was followed by the first century church and the results were phenomenal.

“And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

The apostle Paul said this about the Gospel message.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

There is only one church, and that is God’s Church. It is established by Jesus Christ and His Gospel message.

Now the Man of God.

What about Peter, Paul, Barnabas and the other men of God who delivered the message of the Gospel of Christ: Salvation? The Biblical message, God’s message, could not have been delivered without men of God.

One of the interesting introductions of Christian speakers I have encountered in the mission field is the “Man of God.” Rather than business and success models run like a corporation, we need a more Biblical model of holy men of God in this day of evil, rather than men willing to tickle ears and pursue the appetites of their own desires and fame.

“Whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things” (Philippians 3:19).

The “Man of God” in God’s Church

At this point, I want to say that when I’m speaking of men of God, I’m also speaking of God’s leaders, including women and youth leaders, as well as biblical elders and church leaders. The term man of God refers to all leaders, regardless of gender or age.

I know many leaders answer the call of God and are willing, as were some of the disciples, to drop their nets and follow Jesus Christ. These men, women and youth were willing to lose their lives and then find the power of God serving the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

An interesting study is the term the “man of God” in the Bible. Seventy-eight times the phrase man of God is used in the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments.

Moses and other great leaders are referred to as men of God.

“Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death” (Deuteronomy 33:1).

Each Christian who flees from sin and pursues righteousness is called a “man of God.”

“But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:11, 12).

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

So firstly, we need men of God: men, women and youth who have given it all up and continue to give up the world to serve their Savior. Jesus said we could not serve two masters: we serve the world (sin), or God through repentance and obedience.

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

Second, we need men, women, and youth who love God and love His people like He loves them.

“And he [Jesus] answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27).

These are men who love God so strongly there is room for nothing else. Men who will love His people. Men who are willing to give their all for His people. “Have this attitude in yourselves” (Philippians chapter 2).

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3-5).

This passage goes on to say Jesus gave up His heavenly throne to become a man to die on the cross for you and me. Men of God, like Jesus, are willing to give everything for God’s people without regard for themselves.

Third, and also important, are men of God filled with the Spirit of God.

I believe, and I have experienced myself and seen in others, that to the degree that we are committed, living holy lives, and willing to place it all on the line for God, the gift of the Holy Spirit within us becomes proportionally more powerful and evident.

"And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him" (Acts 5:32).

This next verse gives me hope and helps me understand how powerful the Holy Spirit is and that He will not abandon us in our mission, but instead empower us with whatever we need at the time we need it. He gives us wisdom, discernment, sometimes gifts of healing and the miraculous manifestations, as well as messages that set the enemy off balance and convert the listener to salvation.

Peter and John were confronting the powers of the Jewish leadership that had just imprisoned them. The Jews were intimidating and threatening them so they would not preach Jesus. Even though earlier they were baptized with the Holy Spirit to be powerful witnesses, here the Spirit fills them again for the immediate task.

Act 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people,

We all have this same Spirit in us and leading us if we are sons of God. He, the Holy Spirit, is not diminished over time but, if anything, is poured out even stronger in the last days. Acts 2:14-21.

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:19).

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14).

The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit of God, is not impotent as many would want to believe. He is powerful and active in the lives of God’s men: God’s Church! He is the third person of Elohim, and He is not dead!

The apostles and leaders of the early church needed the power of the Holy Spirit, so why would we as leaders of His Church today want to deny it? If we preach the Gospel of Jesus, we will need all of God, including the power of the Holy Spirit, to deliver His message and sustain His Church.

Number four: we need men of God who pray.

We need men and leaders who understand that to accomplish the ministry given to us by God, we need to be in continuous communication with Him. We need to be leaders who follow the simple instruction of our Lord’s example of prayer in Mathew 6: with praise, focusing on His will.

• When we move in His will, He answers our prayers in even greater ways than we can imagine.

• When we are in His will and ask to accomplish it, He goes before us, because His will is providential and insured by Him.

• If we are in His will, we will see and experience the power of God in the tasks before us.

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 John 5:14, 15).

Because we are in His will, we can call out, through prayer, to the awesome power of God to accomplish His will: His Church.

“And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with BOLDNESS” (Acts 4:31).

Last and most important: this is His Church, not ours.

God is responsible for the success of His Church. It does not come from business or success models, education, talented people or church organizations (denominations).

God’s Church comes from Him alone.

• If we are accomplishing His will of sharing the Gospel unto salvation, then He adds daily.

• We are simply vessels for His use.

• If we are His vessels, then we walk confidently in His power and with His blessing.

