Participants: Jeff Reich
Series Code: LM
Program Code: LM000118
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00:29 Laymen Ministries have been working
00:30 in Philippines for around 15 years. 00:33 We would like to take you to the Philippines 00:34 so you could see what it's like to be a missionary. 00:36 In fact, just about this time of day 00:38 they would be just getting out of bed. 00:53 My name is Joel Marshall, we're here in Agbalite. 00:57 The first thing that I do in the day 00:58 is when I wake up, 01:00 whenever God wakes me up is pray. 01:03 This morning because God woke me up very early 01:07 I had time to study the Bible. 01:09 My studies at the moment are on Hebrews. 01:11 I was studying Hebrew Chapter 7. 01:14 And the purpose of the chapter 01:16 is to prove that the Levitical priesthood was only temporary 01:22 and that Jesus Christ is the new high priest 01:28 of a better sanctuary in heaven based on better promises. 01:46 My name is Jim Webb and for the last 11 years 01:50 I've had the privilege of being the administrator 01:53 of Laymen Ministries here in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro. 01:57 Normally I get up in the morning about 4:45. 02:01 For the last 26 years my wife and I drink in the mornings 02:05 very first thing a glass of lemon juice. 02:09 We have learned that, 02:10 that has a very cleansing effect inside the body. 02:14 It's an excellent way to start the day. 02:18 So after getting up in the morning 02:20 I do basic necessities 02:23 and normally we have a staff prayer. 02:36 My name is Robert Francis 02:38 and I'm from Berrien Springs, Michigan, 02:40 and we are in the village 02:42 of Binuangan here in the Philippines. 02:46 I wake up around 4:30 or 5 o'clock 02:50 in the morning every day. 02:52 To start I just get up out of bed 02:55 after that I take a few moments to pray, 02:58 ask God to guide me during the day 03:00 and then I wake up my student 03:03 who lives with me, Manny from grade three 03:05 and we worship together. 03:23 My name is Mhae Madriaga 03:27 and I'm here in the Pinagbyanan as missionary teacher. 03:30 I usually get up in the morning at five. 03:33 When I wake up in the morning first things then doing 03:37 is kneel down in prayer, talk to God. 03:40 I have been a missionary here in Pinagbyanan 03:43 for one year and almost six months. 03:46 Then after that I cook, we cook. 03:48 I my companion here 03:51 and after that we will have worship. 03:56 Yeah, our topic this morning 03:58 when we had our worship is it's about the wonders of God. 04:03 Why do the fish float upside down 04:06 when they die? Why do we earlobes? 04:12 Throughout the week for breakfast 04:14 we eat oat meal, we add little granola to it, 04:19 we are very fortunate to have raisins and almonds, 04:22 whole wheat bread with sunflower seed 04:25 and of course, first fruit. 04:27 Here in the mission house 04:29 we live as a family in addition to my wife Moni, 04:34 our coworkers Joe and Allen Beasley, 04:36 we have four high school students. 04:40 And then after break fast 04:41 I have some time to have some private devotional time. 04:46 This morning during our staff worship 04:49 we studied the topic about the gift 04:52 or the fruit of self-control 04:54 which is one of the fruits of the spirit. 04:57 We learned that it's probably one of the most important fruit 05:01 even though it's mentioned last. 05:03 If you don't have self-control 05:05 you cannot really be used by God 05:08 because you have no ability to really control yourself. 05:13 You are just kind of doing whatever you want, 05:16 whatever feels good to you 05:17 and that's a very easy way for Satan to control you. 05:25 We usually have a morning devotion together, 05:27 group devotion between the teachers. 05:30 I have studied this morning self-righteousness 05:34 and the Pharisees religion was their unrighteousness. 05:40 You did not understand that there is a need 05:43 for a righteousness outside themselves. 05:47 But true Christians do not go back 05:49 to establish their own righteousness 05:51 they receive the righteousness of Christ 05:54 and it transforms their life into likeness of Christ. 