MY LIFE - Unknown path

Bro. Rey Javellana

 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15

​

​

It is a great privilege for me to impart the story of how the LORD changes my life.  I was raised in a Catholic dominated family and following the beliefs and traditions that I woke up with life is simple, no major issue with spiritual things and it seems that everything is normal as what others are also doing under this beliefs, enjoying sins as normal part of daily life.  I don’t even open a bible.  When I’m about six years old my parents always quarrel, sometimes to the point that my mother is being hurt badly by my father and because of this my sister and I were so afraid of our father.  We can do nothing but to cry and get terrified.  I was the youngest in the family with a sister and five brothers.  I grew up as a shy and private kind of person.  I don’t want to be exposed rather always wanted to be on the backstage.  I remember when I was young I want to break and dismantle things in orderfor me to learn how to fix it, but many remains broken and end up in a trash.

 

During my college years I work at my Aunt’s pharmacy as a part time salesboy in order to support my studies.  I work in the morning and attend school in the afternoon.  One morning, I was riding on a bicycle to deliver some orders.  While crossing the street I was hit by a fast moving vehicle and was thrown afar.  Many who saw the accident thought that I died that day.  I didn’t even know what happened to me until my mother told me a day after when I woke up.  Second year in college, a classmate of mine invited me in a martial art training, I was convinced and did join for the purpose of self- defense.  As we go deeper, the trainer introduced to us a sort of lessons – a Bible study which they say part of the training.  In short I was into a religious kind of martial art “Won wha do” present name “Tong-il moo do”.  Many students and young ones were easily convinced by their doctrines and taught another kind of gospel which is unbiblical and completely perverting the true message of the Bible.  This group was a Cult and the members are being brainwashed.  It originated in South Korea by the name “Unification Church” or “Moonies”.  They operate in many organization and thousands even millions are being deceived by this group yearly, introducing what they call “The Divine Principle” which they say The Christ Testament Age doctrine or next after the New Testament.   They are famous in a Mass Wedding in Korea.  I was into this group for almost two years and many of my friends and classmates are active until now with this group.

 

I got married in 2001 and as my family is growing I need to have a better source of income. March 2007 an opportunity opened up for me here in the UAE with a help of a friend from BBBC.  My first 3 years in abroad was really a struggle in my work and personal life.

​

Trying to overcome the hardship and temptations of life, I’ve motivated myself that the very reason why I’m here is to work, earn and support my family and go home someday, not knowing that behind this God is working and has His own purpose why He sent me out in this part of the world.

​

By God’s grace in March 2012 my wife, two kids and I reunited here in the UAE.  Five years without the presence of my family my spiritual life was unclear up and down, on and off not taking seriously what my friend had shared with me about the Lord Jesus Christ and the words of Salvation.  It’s like those words just passed through my ears and retains a fragment of it or might be that the seed that was sown grew slow, or didn’t even grew at all in my heart.  But by God’s grace, through follow up and series of Bible studies finally, the seed rooted up and together with my wife we both surrendered our life to the Lord Jesus and were baptized on June of 2013.  As newly born Christians aside from joy, burden also filled our hearts that we need to share this Good News to others especially to our family.  We prayed and ask guidance to the LORD and came up a result to go home at the earliest.  Financially, going home with the family of four is difficult on my side but we are determined so I approached my Muslim employer for my plan but in return he questioned, “Why do you need to go home?  Your family is here?”  I told him the reason and he understand and in addition he asked me, “Do you have money to buy tickets?  For he knows me in terms of my finances and said,”I will provide all your tickets!”  From that moment on I’m beginning to understand how God works and provide for his Glory.

​

It was night of July 2013 when we got home, my sister and I had a serious discussion until two o'clock in the morning, sharing how the Lord changed my life’s direction and declared to her the words of Salvation.  On that early morning of the first day, the Spirit of the Lord touched her heart and she repented, surrendered and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.  Both of us are laughing and crying out of joy that we cannot explain.  The next days, we gathered our family and friends for a bible study.  It’s my first time talking in front of them telling God’s great love and judgment.  Two years later, we returned for a vacation and invited my brother and his wife to come and worship with us.  As usual, there were many alibis but were convinced later.  On that week, my sister in law was crying as she tells us the result of her laboratory test.

​

She can’t believe it and even asked the nurses to double check the result for it was all normal.  Prior to that she suffers in different physical illnesses including serious liver issue and takes medicine for it.  I just smiled at her and give thanks to the Lord for touching them in His own unique way.  Now, both of them are faithfully serving the Lord.  Lately, she is having issue again in her spleen, causing platelet count abnormal that leads to sudden bleeding.  Her doctor cannot determine the cause saying, “I don’t know what is going on inside your body”.  Having faith and holding to the Lord’s promises she said,” I leave it all to the LORD and I am ready anytime”.  I’m so blessed to know how the LORD increased her faith.

​

I believe God leads his children to the right path and that things happen for a purpose.  Following days on my way to Iloilo city on a fast ferry, a man seated beside me trying to get my attention and he did, so we had a long conversation and later on told me that he is a worship leader and his brother was a Pastor in Bacolod.  By God’s grace, members of my family are now being feed are growing there but still the battle continues.  Many of my relatives and friends have not been won yet to Christ, but I hope and believe that the Lord will draw them closer as He continues to work and water those seeds that have been sown.  That it will grow in his own and perfect time!

​

Year 2014 we are blessed again with another son named Emmanuel.  At the moment, I was separated again from my family.  Being alone again and far from them is a great challenge than before to overcome, to remain faithful not only to my family but to the Lord.  I know there will be time that I will be lonely and will cry, be weak and fall, be tempted and discouraged but I know that now I will not be alone again to face all of these trials because the Lord will be at my side to strengthen, direct, comfort and will never leave me.  A relationship has been established that cannot be broken when the Lord found me and when I surrendered my life to Him.

​

Before, I do break things in my life that I cannot fix, do and enjoy things that is unpleasant and sinful, almost died, lost and being deceived, terrified and can do nothing.  All of these are just parts of my old life which I passed through the grace of the Lord and by His own purpose.  Now, everything becomes new.  He fixed things in my life that I cannot fix, forgiven my sins, saved me from death and protects, leads and redirects me to the right track and gives comfort to me in times of loneliness.  I know many greater are still coming ahead as part of this new found Life.

 

It’s been four years now since I surrendered my life to the Lord and many things happened and changed, many are on process and many more still need to be learned and discover in this life.

I already spent almost half of my lifetime.  Now, I leave the rest to the Lord.  Serving Him of what is remaining by sowing seeds and whatever capacity He has given to me as He is populating heaven.

​

Now running in this Christian race, I may run slow or fast and might fall down but He will be there stretching His hands for me to stand up again, for He the Lord is running together with those who abides in Him until the finish line.  I don’t know what lies and what the road ahead maybe but only one thing I’m sure that the Lord has a purpose for my life and to those that truly believes in Him.

​

Before Jesus Christ ascended to heaven he entrusted these words to His disciples, Mark 16:15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature and Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

​

We, as Christians and true followers of Jesus Christ have parts of this Great Commission that has been passed on from generation to generation.  This is the major role of the Church and as member of the body we have our individual assignment.  Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher.

​

We may not all be gifted to be teacher, evangelist, preacher or singer in the Church, but we all have a testimony to tell to all of those who are lost and doesn’t know who Jesus Christ in our life… We, as the Church are assigned to do this and no one else.

​