• If we are His vessels, then we are His men/leaders: men of God.

The Church comes by the power of THE CONFESSION: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Because as Jesus said, “upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” Matthew 16:16.

Therefore, we are only His servants and not His lords. He is the Church’s Savior, and we are not. We are not the leaders of His churches: but leaders, men of God, in His Church.

His Church is purchased and guaranteed by His blood -- only His.

Act 20:28 "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

I encourage you to read Acts 20:17-38.

The Lord’s shepherds and leaders in His Church.

"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.

I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 11-15).

I pray we are not the hired hand, but the man of God laying down and sacrificing his life, all for Jesus and His sheep: His Church. The business model uses the hired hand. They hire men of talent, and if they do not perform, they are fired, and another is hired. The man of God is God’s shepherd, willing to use his life and lay down his life for the Shepherd’s sheep.

The Man of God possess the Godly qualities of a Godly life. He is dedicated wholly to God in holiness. He is God’s man for God’s purpose. He is empowered and led by God, possessing His authority and blessing. Like Elijah facing the prophets of Baal, he stands, acts, and breathes in the very presence of God. He accomplishes the will of God.

“Elijah said, ‘As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today’" (1 Kings 18:15).

This is God’s Church and He uses the man of God (men, women, and youth) to accomplish His Church.

“But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:20, 21).

THE WORST OF SINNERS ~ THE BEST OF GRACE AND MERCY

By

Steven Ray Bragg

“And the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life”

(1 Timothy 1:14-16 NASB).

At seven years of age, my grandmother took me to see The Ten Commandments movie by Cecil B DeMille. I was spellbound by Moses standing on a cliff, ready to open the Red Sea. My continued prayer each night for many years was God; use my life like you did Moses.

My grandmother was an ordained Four Square Preacher. However, Grandma had a drinking problem that overtook her life and ministry. She fell from ministry and left our lives at the request of my mother. Grandma came to see me late one night at my bedroom window. I believe I was aged ten at that time. She gave me a Bible and said this book would be my life. She talked about the dedication to the Lord of the first-born male child. I am the first-born. She prayed for me with power and conviction that I would serve the Lord. I never saw my grandmother again.

My grandmother, mother, father, and stepfather all drank heavily and had morality issues. As I grew with no guidance in faith, I was lost to the world of drinking, drugs, and immorality.

The Lord had heard my prayer as a young child to serve Him, and I believe He honored the dedication prayer of my grandmother. At age twenty-seven, I found the Lord and immediately entered Bible College. In college I learned the Bible well, but had not understood how the power of God could transform my life. I was able to keep the drinking, drugs, and immorality at bay during college. Soon after graduation, while in my first preaching ministry, the strongholds of these sins overtook my life once again. I had learned the theology of God’s Word, but missed its life. I was still dead in my trespasses and sin. Like my grandmother, I fell from the ministry. I lost everything including family, ministry, reputation, and church.

In my fallen state, I embraced the darkness. Flames of lustful desires burned in my heart and could not be quenched. Indeed, I became one of the worst of all sinners. There was not much that I did not experience

After thirteen years of wondering in darkness, sin had destroyed me. All that was left of my life was in ruins. There was only heartache and the pain of an empty, unfulfilled life. I had longed to serve the Lord – I still longed to serve the Lord – but had thrown that away. I concluded that my sins were too great for Him to restore my life into His service.

Finally, in desperation, I fell to my knees and asked God if He could forgive me. My only hope was His forgiveness. I asked, if possible, if I could have a little happiness in this life.

But to my amazement, God took the broken pieces of my life and not only forgave me, but restored me into a powerful ministry that I could never have imagined. My heart was broken, but God would use my broken heart to save me from the ravages of sin. I was to discover the depths of not only His forgiveness, but also His grace and mercy. Like the apostle Paul, I was to declare that if God could forgive and use the worst of sinners, me, He can forgive and restore you as well (1Timothy 1:15-16).

One night, I went to a church service. It was a church that did not know about my past. I sat in the back, ready to make a quick exit after the service. I did not want to answer the probing questions that would embarrass me by revealing I was once a pastor, but had fallen from the ministry.

At the end of the service, the pastor started talking about Communion. He talked about our Lord’s sacrifice of His blood and life for my sins. He spoke of the resurrection and the hope of eternal life. I wanted to run out the door, but I was glued to the chair. Tears were shooting from my eyes as the Communion symbols of the bread and juice came to me. Never did our Lord’s Supper mean so much to me as then. When I arrived home, I said to the Lord, You arranged that just for me, thank you!

