Testimony to God's Enduring Love

I have been a born again Christian since summer of 1979 when a friend introduced to me the Lord Jesus Christ in a new light. I knew that He was God and He was born of the Virgin Mary and that He died 2000 years ago on a cross by crucifixion.

All these, I had learned as a child from my mother and from the Catholic school I had attended. I was a good child when I was little always trying to please my mother. My father left us when I was 4 years old and my little sister was about 2 years old. I tried to study hard at school hoping to get a scholarship knowing that my mom won't be able to send us through college.

When I was 15 however, my mother got married to a Filipino with an American citizenship and was able to migrate to the US. Left alone with my sister, we were put into custody of my uncle and his wife. They had five children of their own. My mother kept sending money for our sustenance, allowance and tuition fees.

It was in college that I got influenced by friends to try smoking, drink alcohol and smoke pot. I rebelled and dropped out of school for a year. In school year of 1979, I enrolled again and decided to reside in a dormitory. My sister also dropped out of school and had left the house to be with a cult group that once came to our house and conducted lecture about mysticism.

It was on that summer night of 1979 when after a couple of beers, we were singing some folk and country songs to the accompaniment of a new friend playing guitar that I was suddenly asked a question: if I were to die that night where would I spend eternity? I don't remember who asked the question but there were four of us, Jun and his younger brother, Leland, my friend Vic and I. I had known Vic for quite sometime for he was a former classmate of mine.

The two brothers started to share the gospel to us with Jun talking to Vic while Leland sharing God's love for me. That night my friend pointed out that, yes, Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world but most especially, He died for MY sins. He pointed out that the Word of God says we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

My friend said that I could receive that gift if I wanted to. Of course, I wanted it. That's eternal life we were talking about! But first, he said that I had to ask Jesus to come into my heart. I had to invite Him by faith to be my personal Lord and Savior and that I had to acknowledge that I could not save myself through good works.

I didn't find anything wrong in all of these and I found myself thirsting for God. Suddenly, I found myself longing for Him and I could sense emptiness inside me that I knew right there and then that only Jesus can fill.

We prayed the prayer of acceptance that night and since then God has been faithful. I didn't change overnight, however, I've known right there and then that something within me had changed.

After attending a few worship service with the brothers, we had to transfer to a different dormitory and we separated ways. Since we had no firm conviction at that time, Vic and I found ourselves going back to our own merry way.

It is true that He never forsakes His own. There were times that I would fall by the wayside but God always carry me back to the fold.

It's amazing how God could easily forgive as long as we come back to Him in true repentance. Truly, our salvation does not depend on what we could do but on what Christ did for us.

In 1981, God led me to Baguio City to attend a summer youth camp. It eventually led me to attend a Bible institute. It was there that
I grew in my spiritual life and had known the joy in serving Jesus.

I served as a president of the young people's fellowship where I wrote and directed some stage plays for the church. I also taught Sunday school for adults and was once a worship leader aside from being a deacon in the church. I took up Pastoral Ministry and later on shifted to Mass Communication course in a local university. After earning a degree in Journalism, I taught elementary and high school students in our church's academy.

After five years, however, I had to look for another job that would provide me a better income. By doing so, I had to relocate to Manila which is 200 miles away from my church. Finding a new church was not that easy and I drifted from one church to another until there were times I wouldn't go to church on a Sunday. Sometimes, I would content myself in watching worship services in television.

I did find a local church wherein my family and I are now attending to. It's a small church but at least I could put myself into God's service once again. Over time, I was designated an assistant pastor and from time to time would deliver the Sunday's sermon. I'm now 47 years old and I want to spend the rest of my life serving God.