Posted By Vinz in Christianity, Life Testimony | 2 comments

August 15, 2010 – When I visited CCF Alabang for the first time for a Sunday service, two weeks after, I signed up for a D-Group Placement and after two days I received an SMS from someone from CCF whose name is Ian Paculan which happened my mentor, friend, dicipler, accountability and a brother up to now. He invited me to have a one-on-one talk and to get to know each other, I was hesitant, but at the same time excited. It was September 11, 2010 when we finally met, he just explained what D-Group is, what they usually do in a D-Group , meeting time, etc., and the end of our conversation he asked me if I already know where will I go if I die today, it’s either heaven or hell as it was stated in the Bible, but honestly I have no idea and not sure where will I go and then he shared to me the Gospel, which is the great Love of God: that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sin, He was buried and after three days He rose again. After hearing this good news, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord Saviour. It was the happiest day of my life. If you want to know how God is so faithful in my life. Here’s My Life Story of God’s Faithfulness in my Life that I wrote a month ago. I want to focus this entry with God’s faithfulness in our D-Group.

As I looked back three years ago after I joined a D-Group. I’m still in awe of How God is so gracious to all of us. We are only three members that time that meets every other Sunday after service to study the word of God and every time we have this discussion, I am always blessed with every thought they have and every testimony they shared within a group. I’m always excited whenever we have a D-Group meetings. And, I found myself craving to His word and little by little my faith to Jesus Christ is growing especially I started to experience mocked by friends and sadly even my family because of the new faith I have. But God is faithful that He used my D-Group and encouraged me to walk in faith blamelessly.

Two months after, it was November 2010 when “The Best Question Ever: Single’s Retreat” happened where I joined the same break-out group under Ian, but this time there are additional members in our group that are first time to attend the retreat as well. It was fun and I feel so blessed that God allowed me to experience what heaven looks like because of the people that He used on that retreat. For three days I am surrounded by Christian friends and I really felt the peace in my heart. I loved our discussions, sharings and fellowships. I am amazed by their testimonies and how God’s amazing grace saved a sinners like us. After that retreat KC Cheng and Carl Eleazar, two of our break out group members joined our D-Group officially. But this time we consistently meet every Sunday for our D-Group Bible study. In December 2010 we had our very first D-Group Christmas party that was held at Platinum Bar in BF homes, we had our devotion, sharings, videoke fellowship, etc.

As days goes by of continue growing in faith, I realized that Christian life is not easy and it is impossible. I experienced to fall into temptations again, encountered difficulties in life and tempted not follow Jesus Christ anymore, but God didn’t allow that to happen, He used my D-Group to encourage, motivate and love me unconditionally. Luke 9:23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”.

As our relationship with the Lord grows, our relationship as a group grows as well to the point that God gave me a burden to pray for all of them, to check them always and I started to love them as if they are my real family and became passionate to serve them through admin works especially when we have events. I commit to the Lord to serve them as long as long as I can as a sign of my love to them.

Years passed. After attending different Bible studies, retreats, fellowships and bridging events, I never imagined that we will grow not just in faith, but in numbers as well. I am encouraged to see how passionate these people are as we practice becoming Christ-like and being matured in faith. I remember one time when our dicipler Ian Paculan has to leave us for six months because of his job that he needs to assign to Thailand. It was the most challenging years to all of us. I am afraid and sad because he mentioned that we need to transfer to other group so that someone can supervise us. Honestly I am a bit dependent to group that time. But God didn’t allow things to happen without purpose. He allowed Ian to leave us, but God is faithful because for the first time we experienced how to facilitate a group individually. Each week someone is assigned to facilitate and share his devotion. God speaks to me that I should not be dependent on anyone because time will come that they have to leave us. Nothing is permanent in this world. They are like a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow. But the Love of God is the only unchangeable things.

It’s been three years now since I started to join a D-Group and I witnessed how God moved in the life of each member, how God is in control of everything, how faithful He is, how powerful He is and how incomprehensible in some ways, but God is God. I witnessed how all of us surpass all the challenges of life and God made us strong and even better.

And now as we open a new chapter of God’s faithfulness in our group, I’m just lost in His great love towards us. Some of us is now serving the Lord through ministries, using our God-given talents all for His glory. And, it is more exciting and refreshing to see new members that are on fire in serving and following the Lord. My prayers to all of  them are to maintain that fire in their hearts and focus to God as we take part and fulfil the God’s great commission.

As I was writing this, I can’t control myself not to become emotional because I am amazed of How God moved in the life of each member. I just want to give all the honor, all glory and all the highest praises to God alone, that is faithful from the beginning and continuously revealing His sovereignty in our life.

We are called to belong, not just believe.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:1-17