All right, I want to take this opportunity this morning, turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 8. And while you're turning there, I have a couple of letters here. One from Brother Joshua Gual again. One from Brother Bolaron, Brother Joshua's in Pinaubo on the island of Mindanao. Pinaubo is just northeast of Davao City, which Davao City is the second largest city in the Philippine Islands. And I don't know how many millions there are there. The last count I had in Manila, they claim there was over 10 million in that area. And Davao is not very far behind that. Davao is, I think, the largest city in area in the entire world. It is, it covers a lot, a lot of territory. Most of that territory is sparsely inhabited, but Davao proper is very, very densely populated. But anyway, Brother Josh was in Penabo, and it's really just a suburb of Davao. Brother Boleron is actually on the little island of Daoist, which is connected to Baha'u'llah and usually is pretty well considered a part of Baha'u'llah. There's several or at least there's two or three or four, I don't know how many exactly, but there's some of the smaller islands like Dao East that is connected to Bohol by bridges. Another little island is Panglao, which is also connected to Bohol. But Brother Bolaron, of course, when I first met him, he was on Bohol proper, and for most of the time, has had a church there in Tagbalaran City on the island of Pahalw. Well, my throat's drying out for me. But anyway, these two brothers and the churches that they pastor have been very faithful over the years, and we love them very much. I don't know what exactly Brother Gubal's church probably consists of somewhere between 40 and 60 members. Brother Belleron's, the last count I had of it was around 80, and I think they have added several since then. Both of them have pretty good congregations. But the thing that I'm addressing is, again, as it is here, this COVID-19, or what do they call it, corona? Coronavirus. Brother Gubal, I sent him some extra money, and he's really answering again to that. He says, Dear Pastor Paul, greetings to you, to Ma'am Dorothy, and to your family, and to all those brothers and sisters in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and King of Kings, the Great Healer. I do believe all is well and fine with you all in the midst of this terrible worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease. Our COVID-19, we're praying for you at all times. Although gatherings are not allowed here for this community and enhanced quarantine period until April 13, 2020. stay-at-home policy. For those who have not been contaminated by coronavirus are asked to remain and stay at home. Only one person per family is allowed to go out for necessary purpose, provided they must have quarantine pass issued by the baron guy captain. Social distancing is strictly observed everywhere, even in public markets. banks, money transfers, lending institutions, public transportation, no more sidewalk vendors. By these conditions and situation, it seems very difficult for every individual. Many people lose their financial resources, and of course, they felt hunger. In fact, this week people are crowded at the city hall asking for food assistance. They are those tricycle drivers and operators, sidewalk vendors, laborers, and many more undergoing many more. But the response of the local government is very slow since it is a process action. All affected families must undergo profiling in order to avail food packs and other relief goods. Now I don't know, he doesn't explain exactly what this profiling is. I'm assuming that he means that they're having to prove their need. But anyway. They have to undergo profiling in order to avail food packs and other relief goods. For Baron Guy Greedew alone, there are 27 Purocs. Three weeks until now, the local government of Penobo, let me reread that, three weeks until now, the local government of Penobo, through Baron Guy Greedew, had distribution of food relief for house-to-house basis, but as of today, they only covered 15 Purocs. Now, Medell, can you explain more about the division, like the Baron guy and the Purocs? What constitutes a Puroc? a baron guy and you're all exactly you know. I know it's broken down into that. From similar to our precinct. Pure rock is like a some of our precinct or maybe a baron guy would. like our county, smaller division of that. So, anyway, in this Gradoob Barron guy, there's 27, and as of the writing here, there's only 15 of them, so that leaves 12 of them that have no assistance at all at this point. So that means very slow process of response to the daily needs of the people. The rest of the poor ox, which are the majority, shall wait until next week. Depends on the distribution schedule to speed up the relief distribution. I have heard so many among these very poor families crying for help due to hunger. They are those under the no work no food level. They just depend on daily wage or daily income for their food. Just this morning, April 4th, the provincial governor declared a total lockdown and ordered the Gasano Mall of Penabo to close. The Gasano Mall of Penabo would be I guess equal to North Willowbrook. Well, it wouldn't be quite as big as the Woodlands, but it is a big mall. It is the major business as far as food and clothing and what have you is concerned in that area. He says, I just do not know what is the next updates for tomorrow. My prayer and supplication to our sovereign God and Lord Jesus Christ to control the virus by his own power and might for the sake of the elect people of God. These pandemic would be shortened by God's mighty acts in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you very much for your time to read this letter and continue praying for us. We praying also for the plan to have a revival service