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Tokyo, Japan District baptizes more converts
Tokyo, Japan District baptizes more converts
By JANSEN DANGANAN and RONNIE H. MUTYA
Date Posted: April 25, 2022
“It’s important to be a member of the Church to receive salvation.” Thus Cyrill Marie Benedicto, from Tokyo, Japan came to learn from the Bible and, firmly believing, decided to join the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ). And with God’s mercy, after meeting the requirements, she and other aspiring members from different congregations in the Ecclesiastical District of Tokyo, Japan were baptized on March 29, 2022.
Their gathering in the house of worship of the Local Congregation of Saitama before the baptism proper was led by the district supervising minister, Brother Manny Benedicto.
During his preaching of the words of God, Brother Benedicto reminded the would-be members of the importance of receiving the true baptism. Through it, he taught from the Bible, they would be forgiven from sins, be counted among the disciples of Christ, and have the hope of being saved by Him on the appointed day. The district minister encouraged them to remain faithfully obedient to the commandments of God being taught in the Church.
The newly baptized brethren expressed joy and gratitude as they received God’s blessing—being baptized and becoming full-fledged members of the true Church Of Christ.
“I used to ask myself: How will I be able to carry on? It’s very difficult for me especially that I’m alone here [in Japan]. But the Lord God made this possible. I’m thankful to Him,” Cyrill expressed as she reminisced how God helped her in the journey towards baptism. — With reports from INC News Section
How to rise above life’s tragedies
How to rise above life’s tragedies
When problems hit us where it hurts the most, how must we cope?
By MARLEX C. CANTOR
HAVE YOU NOTICED how unusual the tragedies and disasters of late have been coming one after another? On top of the debilitating pandemic and the worldwide crises it has spawned, high-magnitude earthquakes continue to occur in greater frequency. The increasing incidence of wildfires that destroy hard-earned properties, fierce storms that cause severe flooding, and hunger and poverty that drive people to despair is a harsh reality that more and more are experiencing first-hand.
No place in this world can there be no problem. And no one is exempt from life’s problems that seem to become more devastating and insurmountable as time progresses. We all find ourselves in uncertain situations that test the limits of our inner strength and confidence.
When problems hit us where it hurts the most, how must we cope? What should we always remember in the face of the obstacles we never thought we would go through?
Our hope is greater than our troubles
God is our hope. Life’s tragedies can be unimaginably difficult, but the help that comes from God is far greater than any unusual disaster. This is what the Bible says to the members of the Church Of Christ:
“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” (Eph. 3:20 The Message).
What God can do is far beyond the sphere of our limited knowledge, capacity, and imagination. His power is infinite and wondrous. No problem cannot be solved through God’s help.
Not only do we have God to rely on; we also have His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to give us “the strength to meet and overcome every difficulty and circumstance” (Phil. 4:13 Last Days Bible).
Rather than panic or cringe in fear, let us take courage in believing that God can and will help us even in ways no one could guess or expect.
God’s help: felt and experienced
Experience has proven how wondrous God’s promised help can be. Thankfully recounting how God rescued the Israelites from their fierce enemies, the Psalmist said, “If the Lord had not been on our side when our enemies attacked us, then they would have swallowed us alive in their furious anger against us” (Ps. 124:2-3 Good News Bible).
Enemies are not just people who pose threats to our faith; even situations or circumstances that may ruin our membership in the true Church Of Christ can be menacing and overwhelming. But as what His early servants experienced, “the Lord God … has not let our enemies destroy us. We have escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap,” for, indeed, “our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth”(Ps. 124: 6-8 GNB).
That was also the experience of the faithful Christians in the first century led by the apostles. Through all the persecutions, distresses, and difficulties they suffered, they found God’s grace sufficient, His lovingkindness more than enough, and His mercy always available regardless of the situation. And with the power of Christ that dwelt in them, they overcame their weaknesses and emerged strong—truly able, truly powerful, and truly drawing from God’s strength (II Cor. 12:9-10 Amplified Bible 2015).