I wanted to go to church regularly now. The Lord had blessed me with a new wife, also a Christian. I found a church and met up with the pastor over a coffee. I wanted to tell him who I was: a fallen pastor. Part way through my story he stopped me and said he also fell, but God had restored his life and ministry. His words to me changed my life: “God loves you, Steve!” Oh, these words were like cool water to a man dying of thirst.

For several years, this pastor and other mentors taught me how to live with God. They helped me back onto the path of life in our Lord! My restoration into His service was slow. First I led a Bible study, then a life group, then I became a board member, and finally an elder. Just a few years ago, my restoration was completed as I was ordained a pastor.

In 2005, to illustrate the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30), I was given a $100 and asked to invest it in the Kingdom of God. I prayed that God would show me how to use the money, and if I could be a part of whatever blessing it became. At that same time, my wife’s sister in the Philippines was praying for a church in her remote community. I enlisted the help of others, and soon that $100 became Grace Chapel. We attended its dedication in 2006.

For the next few years, my Lord continued to draw me into a deeper relationship with Him. In 2011, my family and I moved to the Philippines as missionaries. Now, in 2014, we have twenty-three new churches in remote areas of the Philippines. We have many care programs in the name of our Lord Jesus. These ministries of love provide regular feedings for malnourished children, school scholarships for less fortunate children, health programs, support for pastors, clothing programs, and, most of all, the hope of our Lord Jesus and His saving mercy and grace. Many lives and communities are being transformed with the loving care of our Lord.

Today, my life is fulfilled and overflowing as my prayer as a seven-year-old boy is being answered. For each day, I see the proof in my life that "The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent"(Exodus 14:14 NASB). Amen!

A Missionary Story

The Enemy Is Roaring, and the Lord Is Blessing!

By

Steve Bragg

"The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken." (Job 4:10)

We plant churches in the remote areas of the Philippines where there is no other Christian church. There are forces and strongholds that have prevented the Lord’s Church from going there. Witchcraft, superstition and demonic religions prevail in the remote Philippines. They do not want our Lord’s Church in the way.

In each of the churches we have started we have found these forces formidable. But darkness cannot overpower the Light. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5 ESV)

With our Lord’s help, we stand strong in Him. We have coined the phrase The Enemy Is Roaring, and the Lord Is Blessing! This is a story of planting a church and overcoming the strongholds of the enemy. The enemy can roar and intimidate, but he has no power over those who come in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to establish His Church. “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18b ESV)

The Enemy Is Roaring

We received a request to start a church in a faraway barangay (neighborhood). The family that invited us said they would donate land if we would build a church there. They had tried to build a church there 20 years earlier. That attempt resulted in the beheading of two of the brothers and torturing to death the third brother. Even though three of the brothers gave their lives, the family still wanted a church for the people of that barangay. "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.” (Luke 6:35 NASB) I had never seen the truth so powerfully demonstrated until that day.

Pastor Alagos and I visited the barangay. The name of the barangay, translated into English, is Pile of Dead Bodies. One of the last WWII battles was fought in this valley. There were so many that died in that battle, that they made piles of the dead bodies and cremated them. We have discovered that many times the name of the barangay identifies strongholds that have keep the Lord’s Church out. This becomes our prayer knowing the strongholds. It is also our experience that it is the Lord that breaks the strongholds and prepares our way. These are His churches and therefore He establishes them, grows them, and protects them.

We approached the barangay council to get a permit to launch the church with a two night concert. The barangay council told us that we would need to get a permit from the city because of the potential for repeated violence. There had been more beheadings just a few years earlier. The mayor of the city said we could have a church launch, but we would need a police escort.

Our church launch is a 2 day concert crusade. We go house to house and invite the people. We present the Gospel with a Christian music concert, youth skits and dances of praise, and preaching of the Gospel each night. We give an invitation at the end of each night. We follow up with those that respond, and start Bible studies that grow into a church. Once the Lord's Church is assembled, we build the church building and parsonage for their new pastor. The chief of police agreed to escort us with a fully armed police escort. There were no incidences of violence. We were well received by the barangay officials and most of the people.

At the same time, the owners of the only barangay cemetery gathered youth and went house to house the first day of our church launch and told the people that if they attended the church launch or came to the new church, they would not be able to bury their dead in the cemetery.

Our other concern was we had no pastor once the church was started. We were moving in faith, sensing the Lord's timing.