06:02 My breakfast very simple in fact, 06:06 I only cook once a day 06:08 and so my breakfast and lunch are the same. 06:12 I had rice and white beans with a leaf called bago. 06:19 This morning I was studying the Sabbath school lesson, 06:23 bottom line is if we know 06:27 that we know Him then we obey Him 06:31 and when we obey we have joy. 06:34 When I first became a Christian 06:36 I thought that I want to obey it 06:40 by having a strong will 06:44 and I did, except there was no joy. 06:47 Once I learned to obey out of love 06:51 and because of the love that Christ has for me 06:55 then there was no burden on my shoulders 06:59 and I was able to experience joy. 07:05 If you get as much done as possible, 07:07 so let's stand up for the prayer 07:09 and then let's get start class. 07:11 That our topic this time, is the devil in charge of hell? 07:15 But what is, what our topic last time? 07:19 Are the dead really dead? Okay. 07:22 And answer my question, are the dead really dead? 07:24 Yes. 07:25 This week my grade two and three students 07:28 and I are discussing the topic of hell. 07:32 It's a very important topic that in death, 07:36 because that is the two topics were 07:38 so many Christians are confused about. 07:41 So what happened with dead, they are? 07:43 They're sleeping. Sleeping. 07:46 The Bible calls the death a sleep. 07:48 How many people are burning in hell now? 07:50 Thousand. 07:51 Before we came to this village 07:53 the Katutubo people were animist, 07:56 they believe that spirits are everywhere, 08:00 in the mountains, in the trees, in the bushes. 08:03 They won't go certain places at night, 08:05 they won't go to certain locations 08:07 because that spirit might get them 08:09 or that spirit might do something to them. 08:11 We've discover that lot of Katutubo now 08:14 who have accepted 08:16 or have some knowledge of Jesus Christ 08:18 believe that when you die 08:22 you either receive a eternal punishment 08:24 or if you are good you go straight to heaven 08:28 because a lot of the non- Katutubo tribes 08:31 around them that is their belief. 08:33 Where are dead sinners now? 08:36 They cannot be burning in help fire 08:38 because one, dead people do not burn in hell now, 08:41 they are sleeping. 08:43 And two, is it the end of the world? 08:46 No. 08:47 So of course it's not yet time for sinners 08:49 to receive final punishment. 08:53 Again it's another form of fear 08:55 because now they are afraid 08:56 that there's a God out there who's gonna judge you 08:58 and send you packing to the fire 09:01 with all those the little evil spirit 09:03 when they do something wrong or they think that 09:07 if they just do something good enough 09:09 God will send them straight to heaven 09:10 where they can be happy forever. 09:13 And there is lot confusion 09:15 about what the Bible really teaches about those topics. 09:18 Let's see what Bible says, Revelation Chapter 21, 09:22 what is the final result of Sin? 09:24 The wages of kavatayan is what? 09:28 Death. Okay, death. 09:31 It's important that they understand 09:34 that the dead are not really 09:37 floating around somewhere waiting to catch you 09:40 when you are not expecting them 09:42 or if you are bad 09:44 you don't go straight into a fiery pit 09:47 where you can burn for eternal torment for your sins. 09:53 "For Gods so love the world 09:55 that He gave His only son 09:57 that whoever believes in Him should not perish 09:59 but have everlasting life." 10:02 It's important that they know the truth 10:04 that God is a God of love and even though 10:06 He does punish the wicked, He does not do it 10:08 because He wants to see them suffer. 10:10 He gives His Son Jesus Christ so we will not? 10:14 Die. Die. 10:17 The thing that for me was so important 10:19 as I brought this subject to my students 10:22 is that they would understand that 10:25 this is not something that happens 10:27 because God is just unfair, He just picks someone. 10:31 Okay, you're goanna go to hell or you are goanna go to heaven. 10:34 When you put a book in the fire what happens? 10:36 It burns up. 10:37 What do you think will happen with the wicked? 10:39 It's so easy to be part of the group 10:43 at the second coming 10:45 which have separated themselves from God 10:47 have been deceived by the devil 10:50 and become angry or antagonistic towards the 10:54 people who have God's commandments, 10:56 who have a relationship with Jesus. 10:59 When the holy city comes down from God 11:02 out of heaven on the earth, okay, 11:06 then those who are wicked 11:09 are going to try and hurt God's people one last time. 11:14 They will surround the city 11:16 and as they are trying to surround the city 11:19 all of the sudden God will finally put an end to sin. 11:25 Fire comes out of heaven and it falls down upon them 11:29 and they are-- what will happen? 