by Lorie De Sena

We would like to share with you this report submitted by Mr. Lorie De Sena who is presently an elder of Sanctuary of Praise Fellowship. His heart ailment forced him to retire early from his office job, however, his condition does not stop him from doing house to house evangelism with Gospel Xpress. Lorie’s report, translated into English, is about his experience in one of his evangelistic journeys –

Praise be to the Lord! We at Sanctuary of Praise would like to share with you God’s goodness. We would like to thank you also for all the help you have extended to our team as we spread God’s good news.

I had doubts before regarding my mission work with Gospel Xpress. I was in a hurry to be able to convince somebody to attend our church and over eager to see the fruits of my labor. But somehow nothing much has happened. This discouraged me. I asked the Lord to help me persevere and was reminded of His promise to be with me as I walk the streets of Cavite looking for homes that will open their doors for the gospel and possible disciples.

Finally, I met a couple who were searching for the truth. Using GX Comics, I shared with them God’s gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ. They came to realize they are loved in spite of their sins. Aris and Rose have found just what they were looking for.

It was Rose, the wife, who let me in their humble home. There I met her husband Aris who looked very sick, pale and thin. I learned he has lymphoma, cancer of the lymph nodes in the throat, and he had very high level of blood sugar which he said caused his heart to beat double time. He appeared to be gasping for breath all the time, even if he was just sitting or lying down. Their two sons were also very sick that time. I asked them if they would allow me to pray for their family and they agreed.

Aris and Rose became more friendly and warm after that. They opened their home for regular bible study. After a few meetings, they were now ready to tell us about themselves.

According to Aris, he was not the ordinary neighborhood toughie. He was moneyed, armed and dangerous. He was feared by his neighbors because he spared no one. He had a well-built body. He was proud and powerful. He used to work as body guard for a popular politician. He was also an undercover agent in a well- known law enforcement agency. He underwent lots of rigid training. In one of those trainings, he was brainwashed to have no mercy because pity had no place in their work. He was taught not to trust anyone. He had to be alert and on his toes all the time. Their agency had their own set of laws and justice which only insiders like him knew about. At that time, he thought his agency helped him a lot because he always got what he wanted. He didn’t realize he was already abusing power and going way beyond his duties.

“Eraser” was how his co-agents called him. Obviously, he was his boss’ hitman. He did the dirty job.

Year 2001 was a turning point in his career. A supposed legitimate drug busting operation went sour when he shot two suspected drug pushers in front of their relatives. The relatives cried, “foul!” and sued him for human rights violation and murder. He was left by his agency to defend himself and was kicked out of his job. In order to support his family, he offered his services as a gun-for-hire and body guard. Through all this, Rose kept her mouth shut.

It’s hard to believe these things happen in real life. It’s like an adventure or espionage movie.

But God works in mysterious ways! One day, Aris suddenly fell sick. He felt weak and dying. His body deteriorated fast and it became difficult for him to perform well in his job. As a result, no one wanted to hire him. Rose sold their possessions one by one so that they would have money for food and medicine. They cursed God and blamed Him for their miserable life. They swore they would die believing He does not exist.

But truly, God is in control. He is all powerful! He touched the hearts of Aris and Rose.

I was overjoyed when the couple agreed to attend church when I invited them. Finally, my effort paid off. That Sunday, we had a guest evangelist from Australia. He conducted a special healing and prayer service. Aris and Rose were moved.

God took away Aris’ illness and made him well the moment the couple humbled themselves before God’s presence. Their transformation was slow but sure. The proud and fearless man is now peace-loving and forgiving.

They were teary-eyed while they were sharing their story with me. They admitted they have done so much damage to many lives and emotions. They are now faced with the responsibility of rebuilding their life and their relationship with those around them. It would be hard for them to make peace with the people they have hurt but they stand on the promise that God will help them all the way.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I hope the story of Aris and Rose will serve as an inspiration to all of us in whatever trial or triumph we may be experiencing in our lives. Let us continue to pray for them as they travel the road to “recovery”. Likewise, please pray for workers like me not to grow weary as I continue to search for the lost. Praise be to God!

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

John 5:24-29

by Chito Tolosa

Chito Tolosa

The Christian message is that God is the ruler, the king. God rules the world because He made the world. He made it and He owns it.

God created people in His own image and put them in charge of the world—to rule it, and to care for it. He appointed humanity to supervise and look after the world, but always under His divine authority, to honor Him and to obey His directions. It all sounds rather ideal—God in heaven, people ruling the world according to His commands, and everything right with the world. But everything is very obviously not right with us or the world.

The sad truth is that, from the very beginning, men and women everywhere have rejected God by doing things their own way. We prefer to follow our own desires, and to run things our own way, without God. This rebellious attitude is what the Bible calls ‘sin’. By rejecting God we made a mess not only of our own lives, but of our society and the world as well. The result is misery.

There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks after God. All have turned aside (Romans 3:10-12).

The death sentence God passed against us is entirely just, because He gave us exactly what we asked for.

This is a terrible thing, to fall under the sentence of God’s judgment. We are all guilty of rebelling against God. Are we all destined for death and everlasting ruin? If not for God’s own miraculous intervention, we would be.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

Because of His great love and generosity, God sent His own divine Son into our world to become a man—Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus died as a substitute for rebels like us. Jesus paid the debt that we owe God, by dying in our place. He took the full force of God’s justice on Himself, so that forgiveness and pardon might be available to us.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 3:18).

God accepted Jesus’ death as payment in full for our sins, and raised Him from the dead. The Bible promises that one day, He will return to call all of us to account for our actions.

Jesus offers us new life, both now and eternally. Now, our sins can be forgiven through Jesus’ death and we can make a fresh start with God, no longer as rebels but as friends. In this new life, God Himself comes to live within us by His Spirit. We can experience the joy of a new relationship with God. The risen Jesus will give us eternal life, not because we have earned it, but because He has died in our place.

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).

We can continue with our rebellion against God, and try to run our lives our own way without Him. Sadly, this is the option that many people choose. Or we can receive this Christian message and repent and believe that Jesus became a man to die for our sins that He may grant us a new life that goes beyond death and into forever. No longer as rebels but as part of God’s own family, as His adopted sons and daughters.

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, but he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God’s abides on him (John 3:36).

Children and parents, majority of which are already members of the church enjoy the newly painted, renovated, decorated classroom.

It is our joy to share with you that our journey has started at last! After several months of prayer for God’s leading, He gave us a place suitable for our project. The Navy Base Chapel Fellowship offered their guest room for our use. Last month renovation took place led by their elders.

We would like to thank our partners in America and the Philippines who never lost faith and continue to pray and give financial support for the needs of the center.

We would also like to thank Navy Base Fellowship for embracing this project as their own.

Above all, we praise and thank our dear Lord Jesus Christ for giving us this opportunity to serve Him.