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I made it home last night about 2:00 am. Thank you Eric for picking me up in Burlington. The flight home was excellent and I was able to get some good sleep. At the airport the baggage took a long time getting to the baggage area and I was feeling the time pressure, wanting to take the UP train to Union Station and then the GO train to Burlington to meet Eric. At last my suitcase came down the chute. Then I got pulled aside in customs for a baggage check which further delayed me. Finally I was able to take the UP express to Union Station and then GO train to meet Eric for the ride home to my own bed. I slept until 11:30 this morning and feel refreshed and ready for the next task ahead.

All students with teachers in front row. Helene in front row is sitting with husband and team leader Weymann. They went to Vietnam to visit missionaries before heading home.

I thank God for this wonderful opportunity to teach and I thank God for all of those who supported the trip with finances and prayer and encouraging words along the way. I love you more because of your love for me. The students left for home by bus and motorbike, and rickshaw, encouraged and more equipped for the task of preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ from the authoritative Word of God. We will meet again for worship before the throne of our Holy and Loving God.

DAY FIVE

Our Hermeneutics classes ended at noon today and then after lunch we had a closing ceremony for the 50+ students. Each student received “Taking God at His Word” by Kevin DeYoung. After the closing ceremony our host Pastor and his son drove the team with luggage, in two vehicles, to the local airport, a trip of almost 2 hours so that we could all fly to Manila for our overnight stay. Because of plane delays we did not arrive to our hotel until about 11:30. Departure will come very early on Saturday morning for our return trips to North America. Some had to leave at 3:30 this morning and others at 4:30. I will take a shuttle to the airport at 9:00. We will all be glad to be heading home.

One of the things which impressed me, not being from Toronto, was the traffic and the number of people out and on the street in Manila on Friday night as we drove from the airport to our hotel. Most of those people do not know Jesus as their Savior.

My head is very stuffed up this morning and I also had to take some Imodium so pray for my trip home which will extend over 21 hours with layovers. On the way to the airport I got stuck in the front seat with A/C blasting on my completely sweat soaked shirt for the whole trip. I wonder why my little cold is now blown into this stuffed head?

I read Psalm 108.4 this morning, "For your steadfast love is great above the heavens, your faithfulness reaches to the clouds".

Pastor Jovert imitating me as teacher "Remember context, context, context".

 This was a tiring and exhausting week for all of us but refreshing and renewing as we saw our students grow in their practice of Bible interpretation and applying that knowledge to sermon preparation. We all agree it was worth the long trips here and back home and the long exhausting days, and we would all be willing to come back again. Goodbye for now Philippines. May God pour out His Spirit upon you.

DAY FOUR

A great day of teaching and learning. The students are very attentive even to the end of the day and are excited about what they are learning. We as teachers are exhausted physically but energized because of what is happening to our students.
Tomorrow (Friday here) is a half day of teaching, lunch and a closing celebration for the students and we will give each of them a book "Taking God at His Word" by Kevin DeYoung. Then in the afternoon we drive 1 1/2 hours to Davao and then fly to Manila and check into our hotel.
My throat is steadily getting back to normal but I think I am getting a small cold.
Thank you again for your participation in this ministry to these Pastors.
Here are more pictures:

Sanctuary

Left side of where Pastors stay when training

Right side of where Pastors stay when training

Snack and Lunch area. Overhang is connected to Pastor's house

DAY THREE

After going to bed with a very sore throat and thinking I was going to be a real mess this morning, my throat was less sore than I expected and steadily improved through the day so that it is almost normal now. I praise God for that.
I had an easy day, teaching only 1 hour, as my co-teaching student did a lesson this morning and part of the afternoon. I needed to rest for my throat and to recover some energy so today was a blessing. Tomorrow will be a busier day.
The students are really catching on to what we are teaching them. On Monday this looked like an impossible task but we are excited about what has been accomplished so far.
Of my 13 students not one has a Bible Dictionary and only one has a Concordance. These two tools along with a good Study Bible would do wonders for this group. There are 54 Pastors here this week and I would venture to say a survey of those not in my class would show very few with a Bible Dictionary and Concordance. I hope to try and remedy this over the next 3 months. Please pray about this with me. They would not have to be in their language, English would be fine.
Here are more pictures.

My classroom is on the left

Teaching

Teaching

DAY TWO

Thank you for praying. The devotional message went well as did the teaching. I felt at times very much under the energy and creativity of the Holy Spirit as I taught. Now I am exhausted, having been up since 2:30 this morning. I am going to bed soon but want to send out this short blog before I retire.
One of the lady students here is pregnant, due in August, but chose to take the 14 hour bus ride to get here this week. One of the fellows in my class is a former Muslim, converted ten years ago, who killed 3 Christians while a Muslim. I have a sore throat and I am hoping to wake up without it tomorrow morning. Here are a few pictures from today.

Preaching this morning at open session

Notice the prosperity gospel influence on poster behind me

Teaching in classroom

DAY ONE

We have found our stride.

