Faithful Endurance

Billy Graham is known to be an evangelist who has toured almost the entire globe to preach the gospel of Christ to those who are lost. His life has been a blessing to many. God has been using him greatly and mightily through his speech proposal in different events, books that were published, and he has become a great influence to his son and grandson to continue what he started as an evangelistic pastor. His life has touched a lot of souls and it is all by God's power that enables him to glorify God's name through evangelical ministry. I am blessed by his life. I remember when I was in fourth year High School I have read a few pages of his book entitled, "Peace with God." Its content were very practical and helpful in broadening my knowledge about God. Aside from the life of Billy Graham, I have been blessed as well with how Christianity came here in the Philippines in a very unique way. Spanish Catholicism came to Philippines hundreds of years ago carrying the type of government which was frailocracy. At this time every personnel in the government had to obey with the Spanish priest rulers which caused the government and the state to be merged together. As the years went by, brutality had been displayed. So America raged war against Spain. America won. I was blessed with the life of Manrique Alonzo Lallave, who was a Spanish priest in Pangasinan who was against the Spanish government. He met a Swedish missionary. He was converted to Protestantism and smuggled bibles from outside the Philippines to the inside Philippines together with Francisco de Castells. Since then, Protestantism spread rapidly among Filipinos. Soon, there was an establishment of Evangelical Union, Siliman University, and Nicolas Zamora became the first ordained Filipino preacher. Truly, as God's people develop a pure motive of serving Him, the ministry that has been started will flourish by God's tools and His molding. God honors and works in His ministry.

I have learned from these people to really have faith and endurance with the life and ministry God has been entrusting to me. I am still in the process of accomplishing these two ingredients of finishing the race that we all, Christians, are into. By God's grace, I have endured the challenges I faced last year and I know by faith and God's grace, He will enable me to endure the challenges that will be coming into my life. Though I do not know where I am going, Christ is the driver of my life who knows which path to choose. In order to faithfully endure, I have to fuel the my jeepney (My life) with God's word, hold on to the corner of hope (God's promises), pray diligently as I ride in the jeepney (As I go through life), and trust in Him, my driver (Christ) who knows the right way.

Eternal Goal: Die to my self and live for Christ

I have learned about the life of David Livingstone and Charles Haddon Spurgeon. I am so blessed with their lives. David Livingstone became a missionary doctor in Africa. While he was in Africa, he explored a lot, helped many Africans with their sicknesses and their ignorance about Christ. He proved in his time that faith and science are compatible. He studied medicine and theology. David Livingstone built a chapel there and a printing press. Aside from reaching out to the African in Botswana Africa and was able to meet their physical needs; he also met their spiritual need. Moreover, David fought for the rights of Africans and soon after his death the Africans were spared from the slave trade that was implemented by Arabians. Charles Haddon Spurgeon became the prince of preachers. He had no formal education but was able to be one of the contributors of Church History.

I have learned from the life of Livingstone to let God use my life for His glory alone from this day forward. Livingstone did not waste his time and never let fear  rule in his life. He used what he knew to serve God in a humbling way. He used his time wisely as he was still in the field of missions. I have learned from Charles Haddon Spurgeon that being uneducated is not a hindrance for him to be used by God. It reminds me of the sermon I have heard from somewhere about "God is the extraordinary God who uses ordinary people." Indeed he never had a formal education but he was greatly used by God. His tongue was gifted by God to speak of the truthfulness of His word  and became a great mouthpiece of God.

I am in the process of becoming the person that God wants me to be. I believe that studying in a Bible School is one way of glorifying God's name and is part of the training that I have to experience in order to reach my destination. Every day has become so significant day to me. Every day there is a lesson to be learned. If an opportunity comes which gives God pleasure, I ought to accept it. As these realizations pop up in my mind, I also pray in my heart that what I have (skills, talents, life) be all used for God's glory alone and not mine. David Livingstone and Charles Spurgeon knew the chief end of their lives and it is Christ. It is what I am praying for, that I may courageously serve God with His strength and focus on Him alone as my very goal until the time when He finally leads me back home.

The more I learn, the more I know less; the more I apply what I know, the more I grow

Dr. Manges had been with us from 6 pm until almost 8 pm on Wednesday, February 17, 2016. He came into our class and discussed about Church history, almost everything about Church History. He also entertained many questions from my classmates. I have learned a lot from him especially about the intriguing issue on why many of the Filipinos worship Mary. I have also learned about why Rome considered Peter as   their first pope. Mary, historically, was said to remain a virgin even after Jesus' birth, and so she was said to be immaculate. Filipinos were then influenced by the invading Spaniards in the Philippines and were taught about worship of images of variety. Peter was declared to be the first pope because of what Jesus told "on this rock I will build my church." It was suspected that Rome was the place where the church would be built not knowing that it was the people who will follow Christ.

