I was assigned to read the biography of George Mueller during our Basic Doctrine Class. It never dawned on me that his life would become an inspiration in my walk with the Lord. Through his biography, God gave me the burden to help Filipino street children by providing shelter and livelihood projects and sharing the gospel full-time. Right after my graduation from college, God gave me an opportunity to serve Him in a Christian school. Through my service in this school, I have seen how God has been sustaining ALL my needs. I have also seen how God can make impossible things possible. And most of all, I learned to trust Him more and more for He did not leave nor forsake us in times of need. I was molded emotionally, mentally, & spiritually in my 5 years stay in this school. Without knowing that this is my stepping stone to a greater responsibility.
      Last May 2003, my wife asked me if I still had the heart to serve the Lord fulltime. I was caught off-handed and this thought bothered me for days. As I pondered the question, doubts (such as “Am I really called?”) and fears (such as “How will I finance the education of my children?”) crept into my mind. But God had His own way of addressing them. I was able to read the book “Holy Ambition” which confirmed my calling through II Chronicles 16:9a “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”

I was able to put my trust fully in the Lord regarding my finances through these verses:

      “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you…that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16)
      “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” (II Corinthians 9:8)
      “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)
      "So do not worry, saying, ”What shall we eat? Or What shall we wear?” (Matthew 6:31)
      “But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:33-34)
      “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

      As I was asking the Lord for a clear revelation of His purpose for my life, He was indeed very gracious. I felt more burden and God sent His heavenly ambassadors (my pastor-friends) everyday until I was fully convinced that He really wants me in His ministry
      To God Be The Glory, Amen.

“This is the way, walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21 NASB) These are the words that God gave me in answer to my prayer, asking specifically for His word from the Scripture if He indeed is calling me to enter the seminary.

      On April 30, 2000, God, according to His great mercy and grace, chose to save me through the death of my one and only son. Two passages, “The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword…” (Hebrew 4:12 NASB) and “Give yourself to the Lord! Trust in Him, and He will help you” (Psalm 37:5 GNB), were inscribed on the penholder my son gave me before his death. The moment I read these words I felt that God was telling me something (I was a Buddhist at the time of my son’s death), and thinking my son would be pleased to have a Christian funeral service (many times he had expressed faith in Jesus because he studied in a Christian school) I arranged one for him, not knowing that God would use the message at the wake for me to hear His offer of salvation (Romans 8:28) along with the chance to see my son again, I readily accepted God’s gift of salvation.

      Wanting to be sure that Jesus is the only way for me to have eternal life and therefore be reunited with my son in eternity, I bought my very first Bible to check if what I heard was indeed the truth (Acts 17:11). I started to read it until I was able to finish both the Old and New Testaments in time for my son’s 100^th day death anniversary. I began to realize that I was truly a sinner and all my good deeds were like filthy rags in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6), and only through God’s grace and by faith in Jesus’ redemptive work was I put right in God’s sight (Romans 1:17). Realizing how great the love of God is (Romans 5:8) for everyone who will believe in Christ, I began to have the burden to share the Gospel of Salvation and wanting to be properly equipped to correctly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). I began to desire to enter the seminary, but my financial situation and family responsibility caused me to struggle for almost a year.

      Sometime in April 2003, through prayers and petition, God gave me His word through Isaiah 30:21. Trusting His word, I decided to enter the Biblical Seminary of the Philippines initially taking one subject, then two the next semester. On the third semester of that school year I was about to take three subjects, but started to experience many problems. I decided to just take two subjects that semester. Thank God that through His grace and my two professors, and fellow students who constantly prayed and encouraged me in the midst of my trials, I was able to finish last school year 2003-2004.

      Thinking that the worst of my troubles had pass, instead, right after the summer conference (April 2004) of my local church (Grace Gospel Church), where I had the opportunity to serve as counselor, my problems began to get worst to the extent that if I used my logical reasoning I would surely have given up and enter the seminary again. But praise God, through faith in His goodness and faithfulness, I remembered the words He gave me before I entered seminary last 2003, “This is the way, walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21). Knowing that God never changes (James 1:17) and remains faithful, that He would not allow me to be tempted beyond what I was able (1Corinthians 10:13), I finally decided to reenter the seminary. It was then that things started to lighten up.

      Now, even as I continue to face my trials and problems, yet knowing that “God’s grace is sufficient for my weaknesses” (2 Corinthians 12:9), I can face the world with joy in my heart, knowing that He has His eternal plan and purpose for me. (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 8:37)