We began yesterday with a time of worship which for me was so refreshing and renewed my physical strength. It reminded me once again that we will worship before the throne of God with all tribes and nations and peoples of the world and we will not weary of it. Looking forward to that.

I found it difficult at first in class to communicate to the students what was in my notes. It took awhile for the class and I to get used to each other but by the end of the day Samuel (who is co-teaching with me) and I found our stride. We now know at what pace to move forward and more on how to communicate with the students. I look forward to this morning’s classes. I am also giving the devotional in our opening session today so pray for me.

There is a woman in my class, Shanta, who was a housemaid in Saudi Arabia for 5 years and that is where, as she says "in the dessert" God called her to full time service. She has been a pastor for 5 years now. Our host Pastor Levi, who has been in ministry for 45 years, has built up his church which is now also a training center for Pastors. As a young man he ministered in the mountains among the Muslims, had his house and church burnt down, saw two other churches burnt down, and loss three children shortly after their birth. We talked about times like these where God is silent and how Pastor Levi moved forward knowing that the sun would shine the next morning. Pastor Nestor in my class is working among the Muslims in the mountains and has three pioneer teams working with him. He has been a pastor for 5 years. These are not young people. Vivian who has been a pastor for 10 years is a sweet woman in her 60’s. I have 13 students. I hope to show you a picture tomorrow.

Teaching and the time change is very draining. Yesterday I was up at 4 am and came down to the lobby for my devotions and to review my notes and found a fellow teacher there doing the same thing. We enjoyed coffee and studied and chatted. (Glad I brought my own coffee. We are both enjoying that). This morning I am up at 2:30 for coffee, my devotions, writing this blog and will then review my notes and message for later today. I tried to study and write this blog last night but was so tired I had to go to bed by 6:30. So continue to pray for stamina and a functioning brain.

It was a delight to see the class “catch” what we were trying to teach them about how to interpret a Bible passage according to the author’s intention and in context. It took a lot of explanation and repetition and examples but by the end of the afternoon I was rejoicing with the realization that they were getting it, so I look forward to building on that insight today.

Thank you for your faithful support in prayer.

FINAL DESTINATION

We are in Digos City and we are hot and tired. Pray for a refreshing sleep for all of us tonight as we face a long Monday.
We went to the airport this morning, went through security, took off from Manila around 12:15, landed at 1:45 in Davao, drove for 1 1/2 hours on rough roads and made it to our hotel in Digos City, and crashed out until 5:30, when we got up to go down for supper. We had a great supper with stimulating discussion around various questions and ideas for the upcoming week and then a time of team prayer.

Team arriving in Davao, Weymann and Helene, Ron, Samuel, Jon and Larry

 This is a very poor city from what I have seen so far. I am looking forward to meeting my class tomorrow and seeing how I will make out in teaching them.
Now I need to spend some time reviewing notes for tomorrow.
Thank you for praying and please continue to pray.

ARRIVAL

Heat, shower, people, traffic, tired. These are some of the words that come to mind upon my arrival in Manila, half way around the world. No need to reset my watch as the time difference is 12 hours, just have to change am to pm, but a real need to reset my body time so I am trying to stay awake today even though my body is saying it is time to sleep. The rest of the team arrives around 9 tonight so they will be tired. After a team meeting tonight and hopefully a good sleep, we fly out at noon tomorrow to Davao in the South, and then a 1 1/2 drive to Digos City where we will be staying and teaching for the week.
I landed just after 12 noon, having left Taipei about 1/2 hour late due to so many planes having to take off. Overall the trip was about 22 hours with stop-overs. The drive in the hotel shuttle was right out of a James Bond movie, with cutting off traffic, turning into many very narrow side streets lined with motorbikes and shops and pedestrians, and finally arriving at the Kabayan Hotel. The name of the company that manages the hotel transportation is called "Market Place Christian Church Transport and Multi-purpose Cooperative".
How good if felt to have a hot shower, then a pineapple fruit drink, and a short nap.
I found this item in my room.

Thank you Father for your care on this trip so far, for those who are praying, and for small signs along the way that you continue to work in the world. Hopefully you would be able to trace my steps in the last 24 hours by the gospel messages I left with people and in places along the way. Bread crumbs that can lead those who follow to Christ. I will try and check in tomorrow.

TAKEOFF

Just a short note to let you know that I am taking off this evening (actually not until 1:45 Friday morning) for the Manila, Philippines with a stop-over in Taiwan. First leg of flight is 15 hours so please pray for me. Flight to Manila from Taiwan is less than two hours.

I will try and send out a new blog post on Saturday after I land and get into the hotel. Just heard this morning that WiFi at the hotel may be poor or non-existent, although it is advertised as available. You can also read the Training Leaders International "field notes" for this trip at <http://trainingleadersinternational.org/trips/139/philippines-may-2016> which will start to be updated on Monday.