Through learning more about Mary, I can reach out easily to people who are devoted in worshiping her. It is very difficult for me as I think about it but, because of Church History I can connect Mary's life in History and who she really is in the bible. In this modern generation, Mary is seemed to be highly much respected than Jesus, especially by the elders in the Philippines. Studying History can really help in gathering more information in the past and prove the bible to be a true historical book and at the same time the word of God. Interestingly, a lot of places, events, and people from the bible are proven to have existed in the historical accounts. Since, I was in High School I could remember that there was a person who shared to me about Peter being the first pope of Rome. Only when I have reached in my fourth year in College have I been corrected of my wrong stock knowledge.

In the teaching ministry or in any ministry that God will entrust to me in the near future I believe that I can teach what I have learned from Church History class especially to the people who are devoted to Mary and to those who are confused of whom to be worshiped. and who is the true Savior. If the Lord wills for me to teach children in the future I desire to talk to their parents and lead them to Christ in a way which will not offend them. I can also conduct counselling for the mothers who need to be listened to. I can not plan with permanent structure on how I can share Christ to them but I think I will do it in an informal way asking them how they are doing in life. If they have questions I will be open in answering them with the answers I have at the ssme time I will be honest whenever I do not know the right answers they are seeking.

Reaching out starts by listening to one's heart

This week I have learned about the movement of the Anabaptists and of other radical reformers. Before studying about this subject, I am already familiar with Anabaptists, in fact I thought of it as a "religion" but I was corrected by our lesson in Church History. Anabaptism is a movement in which the members, which are called Anabaptists, do not believe in infant baptism rather they believe that one must come to faith in Christ before being baptized. Anabaptists were reformation radicals. there are four groups of radicals. Firstly, the radical biblicists, who put aside all traditions and base their teachings only under the authority of Scriptures. Secondly, the radical kingdom builders who tried to claim and bring Christ's reign on earth by the sword and force. Thirdly, the radical mystics who believed that God's revelations are revealed to them. Fourthly, the radical free thinkers, who denied Christ's deity and the Trinity as well.

I have noticed now a days that some of the religious groups differ from each other in terms of beliefs, traditions, basis of beliefs and even how to be saved. Because of differences in doctrines, they tend to fight for what they think is right and ignore what the other groups claim. They tend to persecute and listen to others just to preserve what they stand for. All of these groups have some right and wrong doctrines circulating within their devotion. I notice that when people focus so much with their differences the tendency is that they want to argue with each other resulting to unpleasant behavior. Would not it be nice if all of the religious groups, particularly different denominations who claim to be Christians be gathered together and learn from each other's similarities and differences without persecution and arguments? Sad to say, before it never happened. They might be afraid of the loss they could get but would not it be a better gain if they have had a time when they focus even just one similarity that they had and laugh with each other about it? What I can comment about them is that, no one can ever judge or blame them for what had happened even though it cost hundreds of lives who lived back then because they might have been so zeal to preserve their faith. If no group ever stood bravely, I think this generation too, has become a time of confusion, killing and blindness of the truth that only God's grace through faith in Christ can one be saved.

Now that it has been clear to us all that there is no religion which can provide salvation to a person. Christ is the answer to all the questions of confused people. Christ is the basis for the true source of eternal life. Christ is the solution to the increasing wickedness in the world. If all Christians, regardless of their denominations, be gathered together in love and unity in the name of Christ, the real Savior will be manifested. The tendency why people get confused of what is the truth is because they tend to focus on the force of the world rather than the real source of the truth found in God's word. Who are to help them? it's us who know about it. We are to love, tell , and gather as one.

As a Christian, I have to be ready for all the possible happenings that I will encounter especially when I mingle with a person who has a different view of God. The way I can do to help that person is to listen to what she or he believes and slowly lead him or her not to my reason or knowledge but tell her or him my story from how I searched and became confused of the truth into how I have come to know Christ and be able to feel secured in His love and presence.

God is yet painting my life

I have learned this week about the lives of John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, Alexander III, Erasmus Desiderius, Huldreich Zwingli, John Calvin. They all contributed significantly for the continual preservation of Church History. Two of the people who have influenced me most are John Wycliffe and Martin Luther. John Wycliffe was responsible for the translation of the whole Bible into English. He believed that one "could not obey God if he were ignorant of God's word." What amazed me most about his life was when he lived serving God and he died (because of a heart attack during his preaching) serving God. Martin Luther was a German monk who led the church in Germany to Christian reformation. He courageously fought for what the Bible says about salvation by God's grace through faith in Christ. He was against indulgences and wrote 95 thesis against Roman Catholic teachings. He wanted to make everyone in the church of Rome and of Germany that Scripture has the supreme authority over the church.