Our Lord Is Blessing

We prayed that our Lord would prepare the way for us to launch and establish the first Christian church for that barangay. As we made preparations for the church launch, we discovered that a pastor, known to Pastor Alagos, from a neighboring barangay had already started a Bible study there. Both pastors and their wives went to the same Bible College together. The Lord provided our pastor. We would be a blessing to each other. The new pastor was struggling to feed his family. Our small allowance would allow him to take care of them. They were excited to build their Bible study into a congregation and we would provide a church building for worship. God is good!

The week before the launch, Pastor Alagos and I visited the barangay again. We were led to a family where the husband was near death from pneumonia. He had been to the doctor, but had no money for medication. We provided the medication and prayed for God to heal him. Our Lord did indeed heal the man through medication, rest and continued prayer.

We were also led to another family living in a bamboo home that was falling down. They had 10 children. The father’s work was hindered by a giant growth on the back of his neck. We were able to provide money to rebuild the bamboo home and the doctor was able to remove the growth, weighing one kilo, from the father’s neck. These two acts of love for the two families caused the people to take notice and help our good reception to start a new church. After the church launch we started a weekly feeding program for the malnourished children.

We gathered 35 people from our four nearby churches, rented a large Jeepnee to carry us all, and we were off to launch the faraway church. The new pastor brought his neighboring church youth and leaders, also.

When we arrived, the people told us about the spring water source for the barangay. It was reported to be infested with evil spirits. Pastor Alagos, his wife Edna, and I decided to walk the length of the creek of two kilometers up to the spring. As we went along we ask God to rebuke the evil and bless the spring water for the people of the barangay. The people had named the water source Closed because of the presence of evil spirits there. Once we arrived at the source of the spring we asked God to bless it. We declared the spring OPEN! Then we all had a cool, refreshing swim in the deep large spring.

During the two night crusade more than sixty people responded to the call of salvation, and many recommitted their lives. Baptisms are continuous fruits of the Gospel and our labor in the Lord.

The construction of the church building came slowly. When it was almost complete, with Super Typhoon Yolanda took the roof and water logged the church. Now the church is almost completely rebuilt and the people have worshiped in the building each Sunday regardless of its condition, even without a roof.

This barangay was one of the hardest hit by Typhoon Yolanda. Many people and some foundations started donating money and supplies to help the typhoon victims. With our 19 churches at that time, we were able to provide 19 distribution points to help the remote areas of the Philippines. For this barangay we fed 130 families about 40 pounds of rice each, plus other foods,and rebuilt 12 homes. With tears the people told us in this barangay and others “no one has helped us before.” We were also able to help this barangay rebuild the bridge to get supplies in for aid. With the bridge out, they had been isolated.

More Blessings

On our first visit after the typhoon, the river was too high to cross with our motorcycles, so we waded across. We were walking up the road to the church. There is a little house store at the entrance to the barangay. We were wet from the crossing and stopped there to rest.

Pastor Alagos engaged a man at the store in conversation. They were speaking their own dialect, which I didn't understand fully. I recognized the words oh my God from the man. I asked Pastor Alagos what they were talking about. He said the man, who was in his late forties and obviously a strong man, said when the typhoon came he was standing here, and across the way, two of the homes were picked up and trees were being uprooted. The man said for the first time in his life he prayed to God. The next Sunday we fed 130 families from the church and that man was there helping with the food distribution. He began to come and worship each Sunday thereafter. Later I learned this man was considered a leader of the family’s beheadings 20 years earlier. He was accepted by the family and the church. We serve an awesome God.

Another Blessing

One of our regular attenders there is a nearly blind widow lady in her sixties. She takes care of her granddaughter who is 3 years old. They live together alone in a bamboo home also near the barangay entrance. The typhoon took most of her roof and leaned the home badly to one side. Pastor Kelly from River Rock Church in American was visiting at this time. We held our annual pastor meeting at this barangay church. The church roof was repaired, but the church itself was still in bad condition. We had 12 baptisms that day. One of the baptisms was the widow lady I’m talking about. She gave a testimony that night. In tears, she said I can’t explain it, but I feel a peace in my heart and I can’t tell you why. Her house had not yet been repaired and they were still sleeping under a table. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 4:7 NASB)

Conclusion

A family of this barangay, more than 20 years ago, tried to start a church that ended in much death. Now there is a church that declares the love of God and demonstrating God’s love with acts of kindness to its neighbors. “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4 ESV)

We call this church VICTORY CHRISTIAN CHURCH!

Thank you LORD! Amen!

The Story Continues

Unfortunately, after about a year, the pastor of Victory Christian Church decided to go into politics. This left the church without a pastor. Pastor Alagos, his wife Edna, and I now travel weekly to this remote congregation.