fellowship after the community quarantine would be lifted. Maybe this coming next month. You'll hear now and again. Thank you very much for your love and care. By God's grace, I remain your brother in Christ, Brother Joshua, Sister Conchita. Brother Boleron writes, our ever-dearest Elder Paul and Ma'am Dorothy, again and again, thank you so much for the financial help for this terrible and unsuspected situation. Again, I sent Brother Boleron About, well, I sent him $300, came to 14,700-something pesos. And this is his response to that. Is, I bought sacks of rice yesterday, some canned goods, noodles, and some other basic needs just to help some of the families, not only to our members of the church, but also to some pioneering pastors in Baha'u'llah that also affected in this crisis. And I'm assuming that he's referring there to people like Brother DeAniman and possibly some of the others that are trying to start new churches. Some of them are going out, they go out and they have Bible studies with different ones in the area. And from that, they use that as a basis of them to start a new church when they feel like that is the right time. know, these men, labor with precious, precious little. And when something like this happens, it just is, it's devastating. That's about the best word I can use for it. Because I am much willing to help to many, but our finances are just limited. And those who were able to receive the help, they are extending their thanks to God that using you as a channel of this blessing to help them this time. Until now, I am arranging the remaining and limited packs of rice, canned goods, and noodles in the church and ready to distribute. Once again, thank you very, very much. And any quotes or references Philippians chapter 2, verses 3 and 4. It says, do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves. not looking to your own interest, but each of you to the interest of the others. Once again, from the bottom of our hearts, in behalf of the Sovereign Grace Baha'u'llah, thank you very, very much. God will bless you more and more in His mercy and love. Pastor Emilio Bovoron and Viking Church. All right, 2 Corinthians chapter 8. Moreover, brethren, we do you the wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves, praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God. insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice, for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it, that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened, but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality, as it is written. He that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that had gathered little had no lack. But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care in the heart of Titus for you. For indeed, he accepted the exhortation but being more forward of his own accord, he went unto you. And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, and not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord and declaration of your ready mind. avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us, providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. And we'll just stop right there, but I read this because We have an obligation of love towards the brethren that God has given us to minister to. I've read this and meditated upon this I don't know how many times and it always really, really strikes me. grace. Bruce, you have often talked about, you know, really getting into a study of grace. Well, here, here's a pretty good study in what grace means. But what about great grace? Who can tell me where That term, great grace, is found. It's only found one time in the whole of scripture. Where is it? Well, it's in chapter four of the Acts. And the content, the context there is essentially the same as we just read in 2 Corinthians chapter 8. But in verse 31 it begins, And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. And they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. Neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of what? Yeah, of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And then here's that phrase, and great grace, great grace was upon who? Them all. Great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked. For as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." Now, again, you could continue on there, but now, again, let me Let me state first and foremost that I do not believe that this teaches what in the world today is known as communism. I do not believe that it teaches that we ought to live in a communal state. I do not believe that it teaches that we in the modern church are even from this time forward You never find it in the scripture that any other church, group, or church or group or what, that's the only group there is as far as the Bible is concerned, is the church, right? It is the body of Christ. But there's no other church that we ever have a record of that did what the church at Jerusalem did. And of course, we know Also, the Jerusalem church came into terrific financial straits. In fact, that's what 2 Corinthians chapter 8 was all about. They were gathering money there, gifts to send back to the church at Jerusalem to relieve those saints. I don't believe that the poverty of the church at Jerusalem arose from the fact that they sold their lands and their whatever and combined that together. I believe their poverty came from the fact that they were so terribly persecuted by the Jews. But nevertheless, the point is, again, that we as the people of God have an obligation of love toward each other. And we have been given by God a great ministry in these islands that's called the Philippines. And we have many brothers and sisters over there. And right now, many of them are in dire straits. Now again, there is always this qualification. Doesn't