I have learned and realized from the life of Wycliffe that my life should be spent in a way pleasing to God. Serving God is not just a part of my journey in this life but rather it is the reason why I live. Wycliffe persevered with what he was doing for the development of the church and I, too, as a servant of God, should persevere  in serving Him as a student and a future teacher. I can still remember what I said the moment I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior that, "Lord, I am going to serve you until the day I die." I have realized and learned from Martin Luther that being a Christian should not just be evident by words but also by how I apply God's word in my life. Scripture must always lead me to the truth and the basis of my practice as God's child.

For now, I can not clearly see how God will use me for His glorification but I know my experiences since the day I came to know Him and forward are all part of the big picture of my future life as I continue to serve Him. These days, I do write journals and sending breath-prayers to God as part of my spiritual discipline.

God uses us just as we are

I have learned this week about the different contributions of different people who are John Chrysostom, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Gregory the great, Augustine Redivirus, and Francis of Assisi. Two of them have become my favorites. One is John Chrysostom who was considered to be "Golden-mouthed" because of his excellent preaching skills. He became a doctor of the church and became a pope in 500 A.D. Another is St. Augustine. He was a pope in Hippo. He pursued worldly success and was attracted to several non-Christian movements. He was converted because of Ambrose's preaching. He believed that humans are biased to sinning and that people can not be saved unless helped by the grace of God. He believed that God chooses certain individuals to receive His grace.



I have learned from John Chrysostom to be passionate on what God has gifted me personally. I could imagine how John Chrysostom developed his speaking skills. He learned and studied more of it and so the result was that he became an excellent preacher of God's Word. It is really necessary for me personally to find my niche or my passion in the area of any ministry that God would entrust to me for me to become an effective minister just like John Chrysostom had become.  I believe that what I am going through in life today are part of the training that God wants me to experience for me to soon become the person He wants me to be. I have learned form St. Augustine about being righteous before God through His sustaining grace. Without any judgment of St. Augustine's life, I believe that what he had written about God's grace and its all-sufficiency, had come upon him by real life experience. I think positively about St. Augustine experiencing it himself and so urged every human to admit the sin being committed and to trust God's grace through faith in Christ for salvation. Because of this teaching, I am more thankful of God's sustaining grace.



 In the ministry I find it easily to mingle or to minister to adults than to little children. So, I believe that my strength in the ministry is in teaching the adults. I am developing it through preaching and leading Bible studies to adults. I praise the Lord because I have been practicing a new way of communing with God every time and it is through sending Him breath-prayers. I include thanksgiving, asking for guidance, protection especially when I travel or am facing a test, exam, or leadership opportunities. I find it very helpful and beneficial to always thank God of His goodness and grace in my life. I notice that every time I communicate with God, I feel much in need of His guidance and presence in my life.

God weaves us for the work He has prepared for us

I became interested with St. Ambrose's life and contribution to Church History. He was born in a religious family. Since Childhood, he had been suspected to have a good communication skill. As the years went by, he studied literature, law, and rhetoric and developed his skill as a good communicator. Truly, he was used by God to be a good and effective preacher. He even became the instrument of God for St. Augustine to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. In 374 A.D., he finally became the Bishop of Milan. All through the years as a bishop, he accomplished and became successful in the area of song composition, introducing new hymns. Two of his compositions were, "Framer of Earth and Sky," and " Maker of All Things, God Most High." He also promoted "Antiphonal Chant." These were some of his enormous accomplishments and contributions in Church History.



I have learned from the life of Ambrose that "man must not use God instead let man be used by God." He never used God to be successful in life. Although at first, he became reluctant about accepting the role of being the bishop of Milan, but soon submitted to God's plan for his life. He let God control his destiny. He also used what God had gifted him to accomplish great things for God's glory. He used his ability in speech to bless other people in order for them to praise and look up to God. That is what ministers and God's children should aim at in life. As of now, I also am thinking of this for me not just to work in the ministry for the sake of doing my obligation but to work in the ministry because God works in and through my life. Ambrose used the timeline of his life wisely. He lived doing something for God and indeed he has left a legacy that I and other Christians should also follow. In order to become the person God wants Ambrose to  be, he allowed people around him to influence him and contribute in his accomplishments in life. Ambrose became teachable.



Though I am uncertain of my future, coming to BTC (Baptist Theological College), I would say, is one of the steps of becoming the person that God wants me to be. Everything I have must be offered to God and used  by God alone. I also have to learn from other Christians around me because I believe that God wants me to learn something from them and regardless of diversity, I know God wants me to grow in my character through their lives developing love, understanding, and a teachable heart inside of me with the help of the Holy Spirit.