11:33 Burned. They are consumed. 11:35 They will lose their life forever. 11:40 And so once I wanted to understand 11:41 it's so important that every day 11:43 they make a decision to serve Jesus, 11:45 to love Him and to give their lives to Him 11:48 so that and walk step by step 11:51 even though sometime it's difficult 11:54 because in the end they will experience that reward 11:57 that He promises that He will bring with Him 12:00 when He comes to judge the world. 12:04 I have planned to go by the mayor's office 12:08 to see if the mayor is in the town 12:10 I need to speak with him. 12:12 I need to also go to the providential capital 12:14 to see if the equipment which we have been promised 12:19 for use in constructing the road to the high school property 12:24 has been repaired and will be available soon. 12:33 Thank you. 12:34 When I just wanted an opportunity 12:37 to meet you and to tell you 12:41 that our organization is been working here in 12:45 headquarter in Mamburao for 11 years. 12:47 This will become a Barangay road 12:50 which is basically a county road 12:52 and we need the support of the mayor 12:56 to make sure everything goes through 12:58 the bureaucratic system efficiently. 13:02 That the works to be undertaken must 13:05 have all the necessary permits with our records. 13:09 Okay, well-- 13:10 Its not-- I know in the past it was very... 13:14 but we've encounter so many problems now 13:17 with those kinds of systems. 13:18 Yes, sir. 13:19 And Pastor, I hope you understand. 13:22 I would, sir, 13:25 ask please help me expedite the things 13:28 because I'm literally ready to start digging dirt. 13:33 Okay, so... He required copy of all of our deeds, 13:37 the release of lean across all the property. 13:41 He wanted a complete 13:44 layout of the development of the property. 13:48 The paper work I could just in my minds 13:50 seeing getting thicker and thicker. 13:52 We will see weather or not this gets the job done. 13:58 Yeah, for the last three weeks 14:00 we've been studying the topic of marriage, 14:03 it teachers us so much about Christ 14:06 and His relationship with the church. 14:09 Firstly it teaches us about the godhead, 14:14 they work together with one purpose. 14:16 Father creates anything without Jesus? 14:19 No, the Bible is clear. 14:20 Did Jesus create anything without the Father? 14:24 No. 14:25 Can man create by himself? 14:29 No. 14:30 Can woman create by herself? 14:34 No. 14:35 Only together is an example of the godhead. 14:38 Christ bride is His church 14:41 and His purpose is to be one with His church 14:44 just as Adam must have been one with Eve. 14:48 He had to make or originate righteousness 14:53 for His bride which is the wedding garment. 14:56 So, day by day Jesus was weaving out 15:01 a perfect robe of righteousness in men. 15:05 Secondly, He died for our sins 15:08 that was taking out filthy garment. 15:10 Then thirdly, He gives His bride 15:14 His own righteousness 15:16 so that she is just like Him. 15:19 And He says just like Adam, 15:21 this is now burn of my burns and flesh of my flesh, 15:25 meaning that she is just like me. 15:28 In Christ I am prefixed the church 15:31 through His own righteousness 15:33 so that He can say that honestly 15:35 she is just like me and now we can be one. 15:38 You might think that teaching 15:40 grade six students about marriage is strange 15:42 but here my grade six students 15:45 are at the age for marriage in this culture. 15:48 In order to have happy marriage 15:51 we need to follow the right recipe 15:53 that God gives us in His word. 15:55 That's being good study. 16:07 Five minutes late, yeah, 16:09 I think I need to switch the time 16:12 that I got that from the clock of Monjunis 16:14 and I think her clock is a little bit behind. 16:18 And then I we're just going to eat really quickly 16:21 because it's almost time for after noon classes. 16:24 For lunch we prepared tofu 16:30 and we fried it and we added some string beans. 16:34 It's very flat don't you think? 16:41 Wow, God's people are doing stuff all over the world, 16:44 what an amazing stuff. 16:45 Yeah. 16:46 We spend a lot of time watching 16:48 Laymen Ministries' video on Vanuatu. 16:58 Yes, it's already 1:30, you better go now. 17:00 I got the opportunity to see the DVD 17:02 that's why we were late to cook. 17:04 The last lunch many but this always break time right. 