Learning from our overwhelming burdens
When Apostle Paul confidently asserted on behalf of his fellow Christians then that they were glad and well-pleased with sufferings, it was not as if the trials they faced were light and easy. In fact, during the apostle’s missionary journey to Asia, what he and the brethren went through completely overwhelmed them. “The burden was more than we could bear,” said Apostle Paul, stressing that they even told themselves, “this was the end.” Nevertheless, because God saved them from imminent death, the apostle realized that such overwhelming experience taught them a valuable lesson: to trust not in themselves but in God (II Cor. 1:8-10 Phillips’ Modern New Testament).
Many members of the Church Of Christ today also have similar experiences. They went through ordeals that they never thought they could overcome, but they were able to—because of God’s help. So, they never regret those moments for it taught them to further trust in God in the same way the first-century Christians believed, “It was God who preserved us from imminent death, and it is he who still preserves us. Further, we trust him to keep us safe in the future” (II Cor. 1:10 Phillips).
What it means to trust in God
Trust in God cannot be faked. God knows who truly trust in Him. They are the ones who (1) fear, (2) revere and (3) worship Him (Ps. 31:19 Amplified Bible).
To fear God is to hate evil (Prov. 8:13). The God-fearing Christians, therefore, renew their lives completely. They don’t lead sinful lives.
To revere God is to be obedient to His will, for those who are reverent before Him live in responsive obedience (Phil. 2:12 MSG). They don’t pick and choose which commands to obey. They follow all of God’s teachings uncompromisingly.
To worship God, His servants gather themselves together to sing hymns, offer prayers, give offerings, and hear His words inside the temple or house of worship (I Cor. 14:26, 15; Heb. 13:15-16; Ps. 5:7; Isa. 2:3). Those who trust God do not forsake such meetings for worship (Heb. 10:25).
Therefore, those who trust in God renew their lives completely, keep on obeying His commands responsively, and fulfill their duty to worship Him constantly. In so doing, they have the assurance that God’s help will always be available for them, especially when they need it most.
God is waiting for us to ask for His help
When terrifying things happen, it would be a terrible thing for us not to approach God and ask for help. The Lord God expects His people to call to Him:
“I’ve made myself available to those who haven’t bothered to ask. I’m here, ready to be found by those who haven’t bothered to look. I kept saying “I’m here, I’m right here’ to a nation that ignored me. I reached out day after day to a people who turned their backs on me, People who make wrong turns, who insist on doing things their own way.” (Isa. 65:1-2 MSG)
Let us not ignore God or turn our backs on Him. Doing so will not help us get through our troubles but will only make things worse. No matter how severe our hardships are, we must keep on worshiping God, obeying His commands, and renewing our lives. For when we prove that we fully trust and take refuge in Him, we will be able to rise above any unusual tragedy in life through His help:
“My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” (Eph. 3:14, 20 MSG)
This article was originally published in the Pasugo: God’s Message magazine, March 2018 issue, and has been updated.
For more articles, visit www.pasugo.com.ph
Propagation in Northeast California bears fruit, more people baptized
Propagation in Northeast California bears fruit, more people baptized
By ABIGAYLE NERIA and RONNIE H. MUTYA
Date Posted: April 23, 2022
The propagational efforts of the brethren from various local congregations in the Ecclesiastical District of Northeast California has continued to reap success as new members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) received baptism on March 26, 2022.
Brother Rey de Mesa, the assistant district supervising minister, led the blessed occasion at the house of worship of the Local Congregation of Stockton, CA. In his Bible-based lesson, he reiterated to the candidates for baptism the significance of becoming members of the Church Of Christ in attaining salvation.
Ludwika Bazan, one of the newly baptized members, expressed her happiness. “It feels fulfilling. It feels like I finally found my home. I feel very happy.”
Thankful to God, Alexandra Grant, another new convert, said, “I think I feel more now a sense of family, with everyone, and that makes me feel that I have a good future with them.”
