Good afternoon,

Last week we were informed that our house in Iligan burned to the ground. Ther fire department determined it was faulty electrical wiring. The circuit breakers being used were 30 amp and the branch circuits were 12 gauge wire. The wire and breaker were mismatched.

It is quite a loss when a Philippino loses a house. Especially when the home is a source of income. The most valuable things we lost were some airline tickets, audio messages and books. Everything can be replaced. However it's a big loss for the owner as she is a widow. Perhaps we can help rewire the home if they rebuild.

Last night Jery and I went to hear a preacher named Bert. He preached from Mat 7. 20-28. He remarked that "one's salvation depends on how he hears and heeds God's word". His message was a real blessing to hear. I met Bert a month ago while preaching in front of a college in Baguio.

I guess I dont have anything else to share, Adios.

Johnathan

Mt. Province and The Potters Best

Good evening,

Two Sundays ago Jerry and I went to his home "Tadian" pronounced "tadjian". This is located in a Province/State called the Mt. Province. This province ranges from maybe 2000 feet to up to 7500 feet. The climate varies and terrain is rugged. In the higher altitudes vegetables are grown in terraced mountain slopes. This area supplies Pinoy with a lot if not most of it's produce.

In Tadian we preached at a Pentecostal church Jerry's Mother attends. Our first meeting was Saturday night. We talked about Lordship. After the message the pastor remarked that everyone needs to "walk in their salvation"and invited us to share again on sunday morning. On Sunday morning we talked about Acts 2.38 and Acts 26.18. as well as 1John 1 5-7. This cleared things up for everyone. It was a blessing.

On Sunday morning a woman who attended the meeting Saturday night confessed that she was in adultery. She expressed her desire to raise her children in a Christian home. She thanked us for sharing with her and told us that she was faced with a decision.

Last week we shared at another Pentecostal Church pastored by one of Jerrys friends. The name of this church is the "Potters Best" We shared a short message about the two greatest commandments. It boiled down to this... All of Jesus' teachings basically revolve around loving God and our neighbors. Love you're enemies, turn the other cheek. We challenged them with these teachings.

This same pastor invited us to preach at a basketball game geared to be an evangelical type of thing. I shared out of 2 Peter chapter 3. "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought you to be?" If the world is going to be burned up what are we doing playing games? Everyone was quiet afterwards.

Maayong Adlaw

Greetings,

We were scheduled to return to Mindanao on the 11th. However it looks like we are needed here in Baguio at the moment. Next week I will return to Mindanao to set some things in order. As much as permissable.

The days go by, we watch victories and defeats. Not much more to write about but struggles within and battles without. Everything is subject to change, even peoples hearts. I often wonder, can I make it to the end of the fight? I guess that is the fight. It's never been more real.

Greetings

Greetings,

We now have photo's available. Click on the comments to read them in full.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14559696@N06/

We have been blessed with Jerry, he is very commited. He and I are preaching together almost nightly. He is taking me to almost everyone he knows to share about true salvation. We met twice with his friend Jun. I shared the Sermon on the mount with Jun. He asked alot about fornication and adultery, he had a girlfirend that he was considering. Just yesterday Jerry told me that Jun married the girl in a court. Jun has preached with us twice now.

We are also visitng with a preacher named Gerry. We talked to him about modesty and television. He told us that the news is harmless, so we watched 10 minutes of news together. We saw nothing of value. Rather we saw alcohol commercials and scantly clad women selling coffee and tea. We talked about women loving their neighbors and dressing modestly. He told me that he has to turn his head away from some of the women here in Baguio because of their poor dress. I asked him "if you trun your head at an indecent woman in person why do you watch them on a televison?"

This sunday I was a little discouraged. We had 3 meetings scheduled, none of them worked out. There were also other issues that left me feeling like Elijah. I wondered if there were any left in Israel that hadn't bowed the knee to Baal.

That evening I took Becky and Lincoln to McDonalds. While we talked on the way there I was reminded that my wife is in The Faith... It was as if this thought completely slipped my mind! I was really blessed by this. I still felt kind of beat up, but I was reminded that there are still some willing to hear and follow. That night I decided to go into Baguio and preach on Session Blvd.

While on session Blvd I was met by a journalist with the Philippino Inquirer. He began to take pictures and asked if he could interview me. We talked about tithing in the church and evangelism. He listened while I talked to a group of rich kids as well as a revolution/insurrection type college student. The college student opposed me at first but thanked me after we talked for a while. We talked about Jesus overcoming the evil principalities and powers of the world. If no one benefited from our talk I did.

The last three days I have been preaching at the University of Baguio. Yesterday I met with a student from Africa. He and I visited with some of his Muslim friends. They asked me about the war in Iraq. I explained that both the "Christians" and mulims are willing to murder for gain. They didnt like this, but I was able to cast some light on loving your enemies and turning the other cheek. They all told me "I never heard this before".

Today Jerry and I, as well as his friend Jun preached at the Universtiy of Baguio. We were met by a couple of security guards. I guess a student called the campus police and reported a distrubance. This same man was a homosexual, the disturbance was in his heart! Anyway, the guards yelled at us pushed me around and told us to get off the campus. We moved to the public sidewalk and got yelled at again. The guards seemed to be upset with me, but didn't want to arrest me. So instead they hauled Jun and Jerry off to an office. Jerry passed out tracts on the way to the guard station and was repremanded for this.

I continued to preach outside even though it was pouring down rain. After 10 minutes or so I was called into the office and we all got a good yellin at by the head security guard. I told the guard that we had followed his instructions and left campus property. He wouldnt let me talk, so I interrupted him and argued for a while telling him he had no jurisdiction outside campus property, and that he had to release us if there were no charges. Maybe I shouldnt have argued. Anyway he told me "this messege could alarm the students". I told him that is exactly what it is meant to do!


Later in the night we got a text from a man who told us:

"Hello I am Mark G. of UB college. Someone gave me a little letter about Jesus judging the world. I am also a Chrisitan. Thank you for inspiring people to serve God. After I saw the reaction of the people on campus (many were laughing)I cried. When I got home I really prayed, I'm on it. Thanks alot...

I returned this mans txt and will meet with him tomorrow morning.