”What
good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their
soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
Nothing is more valuable than a human being, because God
has set eternity in the human heart. All we have to offer in order to
restore our relationship with God is to receive the salvation Jesus
gave on the cross. The message of the cross is God's power to salvation
(1.Corinthians 1:18), and it has power to make the most sinful man
righteous before God. Regardless of their background, the gospel is
powerful to turn people into new creations.
“Therefore, in anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2.Corinthians 5:17).
We have experienced this all over the world where the gospel has been
preached. In our latest trip to the Philippines, in May 2006, we saw
people being transformed because they believed in the gospel, and
received Christ as their Lord. During this trip 370 people surrendered
their lives to Christ and got saved. It is a mighty experience to
witness the change in them. At first you see the emptiness in their
lives. When an altar call is given people of all ages run forward,
surrendering to Jesus. Some were crying for salvation while others wept
before God. Afterwards their eyes are shining! When I asked some of
them how they felt, they replied, “I have peace”, “I
have such joy” or “there is light”
The majority of these people are poor, and many were dirty, thin and
poorly dressed. They may be unimportant or insignificant in the eyes of
men, but they are precious to God
“For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who
have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and
save the needy from death.” (Psalm 72: 12-13).
To ensure their follow up, the newly saved is registered with name and
place of residence. 280 of them got saved in Baleguian, where a new
church was started as a result of the meetings. The rest came from
Agusan del Norte and Surigao City. All three cities are on Mindanao,
the second largest island in the Philippines.
People surrendering in Agusan del Norte.
People seeking salvation in Baleguian.