The Philippines indeed was a learning experience. God has His work there, His people for sure, but not as the - I will say, 'naive' Christian thinks. With as many 'Christian' works in the Philippines that claim to 'know' God and understand and live by the scripture, just about every country on the face of this earth should be evangelized; they are not so something is amiss. Instead of seeing wonderful works of God and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit on a regular basis I saw pride, heresy, and false doctrine. I saw 'politics' and money grabbing that had been propagated and taught by ministries here in the United States because they had 'big names' for themselves and wanted to be able to say: Look at our work in the Philippines!

What a lesson for me.....to see all that was being done in the name of Christ.....for money and notoriety. I met many nationals that were nothing more than programmed by a denomination, were they saved - some, but I had a problem with the fact that one could detect a 'denominational' slant in the preaching and teaching.....not focusing on Christ and His redemptive work, but on 'works of the church'.

One would ask many questions with statements being made as I have. One question would be, is this all denominations or just a 'few' of the 'minor' ones? Another question would be, is this extensive or just in a limited location? Still another - is anybody being saved over there or taught with sound doctrine?

The denominations I had contact with were major ones, just think of one and place the name in the blank. No, this is not limited to a location unless we consider the 'whole world' a limited location. The last answer would be, yes, most definitely, souls are being saved and God is working.

Unfortunately the Church has been willing to 'ignore' at best, the other because souls are being saved in-spite of.... What an unpaid debt of the 'church'.

I wrote a sermon:"Where Have All the Demons Gone?" - well, some are in the Philippines as well as here.

God is at work and there is no evil power that will stop Him and His Church, none. In spite of all that God Himself has shown me, His work of evangelism is going on and prospering, although not to the tune of the 'reports' that are sent back to the United States churches. The numbers game is as real and reality is, that is all that is cared about, and not because souls are saved, but because it builds pride in affiliations.

God had a purpose in my going to the Philippines - He never wastes our time and He is always at work while it is still called 'day'. His Word does not return to Him void but accomplishes that which He sends it forth to accomplish.

One day we all had to take one of the many buses in Manila, there were five of us and it was a rarity that we could all get on a bus and sit together. On this occasion I sat next to a young man probably in his twenties. As we proceeded down the street at a hectic pace, I noticed he had a Bible in his hands..... I asked him if he were a Christian. He responded in the affirmative and added he felt God wanted him to study the Bible and preach, but he didn't know where to go to learn or how to get started. I didn't think about this at the time, but if he were saved in a meeting or church, why didn't they have some answers? I had just met a man and his wife that had a Bible college level study going on in their home...they were nationals, not connected with a particular denomination.....and had been doing this for many years. I directed this young man to their ministry and only the Lord knows the outcome. God orchestrated our meeting on the bus, in the middle of Manila, it was a divine appointment for His good work.

We went to an airlines in downtown Manila to check on flights for the U.S.A. We waited and waited......when one of the men behind the counter realized we were missionaries, he directed us to a woman who had been asking him questions about God - he apparently did not have satisfactory answers so here was another - divine appointment. This woman had many questions that God had been dealing with her on, and as we sat at a table in the office her questions were answered. Her superior kept hovering around sensing I suppose we were not engaged in a conversation about airline tickets, when I suggested to this woman that she may get in trouble she said she was not concerned as she was quitting the next day and moving on.

Time after time this sort of meeting happened - God sending - carrying out His work in the earth.....witnessing to His great love and grace.....

While others that think they are carrying out the mandate Jesus gave the disciples to 'go - teach - and baptize' while they are actually doing their own works, God is working through people in His kingdom on earth - His Will be done....

One day God spoke to me and said, "Go home", feeling I hadn't gotten as much accomplished as planned, this came as a surprise. God knows what He is doing, He has our lives planned for His purposes and if we just do as He says, we will be in the perfect Will of God always with no regrets, no second guessing. How may we know His Will? By allowing Him to bring us into communion with Himself, building our faith....not allowing anyone or anything to take His place in our lives. Other than that there is no mystery to it, no formulas, and certainly no guessing.

Upon my arrival back in the States I noticed something very evident....it seemed as if God were not as close as He was in the Philippines......had I done something wrong? Just what was going on anyway? I wrote a former Bible college professor - an American that had been born and raised on a mission field. This lady had the respect of many and one could tell without question, she knew her God,

..."Why do I feel this way?" I wrote her....the reply I received was something I have never forgotten and it proved to me that one of God's intentions of sending me to the Philippines was for further schooling.

After returning home I had a struggle with my faith and my capabilities of hearing the voice of God. Satan used this time to try and destroy my faith as great as I thought it had been, I felt God Himself was somehow disappointed in me, that I had failed somehow...that I was being negative.......and being judgmental of what I had seen carried out in His name that was purely fleshly pride operating. I thought may be this was just me.....and it really was God's way....

The answer I received was comforting.....she in essence said that many upon their return to the States from Third World countries many were disillusioned with the church in the States - I will quote from her letter here:

"I can understand this fully for 2 reasons.

1. There is always a 'culture shock' when returning from an Eastern cultural church - setting to a North American one. Our churches appear superficial, materialistic, self-centered. I know that the churches of the 'Third World' countries have gone though many difficulties and (unless they have been influenced by the U.S. mentality), are far more spiritually genuine. This hits the sensitive person upon returning to the States.

2. The 'Western' church is, to a great degree, "We are increased with goods, and have need of nothing", materially but spiritually, we are shallow and 'poor, blind, and naked.' My husband and I have felt like strangers in today's church. The empasis is 'growth' quantitatively, entertainment, 'fun'.

Fortunately, God still has His remnant, and His missionaries. He still has 'His prophets who have not, 'bowed their knees to Baal'. So, we do not dispair."

I thank God that He has His people throughout the land that can minister the truth - in grace.

Thank you Jesus that you love and protect your own from the deceptive practices in the church that can only come when working in the flesh and following in darkness. Thank you Lord that as we humble ourselves and walk in the Light we are kept from what is not of You and can in turn pass this truth to others in the way. May Your Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

MKL