Ludwika and Alexandra are presently enlisted in the local congregations of Fresno and Tracy, respectively.
The District of Northeast California is one of the five ecclesiastical districts in California, USA. It oversees 23 local congregations with its district office located at the chapel compound of the Sacramento Congregation. — With reports from INC News Section
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Series of baptisms in Australia West increases Church membership
Series of baptisms in Australia West increases Church membership
By JENNELIN GUANZON and BUNNY QUIÑOLA
Date Posted: April 19, 2022
With God’s abiding help and continuous blessings in the propagational efforts of the brethren and Church officers, membership of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) in the Ecclesiastical District of Australia West has been continuously increasing. More new members were added into the true Christian fold during a series of baptisms held this March.
In mainland Australia, a baptism was held on March 25 at the house of worship of the Local Congregation Melbourne, Victoria. It was officiated by Brother Manuel Villapane Jr., the district edification overseer.
The following day, March 26, another baptism of new converts was held, this time, at the Perth Congregation’s house of worship. Brother Jonas Medrano, assistant district supervising minister, officiated at the gathering.
Meanwhile, in Papua New Guinea, baptisms were held at places of worship of the Port Moresby Congregation, Lae City Congregation, and Goroka Group Worship Service (GWS) on March 24, 26, and 27, respectively. All three baptisms were led by Brother Regino Manangan Jr., district Light of Salvation (LOS) overseer. — With reports from INC News Report
The wonder of God’s words
The wonder of God’s words
Although many have studied the Bible, not all have come to the knowledge or understanding of the truth.
By RUBEN D. AROMIN
INDISPUTABLY THE BEST seller of all time, the Bible is the most read and most studied book in all history. It is said to have been translated, in parts and in whole, into more than 2,000 languages (Guinness World Records 2002, p. 154). With that awesome circulation, the Bible is one book that has undoubtedly affected and influenced so many lives, cultures, countries, and peoples throughout this habitable planet. And its readers, including the so-called Bible students, have viewed and regarded it in so many different ways: as a history book, as a book of customs and morals, as a mere literature of the Hebrew people, and as an “open book.” The last of which should be seriously addressed. However, to those who believe and value the Bible, this is no ordinary book. The Bible is the repository of God’s words. As such, there is more to the Bible as a book than meets the eye, and on this regard our Lord Jesus Christ enlightens us:
“…‘To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that “Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them’.” (Mark 4:11-12 New King James Version)
Concerning knowledge of God’s kingdom and all things pertaining to it, the Bible is the authority. However, according to Christ, there are those who are given understanding to know the mystery of this kingdom, and there are those who are not. To those who are outside, all things come in parables—they can see but do not perceive; they can hear but do not understand. This is so because God’s words are hidden in mystery as testified to by Apostle Paul:
“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began.” (Rom. 16:25 NKJV)
He further adds:
“Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (II Tim. 3:7 NKJV)
Such is the wonder of the words of God. Although many have studied the Bible, not all have come to the knowledge or understanding of the truth, as proven by their conflicting interpretations regarding what is written therein. It goes to show that the Bible is not an “open book” as many want to believe. Not just anyone who knows how to read can understand it. And neither can such understanding be gained through diligent study alone. What would happen if those who have not been given understanding dare to preach the gospel? Apostle Paul provides us the answer:
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Gal. 1:6-7 NKJV)
Inasmuch as the preaching of those who do not truly understand God’s words results in a different gospel or perverted gospel, Apostle Peter forewarned the danger awaiting those who listen to and believe in such false preachers:
“This is what he says in all his letters when he writes on the subject. There are some difficult things in his letters which ignorant and unstable people explain falsely, as they do with other passages of the Scriptures. So they bring on their own destruction.” (II Pet. 3:16 Good News Bible)
Thus, we should not believe a preacher simply because he uses the Bible. If he does not have the gift of understanding of God’s words, then he would only succeed in endangering the souls of his listeners.
