Mahal na mga Kapatid at Kaibigan,

Welcome po sa Filipino Worship Service!

Dear brethren and friends, there are many ways in the world today that can keep us away from the doing God’s work. Most significantly is the SOCIAL MEDIA. This subtle temptation comes in the guise of connecting others or exchanging greetings but later will consume hours when we start scrolling on our phones. This eats up our time and resources, making our lives unproductive in the Lord’s service. If we are not prayerful, social media will become one of Satan’s most successful ways to render us useless and fruitless as Christians.

Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer to ask our Father to lead us not into temptation. So, what does this request really mean? There are three points that we have to understand from this particular prayer.

Firstly, the idea of the word “to lead” is to bring or carry. That means we pray to the Father that He will carry us away from temptations. We are naturally prone to wander. Our inclination is always towards these temptations. When we are there, the ability to come out and leave is not the first option. Just like what the angels did to Lot, they had to drag him out of Sodom in order to escape God’s fiery judgment. That is why we plead to God to carry us away from these temptations.

Secondly, we need God’s protection. We must desire that God will keep our hearts and minds focused on Him rather than to think of opportunities to get our handphones. We should see ourselves as weak people who need the Lord as our Guard. Paul says, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). We need Him. Thirdly, we pray that God will fight with us. We should seek God’s help to withstand the devil’s ploy. That is why we need the armour of God. But we do not dare to put it on unless God gives us the heart to do it. Just like Joseph, the Lord was with Him always, and he was able to run away from temptation. Let us fight temptations with the strength of the Lord’s presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit Who reminds us of His faithful promises. Let us pray to our Father that He will lead us not into temptations. JTGL

Testimonies of Crissan Dave Gaking Lariba

Testimony of Salvation

Considering my religious background, I was born a Roman Catholic. However, on January 2012, I was invited by a friend of mine to join a Bible study led by a charismatic denomination. I attended this gathering until I found myself in a church called, “Christ’s love.” I enjoyed their company, got involved with their activities, engaged in the Bible studies, joined cell groups, and later on became part of that church family, living with their statement of faith, saying: do what the body does, feel what the body feels, and go where the body goes.

Consequently, my new direction in life caused my worldly friends to ridicule me and laugh at me, to the extent that I almost lost all of them. I stopped drinking and participating with their evil deeds because my perspective in life had changed. I saw something in the church that I had not seen before. Since then, I regularly attended the services and heard the sermon every week. Though it was not God-centred preaching due to its moralistic approach, the sermon preached still impacted my soul to refrain from doing evil and to do good instead.

I was not fully assured of my salvation in Christ, not until I heard the truth preached at Mustard Seed Reformed Church last 2017. My mind was opened. I became disturbed with the sinfulness of sin when the law exposed my guilt. But I was not devoured by hopelessness because I understood the loveliness of Christ presented in the gospel, that He will never reject me nor forsake me when I come to Him for help. Since then, the law and the gospel became the lamp to my feet and the light to my path. The law always reminds me of my need in Christ, and the gospel also comforts me of my unbreakable assurance in Him.

As a result, the Spirit Who convicted me of my sin and showed God’s mercy upon me drove my heart to show mercy to others. This has been the burden of my heart since then. That’s why I am eager to preach the gospel to my family and friends because of the joy of salvation that I received from the Lord, even though I don’t deserve it. This is the testimony of my salvation.

Testimony of Calling

Since my conversion, my life has been centred around the church. I served as an official worker under a charismatic movement from 2012 to 2016. In 2017, I resigned from my work as a machinist because of my desire to go to seminary, but the Lord did not grant me that time (2018).

In April 2021, I was elected as one of the elders in our new instituted reformed church, at Mustard Seed. I was assigned to preach the Word of God in our mid-week prayer meeting, catechizing the children and adult using shorter or larger catechism and the Westminster confession of faith. I also delivered a sermon during the Lord’s Day when our minister assigned me to preach.

Oftentimes, I went to Gingoog City (my hometown) since 2013, bringing the good news to my family and relatives. By God’s grace, after one year and a half, my family was persuaded. As a result, they left Roman Catholicism and moved to a charismatic movement, the practice I did before. In God’s time, on January 2021, I brought my family to a Biblical congregation led by Pastor Abe, a pastor of Ebenezer Reformed Congregation. Indeed, God has rescued me and my family from darkness to light, enlightening our minds and hearts, moving our will to turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

The dawn of opportunity (for FEBC) arose in the first month of year 2024 when my friend introduced it to me. What caused me to decide to enter a full-time study was my deep desire within. No person compelled me about this in the first place nor did anybody attract me to undergo this course, but my inner self was the root cause for this long before this opportunity came to me, thus I was willing to sacrifice myself by being away from my family and eager to comply with all the requirements needed, such as writing testimonies, undergoing a medical examination, and obtaining passports, etc.

This deep desire for a full-time study has not been moved by selfish ambition, nor being after for diplomas or any kind of degree, but only for the best preparation for effective ministry in the future, for the good of the church and for the glory of God. Furthermore, having been aware of the seriousness of preaching, I must immerse myself to a deep study of His word here in FEBC, in order for me to divide the word rightly, to teach the word accurately, and to preach the word effectively. My main goal, which has driven me to pursue a full-time study, is not only to have a sound theology in my head down to my heart, but also for my hands to be developed in humble and loving service, reflecting the image of Christ to others by words and deeds. God help me, Amen. This is the testimony of my calling.