The Enemy is Roaring

On one occasion, one of our Tabernacle of Praise members had a birthday celebration. At the party, several of the ladies in the church told my wife and Pastors Alagos' wife that they had dreams of Alejo and I being beheaded, and that we should not go the next day to Victory Christian Church. I found it remarkable that three of our ladies would have the same dream. This place was known for beheadings.

As my wife and the other ladies told me of the dreams and warnings, my first thought was maybe we should delay this trip. But as I began to think it through, I realized there are many dangers we face all the time. Would we pick and choose only the safe trips or safe places to build churches? Could this be a ruse by the enemy to prevent us from going? Could we be scared off? What if we built churches only in safe places and traveled only in good weather? What if we always took the safe bet and then I got hit by a truck while traveling or came down with cancer? The question became, am I committed to serve the Lord wherever he sends me? Do I trust in God or my ability to choose the safe road or ministry? We knew from the beginning the history of this church. Do we shrink back now?

I found Pastor Alagos. I asked if he had heard about the dreams and warnings. I can’t remember who first said, “I’m going, are you?” We both laughed and the next morning we were off to Victory Christian Church along with Edna.

Along the way, my thoughts were occupied with the warnings. My senses were heightened and eyes watching. Many places along the remote road would be good places for ambush. Well, all the way there nothing happened and while we were there nothing happened. So now we were on our way home. It was still early when we started back.

We finally got off the remote dirt road and hit the paved road. My thoughts were, we made it! We are on safe road now. We were on a long straight paved road to the main road and home. But the trip was not over. Up the road I could see many men on both sides of the road. As we got closer, I could see that they all had bolos (machetes) in their hands. There were maybe 12 to 15 men. Some had masks.

Now men with bolos is typical as it’s a work tool. Masks are also typical in farm or labor work. Were they just a work crew working the road? As we got closer, I could see no work being done. They were just standing there and watching us approach. Pastor Alagos was in the lead. My thoughts were that it would add 2 hours if we turned back and diverted. It made no difference, as Pastor Alagos was not stopping or slowing.

He and Edna were in the lead, I was not going to retreat either. I braced myself to duck and maybe take a quick detour out to the field. I’m sure Pastor Alagos and Edna were praying earnestly just like I was

The Lord is Blessing

All of the men with bolos in hand and several with masks watched as we passed between them. WOW! Thank you Lord is an understatement! Later, when telling the story, I humorously think the conversation of the men went something like this. We had them and now they are gone! Why didn’t you get them? They went right through us. I thought you were supposed to get them. How will we explain this?

I’ll never know why those men with bolos were there on that particular day: the same day that we were warned that we would lose our heads if we went to the church. I’ve never seen men like that there before. Were they a work crew? Did our Lord protect us once more? Was this coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidence, but I believe in the providence of our Lord!

Pastor Alagos and I often reassure ourselves with saying “the life of a missionary.”

I Find It Reassuring    

Pastor Alagos and I gave our Life Verses today as testimonies at Tabernacle of Praise.

We both gave different passages that say trust in the Lord!

Our lives are lived in full dedication to our Lord and serving Him.

We have experienced through living our lives with our Lord:

• Persecution and Victory

• Sickness and Health

• Depression and Confidence

• Valleys and Mountaintops 

• Suffering Need and Abundance

• Defeat and Triumph

• Dangers and Safety

• Failure and Success

Through it all we both confirm and exhort “TRUST IN THE LORD.” “GOD IS FAITHFUL.”

My life verse: Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

Pastor Alagos life verse: Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.

Be encouraged and trust in the Lord!

In the Lord’s Almighty Presence I Stand

But Elijah said, "I swear by the Lord Almighty, in whose presence I stand…” (1 Kings 18:15) 

I usually read my Bible at night for encouragement and prayer. I’m listening to God as I read praying He will talk to me, feed my spirit, my soul. Most days I read God’s word for study and answers but, at night just before I go to bed I like to read just to hear God talk. My problem is sometimes I’m just so tired, or done for the day, or I forget. As a result, I wonder why I feel all alone. Something always happens to jog me back, and then I’m on track again. I’ve come to know there is a difference between study and listening to God, my Lord God Almighty I call Him. He is the Mighty God of my life. He is also my Creator, The Lord God Almighty and my Father.

This one of these times when I felt alone, and remembered to start read God’s Word again.

My reading for inspiration is generally through the Bible. This time, I was at 1 Kings 18. When I got to verse 15, God spoke loud and clear. When Elijah was just about to face the 450 prophets of Baal. He said he was standing in the presence of Mighty God. It wasn’t the fact that Elijah was about to face the 450 prophets of Baal that spoke to me. What spoke to me was Elijah said he was in the very presence of The Lord God Almighty.