17:07 We better have enough time to cook, 17:09 we really didn't have any time to eat at all. 17:14 Here in the Philippines 17:16 specifically in Occidental Mindoro 17:18 we have been working for about 12 years now 17:22 with a native tribe Katutubo 17:26 they are called here meaning native 17:29 and these people are among the most 17:32 primitive people in the world. 17:40 They are very blessed to have 17:43 four operating predated elementary schools 17:47 and as these students come along, 17:50 we cannot send them to the public school 17:52 because of prejudice and low quality education. 17:57 Laymen Ministries has found that 17:59 we need to have our own high school academy here 18:03 and it has to be a working academy. 18:05 And we find that, that follows the council 18:08 that we have been given also 18:09 because our ultimate goal here is to 18:13 improve the life of people, educate them, 18:16 bring them to knowledge of Jesus Christ 18:19 and then these students that we are working with 18:22 through high school and latter through college 18:25 will go back and become missionaries 18:27 for their own people. 18:28 There and comes through here, you see I left is open, 18:32 I didn't plant to it. 18:34 This morning we have hiked up to the top of the school, 18:37 the high school property. 18:39 The school owns this ridge line which is about 75 acres. 18:44 Owning property free clear title in the Philippines 18:48 is extremely difficult. 18:50 And many people said it's impossible 18:52 you cannot do it. 18:54 Well, God kept opening doors 18:56 and we are now standing on about 75 acres 18:59 that Laymen Ministries owns free and clear. 19:03 We want our students to have a peaceful, 19:07 calm environment in order to study. 19:10 Initially we are going to put up a duplex here 19:14 so we can live here and have an office here. 19:19 Of course, we have to think of administration 19:22 and school rooms 19:23 and then dormitories there for the students. 19:31 So just eat the flesh around the seed. 19:34 The main octagon shape building 19:37 will have class rooms on the outside wall, 19:41 a circular hallway inside 19:45 and then in the center cluster 19:48 will be an area for offices and library 19:52 and may be a computer rooms that kind of thing. 19:58 We have friends in the US 20:00 who are putting together a container of donated items 20:05 which will be sent directly here 20:08 specifically for use for the high school 20:11 and it's a big list, 20:12 it's every thing from spiritual books 20:15 to school desk to stainless steel sinks to tractors. 20:21 We are very remote here, we're off grid 20:24 and it's very expensive to bring electricity to here. 20:28 You have a wind generator, we can use it. 20:30 You have solar panels, we can use them. 20:34 If you would like to be involved in this project 20:36 contact Laymen Ministries 20:38 and they will tell you the kind of the things 20:40 that we need 20:42 and they will get in touch with us 20:45 to see if we could use it. 20:47 They can tell you how to get the product 20:50 to location in California 20:52 where it will be packaged and then shipped. 20:55 And we will appreciate your help very much. 20:57 Because the Israelites were here and then 20:59 what is their problem? They can't? 21:04 They can't pass in the Jordon River. 21:06 Why? 21:07 It really fascinates me special in the part when 21:10 it says there that when the people 21:13 like the Canaanites heard the story about 21:15 how God had lead them 21:17 in passing through the Jordon River. 21:21 The Israelites... 21:23 Follow in the pass. 21:25 They scramble, they were afraid of you know, 21:29 who really the God was of the Israelites. 21:31 I think that story would help other students 21:34 to know that the God that we are serving is the real God. 21:39 And this week we have our weekly prayer. 21:41 We are having-- 21:43 we have Tito Joe with us 21:45 and he's the one who is speaking 21:47 every afternoon. 21:48 He is sharing with us 21:50 on the journey going to the Promise Land. 21:53 Jericho just did what? Bend. 21:56 Lying down right to the ground. 21:59 This week we are talking about Joshua 22:01 and the entering into the Promise Land 22:04 and then the teachers take it from there. 22:07 They take the story each day 22:09 and they discuss the meanings 22:11 according to the level of understanding, 22:14 first grade, second grade so on up the way. 22:17 And what is in this thing, what is in there? 