Immense happiness, excitement, and eagerness—these were felt by the brethren from the Local Congregation of Valenzuela, Ecclesiastical District of CAMANAVA, when they heard that the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, will officiate their worship service. After a week of preparing for this special event, the brethren saw the culmination of their devotional prayers during the said worship gathering.

The attendees arrived early to the house of worship, uttered their personal prayers, and earnestly sang hymns of praises to the Almighty. After the heartfelt singing of hymns, Brother Bedanio L. Ubaldo, the district supervising minister, led the congregation in the opening prayer. Then, the brethren listened intently to the preaching of God’s holy words taught by Brother Eduardo Manalo. Brother Arnel A. Tumanan led the closing prayer afterwards. The offertory prayer was led by Brother Ernesto V. Suratos and the benediction was said by Brother Bienvenido C. Santiago.

The Executive Minister emphasized from the Bible that God’s chosen ones should put their complete trust in the Lord—as what the early members of the Church did. When true Christians encounter hardships and sufferings, such make them more resolute in their faith. They further solidify their trust in the Lord God. Their resilience and hope in what the Lord God can do are strengthened.

Church members are not exempt from experiencing hardships, pain and sufferings. These test their faith whether they truly trust the Lord. The head deacon in Valenzuela, Brother Marlon Torralba, was among those whose livelihood and health were greatly affected at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said, “The intense challenges in my livelihood and health brought about by the pandemic are times that further proved that when we fully trust and believe in God, nothing is impossible.” 

With God’s help, he managed to recover from his sickness and is still able to fulfill his duty in the local congregation. As a father, Brother Marlon also passed on this faith to his son. He added, “What I always teach our child is to be obedient to the commands of the Lord God. May the Lord God be the top priority in his life, and may he trust fully in Him. We tell our child that God always has a plan for the good of all His chosen ones.” This conviction adheres to the biblical truth that parents should be their household’s role model in being loyal to the Lord God.

Remembering when he got parted away from his family due to the pandemic-induced lockdowns, Brother Elmer Reyes mentioned, “I remembered the time of the pandemic when I was living alone here in Valenzuela while my relatives were in Novaliches. Our Lord God did not abandon me, and didn’t let me suffer from serious illness. I was still able to sustain my livelihood despite the lack of work back then. I know that the Lord God was the One Who gave the blessings I needed to continue on. Truly, our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ are so gracious. The Church Administration as well never ceased to care for us.”

For Sister Lian Bobiles, a Binhi officer, it is a challenge for her to be able to maintain her studies without neglecting her duties. As a senior high school student, she had the worry of conflicting schedules in school and in Church. She said “There have been many unexpected instances where the schedule of my studies and the performance of my duties coincided. But I always pray to the Father with complete trust that may He not allow me to neglect my duties, and He did not fail me. Because of His generosity, He continues to strengthen my faith.”

One of the reasons the Lord God allows His chosen to face problems is to test their faith. He knows that His faithful servants are capable of overcoming it with His help. Just like when Sister Greathielle Shianne Capiral, the local congregation KADIWA president, experienced extreme sadness due to the continuous onslaught of challenges. “I conduct devotional prayers in the house of worship of our local congregation every six in the morning. Every day, I continue to reach out to the Father, completely trusting in Him and not losing hope.” God truly never fails anyone who trusts Him fully. Sister Greathielle added, “What inspires my continued devotion and ongoing adherence to fulfilling my duties is that the Father always responds to my prayers. I am truly filled with joy and gratitude to our Lord God.”

It is truly evident that nothing is impossible with the Lord God. When His chosen people face tribulations that test their faith, they must remember to place their complete trust in what He can do for them. He will not only grant their requests but also provide more than what they ask for. 

By Ezra Alessandra Camacho