Wow, think of it, could you stand in the very presence of God, THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY - THE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH? My first thought of standing in His presence was scary. For the moment, I could understand Elijah there, but had trouble with seeing me there.

Then God spoke to my heart. You are in my presence, Steve. You are my son, and I love you. My Son, your Lord Jesus, died for you. He paid your price of punishment. I always see you through the righteousness of my Son, Jesus. He has made you perfect before Me. You have nothing to fear. I am with you every day and every moment. I am with you always. There is never a moment you are alone. You are my child. You are My precious child, and I AM your FATHER, THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. You stand and walk and breathe and live in My presence. You shall not fear, but those who stand against you; those who come against you must fear. Even the evil one must fear because I AM your LORD GOD ALMIGHTY AND your FATHER.

I know all this to be true. I have read it all in the Bible before, and God has proven this to me over and over. But I needed to hear it again. God knew He needed to tell me how much He loves me once more.

Each day I tell my son how much I love him and each day we need to hear how much our Father loves us.

Are you reading your Bible every day?

Do you have a specific time every day you talk to God your Father and LISTEN?

I need to be more faithful, how about you?

LEARNING TO HEAR GOD

A Missionary’s Story in the Philippines.   

In the morning, the thought came to me that I need to preach at Grace Chapel this afternoon. I thought maybe I could preach last week’s message of HAPPY TOGETHER. It’s a good message I would like Grace Chapel to hear. Then the thought was no you need to preach the message before that LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. I thought, but Lord JoJo is their pastor, he will have a message already. Lord, should I ask him to let me preach? So then no more thoughts of that conversation.

later that morning, Pastor JoJo ask if I can preach at Grace Chapel in the afternoon…

I told Pastor JoJo of my thoughts with God earlier, and we both praised God with laughter of joy at such an awesome God we have.

That afternoon, the time for service arrived. However, we had torrent rain from the coming typhoon. No one had showed for service. I prayed God you moved so much to have me here, and now this rain? Slowly people started to arrive. Eventually, we had more people than usual and even a new person. But still the heavy rain would not letup. We have a steel roof on the Chapel, and when the heavy rain hits it, you can hear nothing else. We waited and waited. Finally, Juliana said Dad you will have to use your big voice.

I prayed again. Lord forgive me for my sins, and anoint this worship service so your word may be heard! I approached the podium, and the rain stopped.

The closing of the message came and just at the end of the prayer the torrent rain hit again.

Powerful, Mighty, Majestic, Awesome, and Sovereign is our God! I love serving our Lord!

Here Is A Summary Of The Message.

COURAGEOUS LOVE – LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

Mat 5:44 But I SAY, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES! [Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you.] Pray for those who persecute you!

It is only possible to love our enemies through Jesus Christ. The command to love our enemies is fully understood through the cross.

Love your enemies is a central theme of the Bible; the Cross. We were the enemies of God because of our sins; our rebellion. Jesus died for us while we were enemies. It was our sin that caused all of His sufferings. Our sin that scourged Him bloody almost to death, our sin that hung Him on the cross, our sin that mocked Him in His suffering. While suffering for our rebellious sin He said, “forgive them.” It was our sin that caused Him to hold Himself on the cross and suffer the complete penalty until His last breath. This was His demonstration of His love for us in order that we could become enemies no more, but transformed to become His beloved children. But it was not possible until Jesus loved us through the Cross!

Rom 5:10 FOR IF WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES WE WERE RECONCILED TO GOD BY THE DEATH OF HIS SON, MUCH MORE, NOW THAT WE ARE RECONCILED, SHALL WE BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE. (Capitalized by me for emphasis).

Only His Church, you and me, who have experienced such undeserved courageous love of selfless sacrifice from our Lord, through His great suffering and death; can understand the grandeur of God’s love. Only after experiencing such grand love, can we, the church, show this remarkable love to others. We show love not just to our friends, but to those undeserving of our love; our enemies.

We are called to be the Light of God unto a dark, lost and dying world. How great is the Light of our Lord, who loves and sacrificed Himself for the undeserving, you and me. In like manner, how great is His Light as it shines through us loving sacrificially and courageously a world undeserving, who are enemies of God and even us.

It takes courage to reach out and love someone who is our enemy. Courageous was our Lord's love for us. Courageous is our love, not just to love those who love us, but even to love our enemies.

Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

Has our Lord put someone on your heart to love sacrificially; courageously?

Be Courageous and Love them.

EXPERIENCING POVERTY

By Pastor Steven Ray Bragg

A Missionary Serving in the Philippines

“When they saw us coming, they had hope.”

As a missionary serving in remote areas of the Philippines, we often travel to minister to our flock. On this day, we went to pray for a family that had a miscarriage in the seventh month. The baby was a boy. Two of our Grace Chapel youth were from this family. Just a few days before, these two youth were recipients of clothes and school supplies sent from our home church in the USA.

It was rainy season. We walked into the mountainous part of Dacutan, where Grace Chapel is. My wife Juliana, six of our Grace Chapel ladies and Pastor JoJo and I went to pray for them and give a love offering. Our travel was a muddy footpath, wading across a river, and walking an old bamboo hanging bridge. The mud path had sugarcane stalks and sticks covering it so our feet would not sink too deep. I'd seen school children come from this area carrying their shoes to keep the mud from them.

As we walked the path to their home, many people joined us. Some of the community members and the family said that when they saw us coming they had hope. We finally arrived at the bamboo home. You could see easily through the walls, and it was leaning and in need of repair.

A few of us stepped inside. The mother was sitting on the floor, very weak. The mother’s eyes were full of tears at our sight. Beside her was a cardboard box with a dead child wrapped in a blanket inside. His small face was showing. Near the box, on the floor, was a single small candle lit as a symbol of mourning. The father was off digging the grave at the local public cemetery. The ladies were quick to make sure the mother was okay, offer words of sympathy and check to see that she and the children were safe. The family had no money for a doctor or medicine. We prayed for her health.  

I observed several of the children were malnourished. Four of their children come to Grace Chapel feeding program on Saturdays. Sometimes they show up at our home, and we feed them.

The mother was 38, and this was her 10th child. The father helped deliver the already dead baby. He had to push the baby out. If he had not been brave, maybe the mother would have died in the delivery. We prayed she would have no infection. Pastor JoJo offered a prayer of healing and comfort. The ladies continued to speak with the mother and tried to help with the words from their hearts.

As I walked home, my thoughts were about how blessed my family and I were. I thanked God for our health, our home, and the means He has given us to care for ourselves and others.

Also in my heart I was trying to understand the helplessness they must feel. It was their daily life. The Filipinos are an enduring people. When I see the children they are smiling, clean and well mannered.

Oh Lord, help us to bring hope and love to the Filipino people wherever You establish us.

Post Script

The mother went to the medical clinic. They used our love offering for medication. She is now in good health. Thank you Lord!

The oldest of their children a teenage girl, Hanie, has since come to live with us. She is a blessing to my wife helping around the house. With money she earns from us, she can continue in school and help her family.

There are too many like this in the Philippines. I’ve been told 30% of Filipino children are malnourished.

There is so very much more we can do.

TYPHOON YOLANDA - FROM THE HOPE THAT IS IN ME

(1 Peter 3:15)

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them." (Romans 8:26-28) NLT

My mother, when I was young, loved jigsaw puzzles. You identified the puzzle by the picture on the box it came in. She would clear off a table and begin. I was very young then and watched mostly. Some of her puzzles were 5000 pieces. When I came home from school, I would see how much she had completed. I loved to watch the progress as the picture unfolded. Sometimes I had the great joy of helping.

There always seemed to be those oddly shaped pieces that look like nothing; unidentifiable. We would set them off to the side and try to place them here and there usually with many failures. And then you would try it in a certain place, and it would fit! Ah, we would say, that's where it goes; that's how it fits.

Hang on to that thought "Ah, that's how it fits!"

God's Promises

I love the promises of God, well at least the good ones.

My mother had good and bad promises for me. Sometimes she would promise that if I continue I will get the paddle. That promise was usually accompanied with 1-2-3. As I grew older, she would promise that as soon as you do your homework you can go out and play. Mom's promises were meant for my good. They helped me grow to be a good and productive man.

Romans 8:26-28 are two of my favorite promises. The first promise is God always knows my heart. His Spirit lives in me. The Spirit of God always knows what I need even when I don't. My son seems to want to eat sweets or junk food just before dinner is to be served. My wife denies him the sweets knowing his hunger needs nourishment not sugar. She knows his needs even when he does not or when he wrongly understands his needs.

The second promise is God will causes everything (both good and bad) to work together for my good because I love Him and He loves me.