22:23 The Ten Commandments. 22:25 What is the Ten Commandments? 22:26 What is written in the Ten Commandments? 22:28 And we were praying that 22:31 we can comprehend how 22:34 God is working with Israelites and descend with them. 22:37 It said no man will be able to stand before you. 22:40 What happened? 22:43 They ran. 22:45 What happen to the promise? 22:47 This afternoon we're talking about the topic of Achan 22:53 as he is unfaithful and steals 22:57 what's not supposed to be his. 22:59 I mean he hides it in his tent 23:02 and the consequences of that 23:03 and we are going to look at 23:06 those different principles tonight to see 23:09 what went wrong. 23:24 Now let's get nice sleep. 23:27 And no one will ever know about the gold. 23:32 But He will knew about the gold. 23:35 God knew about the gold. 23:38 So what it is, is to help lift up spiritual understanding 23:43 and to excites spiritual growth 23:45 and it's been really a lot of fun 23:48 delivering the message of Joshua this last week. 23:57 It's about 8:30, 24:00 it's time for prayer to finish up the day. 24:06 Free time. 24:19 We just ended our weekly prayer, 24:22 eating we done and let the chair spin 24:24 and now its time to go to bed. 24:36 Afterwards meeting with Joe 24:38 and doing some planning for the next day. 24:41 I was extremely fortunate before 10 o'clock 24:46 to be able to go to bed. 24:53 What I have experienced here in the mission field is that 24:56 God takes you where you are. 24:59 He doesn't hold out an unreachable standard. 25:02 His standards are high 25:03 but He takes you step by step upwards 25:06 to the high standard that He has 25:09 and He empowers you to do it. 25:11 What I've have learned is that 25:13 if you are faithful in just small thing 25:17 then God will develop you 25:21 through those small experiences 25:23 to be able to do more and more 25:26 and that is the continue work that we have with God. 25:31 He promises that there will be no end 25:34 to that upward walk in this life. 25:38 He wants perfection from us. 25:40 So we've just put 200 liters of diesel 25:43 in the front end loader 25:46 and we're on our way now to seal on the appeal, 25:48 to began the work on the on our road 25:51 up to a high school property. 25:54 Every Christian is a missionary, 25:56 whether they are in the foreign country 25:58 or in their home town. 25:59 We are all missionaries. 26:01 We are all ambassadors for Christ. 26:03 If you were just be willing to have new experiences 26:07 you are not gonna have everything that you had before 26:09 you are goanna miss some things but 26:12 God will replace it with a lot of 26:14 great experiences that you'll really enjoying 26:16 and you'll remember for your rest of your life. 26:19 One of the biggest hesitations 26:21 about become a missionary is that you-- 26:25 it's something new. 26:27 You have never done it before 26:28 and you don't know what its going to be like 26:32 but when you know that God 26:34 that is calling you to mission work 26:36 and that your life is in His hands. 26:38 You can go forward in faith 26:40 knowing that God is working things for good. 26:44 Then a challenging three years, 26:46 but we are absolutely delighted now 26:49 to finally see equipment on the site, 26:51 moving dirt so that soon we are going to have a road 26:55 to our high school property 26:56 so that we can began the development of the campus. 27:01 It's an opportunity to grow like 27:05 you'll never grow in any other place. 27:08 You get responsibilities that you would not choose yourself 27:13 but the God chooses for you because He knows that 27:16 when you are put in those situation you will grow. 27:21 And also don't be afraid to become a missionary 27:24 if you don't think that you have the skills 27:27 because God is the one who gives talent, 27:29 He's the one who gives skills. 27:32 All God wants is a missionary 27:35 who is willing to submit themselves to His will. 27:40 God wants us to grow. 27:42 He wants us to grow to become of more service 27:47 to our fellowmen to represent Him. 27:50 When He was here He was a servant 27:52 and that's what He is calling us to be, 27:55 to be a servant to our fellowmen. 27:58 The most important thing about 28:00 being a missionary is not your skill 28:04 but will you allow Him to work in your life. |
Revised 2014-12-17