23Z08 August Student Update – Amazing God
Written by Kip Wehrman, 08/15/2023
Hello my friends. New School year. New possibilities..
First, order of business. Let’s Pray.
Returning students. Your requirements are due on or before September 1. If you can’t meet that deadline, make a Late Submission Request (LSR) via email admin@punla.org. If you fail to do this, you slot in our program will be lost. We have a lot of students wanting these slots, so we will enforce these rules.
We are going to start a monthly virtual meeting for students in September. The first Saturday of each month, 9-10a Philippines Time. If you don’t have the link, email us or ask your pastor to give you the link. I am hoping that you will be able to gather in small groups at your church. The first meeting will be discussing our plans for the virtual meetings and getting your feedback on topics.
Last, don’t forget to sign up for our YouTube channel is Punla Christian Ministries – YouTube. Signup on our YouTube channel to follow our channel and select the notification bell so you will be notified when new content is posted. Then watch the videos as they are posted.
If you are having trouble viewing the videos because of poor internet connections, you also can download MP3 podcasts or PDF versions of every message on our website PUNLA Coffee Table – Jesus! Bible! Life! Let’s talk about it! (www.punlacoffeetable.org)
Enough of business.
Anything is possible with God and God will sometimes ask us to do the impossible to show the world who God is. I started last year, like most years, eager to see what amazing thing God would do. And how we would get to participate in God plan. Let me read to you a Psalm of David, Psalm 32 (NLT)
Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.
The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD. So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure! I appreciate the prayers my friends.
God promises to guide us along the best pathway for our life, we just must listen and obey. Like I said, last year started, I was busy and eager to see what God would do in 2023. In March, God spoke to me in a way that was so clear in my mind. I felt like God was telling me to go back to school. Now understand, I’m 56 years old. I have a PhD in Chemical Engineering. I’m at the back end of my professional career. There is no education that I need for my work. There is no education that would qualify me for a better job. I thought I’m missing the point. God is not talking to me. But the message persisted for days. Finally, I realized God was telling me to get a seminary degree. And I’m like you have got to be kidding me. Why. I don’t need a degree for what I’m doing in this ministry. Then God made it more specific. Apologetics. I was apolo-what? Apologetics which means to defend our beliefs. I was being urged to get a formal degreed in defending the Christian faith. I thought this is absurd, so since I’m married, I looked to my wife to give me a dose of reality. I told her, I think God wants me to get a seminary degree in aplogetics. I thought she’d tell me you are crazy. Instead she very casually said, I think God is right. I was like really??
Two days later, I was not only approved for a master’s degree in Christian apologetics, I was enrolled. The program was a 12-24 month program. I discovered it was a heavy reading intensive curriculum. In fact, I have had to read 30 books over 200 other Christian publications for this degree. So, here I am dyslexic that hates reading, reading like crazy, writing paper and paper. So I took my first class in April, it was very time consuming. I began sleeping a lot less. Then, crazy started. God spoke to me again, why not a doctor? So I’m like I don’t want to so to school forever. My Phd took six years of intense research and classes. I’m old, I’m not up for that. Then a miracle happened. I found an accelerated program for doctorate in theology. 90 days to write a dissertation put master’s classes. I thought there is no way, I’ll get into a program like this. So I applied, and of course I was accepted. My proposal for dissertation was accepted on April 20. Now I was in a master’s program and a doctorate program at the same time and two different seminaries. So much for sleep. Then I hurt my back and spent 4 weeks unable to move, flat on my back. I was taking medicine that made it very difficult to concentrate and of course there was pain.
Here is when it starts getting interesting. I started taking double classes, then triple classes. And at the same time I wrote a dissertation that I had to shorten to 210 pages.
I submitted my dissertation on July 20, the day before my 56th birthday. Exactly 90 days from my start date. Then I suddenly was urged by God to accelerate my schooling even more. I don’t understand it but what I thought was impossible was actually possible. As of today. I have completed all the requirements for my Doctorate in theology and my master’s degree in Christian Apologetics. I have to watch two more lectures and that’s it. I should receive my masters degree on Sept 1. And my doctorate by Oct. 1. In six months, I have completed a master and doctorate. I have been working full time the whole time, home school teaching my kids, doing my roles here at PUNLA Christian ministries, plus my media ministry @the PUNLA CoffeeTable.
I am not special and I’m not trying to brag. This is not about me, by myself, this was impossible. But God provided a way to do the impossible, I do not understand. I am humbled at the miracle God performed in my life. I don’t know what for yet. But I’m ready for whatever God brings me next.
Kids, nothing is impossible with God. If I can do this, you can overcome any obstacle in your way if you only allow God to lead you on the pathway. Let God lead you on the best pathway for your life.
Let’s Pray.
Let me leave you with this. If God is asking you to do the impossible, then your answer should just be yes. I am your Lord, lead me and I will follow. Now you better pray about it. You better seek good counsel about it, like I did with my wife. You are going to need help. I need a lot of help from my family and God. My family had to sacrifice, to allow me the time to do what God was asking me to do. .
I am so glad we have this time together each month. Don’t fear anything in this world. Jesus is the king of this world and as such we should fear nothing. I Love you and l am proud of you. God’s Blessings.
Until next time. I pray for Joy, Hope, Peace and Assurance from God for each of you. God bless.
Kip Wehrman, Ph.D., P.E.
Managing Director
PUNLA Christian Ministries