matter where it is or who it is, if a man will not work, then what? And neither should he. Again, some people today would think that's harsh. But it's righteous. And that's not who the ones that we're talking about. Right now, what we're seeing is that many of our brothers and sisters there cannot work. Now, you know, we're blessed here. Myself, even though I'm not working, I'm still drawing a salary. For the birth, I'm assuming that you're still working of sorts. Joel's still working. Bruce is still working. And of course, Brother Jerry, he never worked anyway. Well, I wasn't going to say that. But seriously, what I'm driving at here is I want us to to seriously pray about this and consider what God would have us to do in this particular case. Another passage of scripture, and of course I've mentioned this probably several times, but for me it is extremely convicting. The passage that we just read, 2 Corinthians chapter 8 is extremely convicting, but this one is even more convicting to me. 1 John chapter 3, verse 14, we know that we have passed from death unto life. Why? Because we believe the doctrines of grace. No. because we have a right doctrine. Well, that's part of it, isn't it? Both of those are, but the real proof that we are born from above is that we love the brethren. First John chapter three, verse 14. Of course, and we'll not turn over there, but another one is in John, chapter 13. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if what? If ye have love one to another. The verse, what? Do what? No. 1 John chapter 3 verse 14 but John chapter 13 verse 35 and 36. Verse 14 again, we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hath hated his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because why? He laid down his life for us. And what's involved in that? You know, it's easy to read that, isn't it? But to really stop and think. I mean, here is the God of glory. And who am I? What am I? What was I? While I was yet. This is the love of God towards us. He left the glory that he had with the Father from eternity. And he came and took upon him the form of a servant. And he suffered every indignation that sinful man could imagine and had the ability to cast upon him. And then on top of that, he suffered being separated, totally, absolutely separated from the Father. Words cannot convey fully what this means. because he laid down his life for us. And then he says, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, Here's a question. How dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in words, neither in tongues, but in deed and in truth. Now, I know none of us is rich. That's an understatement, I think. But we're not nearly as poor as those saints that we read about in 2 Corinthians chapter 8. How much grace has God given to us? Now, again, I know that we, I think all of us, are pretty frugal. I know we don't spend money that we, unless we think it's really profitable, probably spend some, no doubt that we spend some. But most of us are pretty frugal. But nevertheless, here is the question for all of us. What is our responsibility toward these brothers and sisters that God has given to us in fellowship? And what do we have as a church? Again, I know we have some money that we have in a savings account. And I hate to touch it, but I'm telling you, as far as I'm personally concerned, that money is worthless if it's just laying there. And especially if there is a need, as we have presented to us today. So once again, I want us to pray about this. And we need to quickly come to some kind of a decision. Are we going to help these people? How much are we going to try to help them? We need to be careful. We do need to be careful. That's the reason I brought up that commandment again. If a man will not work, neither should he eat. But this I am depending upon people like Brother Boleron and Brother Joshua and others that are over there. I haven't heard from Sister Ellie yet. I don't know what they're experiencing and the churches that are associated with them. I haven't heard, so I don't know what they're experiencing at this point. But I'm trusting in these people that have been faithful all these years to also be faithful in this, and I believe they are. So think about it and include that in your prayer. And let's see what God would have us to do. I don't think there's much doubt in my own mind, but I want the church to be to decide what we need to do here. I thank the church for the liberty that you've given me over these 20, over 20 years now to handle these kind of things as I see fit. But in this particular case, I don't feel the liberty to. be the one to make the final decision. So anybody have any questions or any comments before we go on? Well, the money that we send every month over there, most of that, it doesn't stay in the hands of those that we send it to. They distribute it and use it. They use it sometimes for food, sometimes they use it for medicine. They use it for transportation to go to different churches to preach. It is, it's all well spent. So we send that every month and comes out usually to around $1,800 that we send to them every month. But this is, again, over and above and a special need. All right. We will consider that. I trust in prayer. No later than next Lord's Day, let's try to make a decision on what we'll do. I'm hoping that you will, Brother Jerry and Sister Linda, that you'll put this on sermon audio and maybe JT and them can listen to it also. and I'll be talking to him I'm sure this next week and I want to include them in this decision. So work of God that is. Thank you for your labors in this and I'm not sure I'm sure that we will not, this will not be the last we'll hear of it. It's all around. It's in everything that we do. If we're not careful, we are very selfish. instead of God, and instead of others.