The rest of the Team is traveling from the USA with various stop-overs. The plan is to all meet at the hotel for Saturday night and then leave in the morning on a smaller plane south to Davao and then by car to Digos City where we will be staying and teaching.

I am adding once again various items for prayer but let me encourage you to wait on the Holy Spirit to see what He would have you pray for regarding this trip.

All Glory to God.

I would especially ask you to pray for the items listed below.

-Praise for finances for the trip

-Praise for preparation of lesson plans and reading

-pray flight connections, travel safety, stamina for long flight

-pray for good health, strength and daily stamina in the heat

-pray for physical safety in Philippines and safe in country travel

-pray for perseverance, clear thinking, and wisdom in classes

-pray for Pastors to be receptive, encouraged, built up in faith

-pray that I can be a rich blessing to these Pastors

-pray that I can grow spiritually, in humility and love

-pray for unity and fellowship for our team

HABITS

Philippines Trip Update: Just over a week to go before departure. Praise God with me that He has prepared the way and will bless these Pastors and ministry leaders. Please hold the following prayers before the Lord over the next three weeks.
-finances for the trip 
-preparation of lesson plans and reading 
-good health, strength and daily stamina in the heat

-flight connections, travel safety, stamina for long flight

-physical safety in Philippines and safe in country travel

-perseverance, clear thinking, and wisdom in classes

-Pastors to be receptive, encouraged, built up in faith

-that I can be a rich blessing to these Pastors

-that I can grow spiritually, in humility and love

-unity and fellowship for our team

Habits are helpful. Habits can also be harmful.
For example, a daily habit of prayer can lead to growth in Christian character and a fuller fellowship with God. But prayer as a habit may rise no higher than the ceiling.
A habit can help you walk in the Christian way when you do not feel like it or don't know what to do next. A habit can also keep you from receiving new direction from God and stepping out of your comfort zone.
A habit can keep you from falling to sudden temptation, but a habit can also blind you to the power of the Spirit needed for sudden temptation.

We should form habits that reflect the character of God and lead to Christian maturity. We should put off those habits that turn us away from God. "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Hebrews 10.24-25

 What we most need to do is to form habits and learn to walk in the Spirit in those habits. Then habits can lead us in the right path and cause us to seek the Spirit, and the Spirit can infuse the life of Christ to us in our habits. We need both discipline and spiritual life working together as we walk toward our heavenly home.

 

 

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

 Philippines trip update: Just over two weeks now before departure. I am getting a bit nervous. This morning we had our last team meeting to get some last minute details. I am continuing my lesson preparation and praying for the trip and those involved. Please pray with me.
-finances for the trip
-preparation of lesson plans and reading I need to get done
-good health, strength and daily stamina in the heat 
-flight connections, travel safety, stamina for long flight 
-physical safety in Philippines and safe in country travel 
-perseverance, clear thinking, and wisdom in classes 
-Pastors to be receptive, encouraged, built up in faith 
-that I can be a rich blessing to these Pastors 
-that I can grow spiritually, in humility and love 
-unity and fellowship for our team 


Christians are motivated for service for different reasons. Let me mention four.
1) Fear: Some of us came to Christ because we feared going to hell and were motivated in our service to God by the fear of God's punishment if we did not obey Him. Not everyone goes through this stage of fear but some do and some remain under this motivation much to long. In fear we operate in our own strength and work very hard to be accepted by God and to serve Him. Discouragement and failure is common. There is little peace and joy when we are motivated to live and act for God in fear.
2) Duty: There is a service motivated by duty. Many Christians find themselves in this category of motivation. This is a master/servant relationship. Sometimes this can become a legalistic motivation, a focus on commandments, and rules, and church obligations, and religious custom; a legal-righteousness concerned with law more than life, a concern with not touching the leper and keeping the Sabbath. Where fear was motivated by emotion, duty is motivated by logic and rewards for obedience. Duty can become hard and inflexible labor in the name of Jesus Christ. It can become harsh when challenged and judgemental to those not in compliance.
3) Selfish ambition: We can allow the flesh to rule our service so that we seek position, attention, praise, prosperity, and reputation. Paul warns against this in Philippians 2.1-11, see also 1.15,17.

4) Love: The highest motivation for Christian service is love, a love that is energized by knowing the Father's love for us, knowing the depths of His love in His grace to us in Jesus Christ. "The love of God controls us" Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5.14. Obedience from the heart. Obedience that knows and has experienced the loving heart of God and is filled with sacrificial gratitude, humbled to serve with all its powers, a God of love because He first loved us. Where duty serves a master as master, here love abandons itself, and all it has in complete trust to the love of God and then loves others without calculations, unconditionally and sacrificially. God is seeking to bring all of us to this place of unconditional surrender to His all sufficient Love.

If you are interested in doing a short study through the motivation of Peter's life, look at the following verses. Luke 5.1-11 (fear), John 6.66-69 (duty), John 21.15-17 (love which needs to be deepened), Galatians 2.11-14 (default to fear and legalism and flesh).

May our Father take us deeper into His love as the motivation for our service.