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7 April 2023

GOOD FRIDAY TESTIMONIES

I Heard the Gospel and Believed

I am from Davao City in the Philippines. I arrived here in Singapore in 2008. I was just an easy-going person. Every Sunday which is my off day I always went out with my friends. I think I had been to almost all areas in Singapore. If they went to the disco, I would also go to dance with them and gather together with them to drink, even if I had Coke only. I committed a big mistake in my life before because I had a Chinese boyfriend for 10 years. But I do not see him anymore.

In 2021, my friend Suzette invited me to a Buona Vista church (New Creation) and then my other friend Imelda invited me to a church in Macpherson in 2022. These churches I believed to be all Christian churches, but I did not feel comfortable with these churches. This year in the month of February, Gina Ortiz invited me to go to church. She asked me to wait in Toa Payoh. Then we went together to the Christian Church in the Novena area. I feel good and happy to listen to the Word of God. I heard the gospel and I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

I notice that there are changes in my life. I am slowly getting closer to Jesus Christ. I feel comfortable in the Filipino Worship Service and learn very much from the Bible. May God bless me and guide me in Jesus Christ. Amen. Melchora Binas

Christ Gives Me Hope

Before I learnt of Christ, I always wondered about death and how we will face eternal darkness after we die. Lonely and dark thoughts shrouded me, and that made me scared. These thoughts kept me up on nights for I was a godless child.

Through God’s will, I met a very dear friend who first showed me the way to Christ. I wanted to learn more about God to fill my curiosity and if it helps with my sleepless nights. Unfortunately, I come from a non-believing family and the disapproval of my parents did not push me to continue my journey with Christ. My curiosity did not sustain or give me faith. I took prayers for me as criticisms personally, not realizing the good will behind them. It was only years later that I understood I did not truly believe back then, it was merely to fulfil my curiosity. However, I am still grateful for the initial exposure to Christianity for it has certainly impacted me. I might not have experienced true faith back then, but I still remember how the journey has brought me a lot of peace and comfort.

Fast forward to 6 years later, I was slowly sinking into an aimless lifestyle. I felt that whatever I was going through was meaningless. I was unhappy in many aspects, such as with family, career, and relationships. I felt empty, and mild depression was gradually creeping up on me. It was 2 years ago that I met and confided in someone who prayed for me earnestly to come back to Christ. She showed me the love Jesus Christ has for us and with this love, He sacrificed Himself for our sins. This gave me a huge compulsion and courage to return to worship the Lord.

After searching fervently for 2 years, God brought me to True Life through a reconnection with a friend. I thank God for friends and a mentor who could give me guidance, encouraging and helping me pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me.

Life after believing in Christ gave me a lot of hope. I was no longer in a world of misery and loneliness, for God is and has always been there for me even though I am undeserving. He sent his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to love and die for sinners like me. I prayed for the Holy Spirit and repented of my arrogance in thinking I already know the ways of life. I am forever indebted to God and for His benevolence in saving me. I found comfort in Him and entrusted everything to the Lord in all major or minor issues, and He never fails to show me His grace through various means. He sent me good friends to strengthen my faith and share testimonies, and every day I am grateful for them.

I started to understand that the trials I faced in life were tests of my faith. There is so much more to learn from God’s Word. God always has a plan and put me in situations to help me grow to be better and faithful to Him. As the Lord saith, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isa 41:10). I pray that everyone in True Life will guide me along my journey as well. Amen. Cheri Lim

Never Too Late

When I was a baby, I was baptised and used to follow my mum and grandfather to church. However, when I grew up I started skipping church and hanging out with my school friends instead. I did attend church occasionally as a teenager but more for socialising rather than learning God’s Word.

For more than two decades, I was spiritually lost, without feeling any connection to God. I began diving deeper and starting my journey as a true Christian when I attended church more regularly with my partner.

As I listened to the sermons, I felt drawn to God and at peace. As the weeks went by I learned more about God, and felt my personal connection with God growing stronger. I realise that God is in control of all aspects of our lives and that we cannot gain favour with God because Jesus has already gained acceptance for us by dying on the cross for our sins.