The preaching of Christ
There is no doubt that Christ, being the greatest of God’s messengers, was given the understanding to know the mystery of God’s words. No wonder His preaching elicited awe from His listeners:
“The Jewish authorities were greatly surprised and said, ‘How does this man know so much when he has never been to school?’” (John 7:15 GNB)
The Jews marveled how Christ came to know so much when they said He had never been to school. Such was again displayed in His encounter with the Sadducees:
“When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way. The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying: ‘Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living’.” (Matt. 22:22-32 NKJV)
The Sadducees thought that they could ensnare our Lord Jesus Christ through their questions but they were instead silenced by the wisdom of the Savior. The Pharisees also tried the same thing to test the Lord Jesus Christ, but only to no avail. This account was written by Matthew:
“But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets’.” (Matt. 22:34-40 NKJV)
Christ was able to answer clearly the question posed to Him by the Pharisees. And to show them how ignorant they were concerning God’s words, He in turn asked them a question which they could not answer. Matthew narrated further:
“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The Son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him “Lord,” saying: “The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool?’” If David then calls Him “Lord,” how is He his Son?’ And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.” (Matt. 22:41-46 NKJV)
The preaching of the Apostles
When our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, His apostles took the cudgels of preaching the gospel to the people. Their preaching was also awe-inspiring in spite of the fact that they were perceived as unlettered. The book of Acts recorded this account:
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 NKJV)
The reason God chose many who are uneducated and unlettered as His servants, especially as instruments in preaching His words, is clarified by Apostle Paul thus:
“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (I Cor. 1:26-29 New International Version)
Clearly, God had intended it to be so that no one might boast before Him. And although there were some who were educated like Apostle Paul, they didn’t use their own wisdom in convincing people to believe in their preaching:
“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” (I Cor. 2:4-5 NIV)
Sent and anointed by God
Christ and His apostles clearly understood God’s words and were able to preach them to the people because they were sent by God. They had the spirit of God in them. Says our Lord Jesus concerning His authority to preach:
“‘The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed.” (Luke 4:18 NKJV)
The same can be said of His apostles, as Christ, before He ascended into heaven, promised to send them the Holy Spirit, who would teach and guide them in their preaching:
“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.” (John 14:26 GNB)
And this is also true to the messenger in these last days whom God commissioned to preach to us His words. The Bible prophesied the sending of the messenger from the rising of the sun who has the seal of God:
“And I saw another messenger going up from the rising of the sun, having a seal of the living God, and he did cry with a great voice to the four messengers, to whom it was given to injure the land and the sea, saying, ‘Do not injure the land, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we may seal the servants of our God upon their foreheads’.” (Rev. 7:2-3 Young’s Literal Translation)
The work of the prophesied messenger was to seal the servants of God. In carrying out the mission of sealing God’s servants, he was not alone—he has co-workers. It says in the prophecy, “till we may seal the servants of our God” (emphasis ours). The Church Of Christ believes that this prophecy was fulfilled in Brother Felix Y. Manalo and the ministers in the Church Of Christ. The seal is the Holy Spirit, and sealing is done by means of preaching the gospel as explained by the Apostle Paul, thus:
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:13-14 NIV)
Inasmuch as the messenger in these last days was given the gift of the Holy Spirit, he was able to understand and to preach to the people the gospel of salvation. The members of the Church Of Christ, being the fruits of his preaching, are certain that what has been taught to them are the words of God that will lead them to salvation. As it is, only God’s messengers can preach the pure gospel which is hidden in mystery. As the Apostle Paul asked rhetorically, “And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Rom. 10:15 NKJV).
Hence, any church or religious group that does not believe in the commissioning of God’s messenger has certainly not come to the knowledge of truth. And if there are those who would claim to have been taught by a messenger of God, but fail to show biblical proof of God’s commissioning, they would only end up to perdition, for they have not understood the wonder of God’s words written in the Bible.
This article was originally published in the Pasugo: God’s Message magazine, June 2013 Issue.
For more articles, visit www.pasugo.com.ph