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| Ed Miranda |
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My Personal Testimony
by Ed Miranda
I grew up in a small town in the Philippines. My parents were well known in our town and it was important for them to preserve their good reputation in our town. I was taught to practice the golden rule and carry on their good reputation. Although I was not religious, I was taught that there is God. Some of my relatives who were religious were reading the bible. Because of that, I became interested in the bible. I attempted reading a portion of it, but became uninterested because I did not understand what it meant. I finished my High School with pride that my parents were proud of me because I did not disappoint them.
After High School, I went to the biggest university in Manila. Moving to a big city and studying in a big university was overwhelming because the town where I grew up knew me by our name and in a crowded big city, people did not care much. My identity was lost. My comfort zone was gone. My good reputation vanished.
I remember when I was in the lobby of the university, someone approached me and introduced the four spiritual laws, but I did not pay attention. My interest was finding my identity in a big university. God had a way to get my attention. I was given a Christian tract entitled “How to find life to the fullest”. The title caught my attention because I was seeking for life in a big university. I read all that was written on it even the bible verse that says I (Jesus speaking) have come that you may have life abundantly. John 10:10. Although I read all that was written on it, I did not respond to it because I still had questions and was not yet convinced. So God has placed me in a chemistry class where the person seated next to me is a Christian. We talked and we became friends. He had lots of friends on campus. He introduced his friends to me not knowing that they were Christians who belonged to IVCF. I thought that they were different. I felt important to them. He invited me to their gathering where I heard from the speaker about the rich young ruler who had everything and yet did not have eternal life. After the lecture, we were divided into small groups. Someone in our group shared the four spiritual laws and realized that I was living a self-directed life where I was only interested with my self and my own identity. I realized that I needed Christ, so I prayed the sinner’s prayer. That was December 16, 1976.
My friend was overjoyed when he found out that I accepted Christ as my savior. My interest in the bible had increased and we always had discussions. He brought me to a small group bible study. In that group, I realized that I became a child of God when I accepted Christ as my savior. John 1:12 “To all who receive Him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God.” I learned to pray. My doubts and questions were clarified. 2 Tim 3:16-17, “All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness so that the man of God maybe adequate, equipped for every good work”. I felt loved and accepted. Because of Jesus Christ, I have a new identity because I belong to Him. John 10:27-28 “My sheep hears My voice and I know them and they follow Me; and I will give eternal life to them, they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”
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