I am ready to be baptized now because I confess that I am a sinner and in need of salvation which can only be obtained by trusting in Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. I am excited to make my public profession of faith and be baptized because I would like to encourage others who may not come from a Christian family or background to know that it is never too late to develop your personal relationship with God. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Evelyn Seah

Come Back to Christ

When I was 7-8 years old, every Sunday was my happy day. I went to Methodist Church with my neighbor’s kids, listened to the Gospel and collected colorful cards. This made me look forward to the Sunday to come. At that time, I was still not very clear about the Gospel. It was just like storytelling to me. My family was not Christian. I was the only one who went to church at that time with my parent’s consent. That lasted for a year or so. My family moved to a new house, and I stopped going to church.

In 1965, Indonesia (I was born in Indonesia) became anti-Chinese. The Chinese in Indonesia went through a most difficult time. Chinese schools were closed. For 2 years I stayed home and later returned to an Indonesian Catholic Secondary School. When I was in Pre-U, I started attending the Catholic Church on Sunday. There was no Bible study. I told the pastor about my going for further studies in Singapore. He told me to get baptized in Singapore.

In 1974, I came to Singapore for my college studies and rarely attended church services. I started work and focused on my career until one day my mother-in-law passed away and I started asking myself, “What is life?” I realized it was time to accept Christ as my Savior. I went to church with my husband and attended Bible study and was baptized in 1985 and worshiped in church regularly.

A few years later I went to university. At the same time I needed to work and had a family. I found no time for other commitments. I spent almost all my life building my career and dropped out of church! I went to work overseas for long periods, and occasionally returned to Singapore and attended TLBPC, thanks to Maurice and Chwee who always encouraged me to worship together with them.

In June 2022, I decided to return to Singapore for good and started attending church more regularly. One day when I was attending church, I suddenly felt it was time for me to come back to Christ and to transfer to TLBPC and start anew. I confess I am a sinner and believe in Jesus Christ who died on the cross to save me. I will return to attend Church every Sunday, to learn God’s Word and be involved in church activity. Helena

My Life Changed

Before I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ, I always hung out with my friends, going out to eat somewhere or at the park. Sometimes we attended other Christian churches until I met Apollo Quibuloy who they say is the appointed son of Jesus Christ. After a few times of attending the fellowship, I went to be baptized at the seaside. After baptism, it was the end of my attendance at their fellowship because I was not happy that they kept moving from one location to another. That was when I met this Christian church called “Hope”. However, the church was also noisy and does not use the Bible. Instead, they used a projector in explaining the words of the Gospel which I think was not right because I felt that it was not sincere as I did not look through the Bible myself.

I heard the gospel when I received a message that I need to be forgiven of my sins by believing in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Then changes happened in my life because I am happy to hear the gospel as it improved my life and mood. I want to be able to forgive people and lighten my life, to achieve happiness.

After I believed in Jesus Christ the Lord, my life changed and my temper is controlled. I can forgive friends who hurt me deeply and nothing troubles me anymore. I have forgiven them and the Lord enabled me to forgive. I learned also to share the knowledge of the Bible. I also become joyful and happy with my current life in the Lord Jesus Christ. Criselda Caullan

Deep Hope within Me

It is a wonderful privilege and opportunity to share my testimony of the great and awesome work that the Lord has done in my life. I was born in the Philippines and am 28 years of age. I got married in 2015 and have been blessed with one daughter who is 7 years old.

I am a simple person from a simple family. I started working in Singapore in 2017 and my employer is Chinese. If I have free time we go to church together in True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. I meet new people and they are very nice to me. They accepted me even when I was not a Christian. Every Sunday I went to church to worship with my employer. I heard a lot of God’s Word. At that time I prayed to God and asked Him if this family was suitable for me, and I realized this was the right home for me.

I started to hear all the good news about God every time I went to the Filipino Bible Fellowship. Rev Jose Lagapa preaches God’s Word and why we need to believe in God. Believe in God because the gospel works as does prayer. God knows everything we are going through at this moment. He knows the best way to handle every situation. We need to follow His path and trust that He knows best.

My life changed drastically and I understand that my identity and my happiness can come only from God. Now I have a deep hope within me that I never had before. I am slowly becoming a much more peaceful and caring person than I used to be. Praise and thank God. Amen. Kimberly Amihan

Golgotha or Calvary, “the place of a skull” (Luke 23:33)

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