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continuation...
In other words, by means of “the washing of water with the word”, and that refers to baptism, God will cleanse you. You know, after receiving baptism the eyes of that man changed. They were no longer red, unlike before, and they no longer looked treacherous.
There was also a whore what I met in Sto. Cristo, Guagua. She was a harlot and a concubine of a Chinese. We were in the river then, because were supposed to give baptism to 12 individuals. We were not aware that that particular river was infested with leeches. Perhaps, they were disturbed when we got into the water. Every time I remember that, I couldn’t help but develop goose bumps. When we immersed that woman into the water, for some inexplicable reason, all of a sudden, there appeared some sort of a whirlpool. We didn’t know why and how it happened. There was no strong wind blowing then, and there was neither a typhoon nor an earthquake. All I knew was there were leeches all over the place. But you know what? We baptized 12 individuals, and we stayed in the water for more than half an hour, but through God’s mercy, nobody among us was sucked by those leeches. Nobody.
After baptism, I inquired from the residents of Sto. Cristo what they knew about the woman. And they told me that she was called “Tandang Goreng”, but she was better known as “everybody’s mistress”. In other words, she was a woman of dirty reputation. And I couldn’t help but think then that, perhaps the reason why the water was stirred like a whirlpool was because several evil spirits were cast of her. No wonder, her eyes were fierce. But after baptism, her eyes changed.
This is the reason why I have so much faith in the power of baptism, which is written in the Bible. It has a power to change a person; it has the power to wash away sins. And I have witnesses how these things happen.
There was another unforgettable baptism in Tenejero, Bacolor. Today, that place had been buried by lahar, and nobody resides there anymore. We were also supposed to give baptism there when, on our way to the river we passed by a row of houses. And one of the residents said, “Kamuritan yo! O tinu ke kayu king Sorianong e tuli.” That was what he said in Capampangan. And he said that in a very loud voice. After passing by his house, all of a sudden, a lightning struck and it hit the roof of his house, and it got burned. While we were giving baptism, the lightning kept on striking. So, I prayed to God, “Lord, please take good care of us. Please, take control also of the lightning.” We saw how the lightning hit the house of the person who mocked us.
As a result, after that incident, a lot of residents of that place joined our group. The first time that we gave baptism there, we baptized only about 3 or 6 individuals. But after a month, our members there grew to more than a hundred. And we attribute that to the miracle that they witnessed. They saw how the house of the person who laughed at us was hit by lightning. Most of the people we baptized were formerly wicked. In fact, one of them was a terror in Bacolor. But, thank God, until today, they have remained humble and obedient to the doctrines of God. They no longer drink intoxicating drinks; they no longer gamble; they no longer get engaged in any vice.
That is why, I strongly believe that God can change even the most wicked person, and make him a disciple of God. Therefore, if your wife happened to be the most talkative woman in the world, just encourage her to study this, and we will help you curb her tongue.
Faith can do things, which are hard to do. Faith can move mountains. And if faith can move mountains, faith can also transform lives. Faith can change a person.
Take my case as an example. I smoked for more than 20 years. I used to sell cigarettes also. My secretary and I used to consume a whole pack of cigarettes overnight. I had a store in Ayala Avenue that used to sell cigarettes. However, when I started believing in the Scriptures, I quitted smoking. I tell you, I did not do it gradually, like what the others are doing. Others quit smoking little by little. If they normally consume one pack a day, they would reduce their consumption to half a pack. But I learned that that method is not effective. By just reducing cigarette consumption, you are not really eliminating the nicotine and the tar in your system. The nicotine and the tar are the substances that give a person the urge to smoke. If you only reduce the quantity of cigarettes, you do not really stop your nicotine intake. As a result, the craving for cigarette remains.
Do you know how to cleanse your system of those substances? Do you know how to stop the urge to smoke? Refrain from smoking for 6 months, or for a year. After that, you will now lose your desire for cigarettes. It is only after you have cleansed yourself that you will finally lose your craving for cigarette. Later on, you would even feel irritated whenever you smell smoke of cigarette.
In the past, I used to light a cigarette stick even before I wash my mouth. The best time to smoke was when I was having my coffee. But when I learned to quit smoking, the mere cigarette smoke makes my stomach turn upside down. Women smokers must realize that smoking makes them smell bad.
But, how did I stop the habit of smoking? If you are going to talk about natural urges, basically, they are not easily controlled. If we are going to rely on self-control alone, there is always the possibility that you would still light one cigarette stick after another. But FAITH can change a person. I believe that once you start believing, the habit of smoking automatically stops, too.
What I am trying to say is, no matter how a person had been in the eyes of others and in the eyes of God, the moment he returns to God, he will be changed. How can he be changed? One way of attaining it is by listening to the word of God, and later, by receiving baptism. He will have to be taught first of God’s doctrines.
In II Timothy 3:15-17, this is what we could read—
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Through the Holy Scriptures, a man of God may emerge. That the man of God may be perfect, he must be fully equipped with good works.
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Bible
Religion,
Family and Marriage
