First Baptist Church

P e r s o n a l T e s t i m o n y

Like any other unsaved man, my life was filled with aimless, hopeless destination and direction. A headache and heartache to the family, I had a happy-go-lucky lifestyle with friends and foes as well. I was a gambler since I was a boy and growing up, a reveler. In my teenage years, I involved myself with troubles and worldly thrills, no time for God nor for His Word. Spiritual things are ‘foreign’ knowledge to me. I had given some time with the Catholic religion, where I was raised as one, doing the block rosary and participating with processions during their feasts - just to fill the vacuum I am having in my heart! But of course, apart from Christ, people will never experience peace that passes all understanding.

I was trying to be doing good to everybody, nice and well-developed but the emptiness kept on creeping in. No matter what I do, I became more and more hypocrite plus all the unworthy effort of looking responsible – only to find out that I am in the sinking sand of sin. I tried to project a strong and brave personality to conquer even death but I ended up worst and to face the truth, I was really afraid of death! The idea of being put in a casket and face what is beyond death really pushed me to seek other things rather than seek the things of God. I even ignored God’s ever-loving Words.

Then in 1981, my mother, Mrs. Noemi de Guzman, got saved through the witnessing effort of Mrs. Merle Casaje, a member of the International Baptist Church of Mandaluyong City where Dr. Gavino S. Tica is the Pastor. Convicted of her sin, she trusted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. And in turn, the burden of bringing her family to the saving knowledge of Christ was so intense that she kept on inviting us to attend the church services. However, she uniquely used some 'force' on her kids. To make the long story short, I attended the Church in mid-1982 and God really had a great time working on me. I was so glad to come to Him personally. Let me share to you these:

The Person of Christ. After a few months of attending the International Baptist Church where I heard the faithful preaching of God's Word, I started to enjoy hearing it, "additional knowledge," I said to myself. God worked real hard to convict me of my need of Him. I was a self-righteous, self-proclaimed good guy but the Holy God confronted me with His truth. I noticed that I kept on attending the services and then, not just to acquire head knowledge but my heart's longing for fulfillment is being met. Coming from the school where I was enrolled at that time, I always went straight to Church to hear God's Word! Later on, I was truly convicted of my sins and convinced that I needed Christ to save me from Hell and forgive me of my sins. And God gloriously saved me when I trusted Christ, the One who died for my sins on the cross and I accepted His offer of forgiveness, that He rose from the dead and now waits for me in Heaven. Few weeks after I got saved, I followed the Lord in believer's baptism.

The People In My Conversion. Very instrumental in my conversion was my mother who really prayed hard and displayed a great Christian testimony before us. I should also include Dr. Gavino S. Tica who preached that Wednesday night of May 25, 1983, the sermon God used to speak to my heart. At first, I was struggling to come forward during the invitation, I was standing few paces back while the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. I said to God, "Okay I will go to the front, but You step my foot and I will take care of the rest...," however, the Lord seemed to impress on me, "No, not your way but Mine! You step forward and I will take care of your life..." All of a sudden, I found myself in front, among the rest who responded to the invitation. I can still remember how my whole body was trembling because I was weeping! The guy who thought was so strong against God, now responding to Him with surrendered heart, hopeless soul - I realized that I needed Jesus Christ to be my Savior!

Then Pastor Romeo Capuli put his arms around me and bade me to the side of the Church to talk to me and he showed me from the Bible how to be saved. I can still visualize myself crying due to great joy I had because I was miraculously saved!

The Passage In My Conversion. The text that Pastor Capuli used in winning me was the great John 3:16! He then led me to the New Birth approach and other verses that gave me assurance of salvation. I then had a brand new life In Christ! The emptiness was now gone and by the cross I stand. I surrendered to Him and gave my life upon responding to His call which took place few weeks after I got saved and baptized. The work of reaching souls for Christ from then on burned in my heart and led me to be more stirred up in preparing myself for what lies ahead. I knew without a shadow of doubt that any moment God is through with me, I am sure that I will go to Heaven. My salvation is fixed, I have eternal life because of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise the Lord!