In 2006, God spoke to my heart that I would serve Him in the Philippines. As soon as I knew that I was ready to go, but God was not ready to send me yet. He still needed to get me ready. Like with my son God knew my heart and knew I needed nourishment to grow not instant gratification. God was to send me through many trails that would build my character and His message that He would bring through me to the Filipinos. God needed to add more pieces to the picture of my life. I did not have all the pieces in place for my life that I would need to serve in the Philippines. The picture on the box of my life was missionary and pastor serving in the Philippines.

Adding More Pieces

Once I knew I was going to be a missionary in the Philippines, one of my questions to God was Lord they are very poor there, how can I help them and what message will I bring them.

About a year later I lost a very good paying position with a company that went out of business. I became unemployed for two years. The first year I used all my savings and what little assets I had to stay afloat and feed my family. The second year I lived sometimes day to day to feed my family. My wife and son went to live in the Philippines. She lived with her family because I was afraid I could not feed them. Finally, even the unemployment and part-time earnings were gone. I packed what little food I had in the cupboards and prepared to live out of my car. That night I went to use my last $10 to by a hamburger. As I was going into the restaurant, a man was begging near the door. I wanted to give him something, but this was my last $10 and I needed to eat. I said to the Lord that I wanted to feed him, but I had only enough for myself. I ordered a hamburger, and it came to $5. I had enough money to feed us both. I ran to the door praying the man was still there. The man was there. I said to him are you hungry, and he said yes. I used my last $5 to buy him a hamburger.

I remember very well my thoughts as I drove away after eating. I prayed Lord, please continue to feed that man. I'm not afraid for myself because you always feed me. I said Lord you are faithful to me, thank you!

The next day there was an unexpected check in my mail box and soon after I had a job and the Lord opened the doors for me and my family to serve in the Philippines.

Like the puzzle piece that is hard to fit. My puzzle piece of no job fit in my life. I said Ah, GOD IS FAITHFUL! That was my lesson and my present message.

Numerous trails and persecutions have come upon us here in the Philippines. I always stand without fear because GOD IS FAITHFUL! Always as the trial unfolds I look for my Ah moment, and I see how this fits in my life, this ministry, and in the advancement of God's Church and the salvation of His people. My message to the Filipinos and you are not to fear GOD IS FAITHFUL. He will use everything for our good because we love Him and He loves us.

Countless Ah moments are coming. Stand firm, God loves you; GOD IS FAITHFUL!

Broken World - Broken Lives - Typhoon Yolanda

Many people want to blame God for disasters like Typhoon Yolanda or sickness or death or heartache and sorrow.

The truth is we live in a broken world, and we have broken lives. The world and our lives are broken because we have rejected God; we have sinned. God made the world perfect with no death or any corruption. In fact, God enjoyed communing with Adam and Eve in the cool evening in the Garden of Eden. However, even with all God's love in a perfect creation, Adam and Eve rebelled against God. They wanted to be "like God." When they rejected God they rejected His life for them and His perfect goodness; His perfect creation. As a result, death, disease, sorrow, and events like Typhoon Yolanda entered our world. Our world is no longer perfect but broken. Likewise, our lives are broken because we have rebelled against God. We reject God and want to be our own God. Our rebelliousness produces heartache, sorrow, destruction of our lives and families. And yet, we blame God.

But God promises that, in spite of our broken world and broken lives, God will work through it all to produce our good if we love Him. Thank you Lord!

Looking Forward My Final AH Moment!   

For those who love God, He is putting the pieces of our lives together. As time passes, I see the picture of my life is coming into focus. The picture on my box is to be conformed to the image of my Lord Jesus. The Apostle Paul said we see now dimly as God sees, but in the end once we are face to face with God we will see clearly. At the time of judgment, I want to look back on my life and see it clearly. I want see how all the joys and sorrows, blessing of triumph and tears of defeat, heartaches and sorrows, typhoons and disasters fit into the goodness of my life that God has promised. I'm sure I will say Ah, thank you Lord! I hope He will say well done my son. All the pieces fit. Now you are all I created you to be. Enter into perfect life everlasting.

Post Script - Ah Moments

As we bring relief and help, through His Church, to the remote areas of the Philippines because of Typhoon Yolanda, we hear over and over again "no one has ever helped us before." People are seeing the love of our God in action. People are coming to know the Lord that may never have known him except through this disaster.

The Philippines church as a whole is rising up to help their neighbors. The church and its people are becoming God's Church. The church is maturing and growing. Multitudes are coming to church for the first time and hearing our Lord's Gospel of salvation and love for them.

God is faithful to work through all things in order to accomplish saving us and loving us. AH, GOD IS FAITHFUL! Amen

Pastor Steve Bragg