God’s Words Prepared Us for the Pandemic
[Video starts]
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Coronavirus Pandemic
[Video starts]
Source: Youtube.com
Reporter: Thailand has reported the first case of the Wuhan Coronavirus found outside of China. The patient arrived…
Reporter: China says the number of people infected by a mysterious respiratory virus…
Reporter: Now, the growing concerns about the deadly Coronavirus officially hitting…
Reporter: The traumatic state has led to the temporary close of borders…
Reporter: 400,000 with more than 14,000 deaths…
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: In the past two weeks, the number of cases of COVID-19 outside China has increased thirteenfold, and the number of affected countries has tripled. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.
[Video ends]
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Hope
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis Nicole Mayao
New York, USA
Sister Nicole Mayao: Things have been really tough, especially here in the East Coast being hit really hard. The total death toll now here in the United States is over 50,000 and I believe more than half of that is here in New York alone. I don’t know what I could’ve done. I would definitely not be able to have endured this whole pandemic if it wasn’t for the worship service.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Maurizio Borghetti
Lucca, Italy
Brother Maurizio Borghetti: God knows our weaknesses. He knows that we have to face every day. Our strength resides in trusting God, in believing His word and in having faith in His help.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Jon Lucas
Rizal, Philippines
Brother Jon Lucas: That is what I always hold on to; that no matter how difficult, no matter how much trials come into my life, I know that I have God Who will not forsake me.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis. Magaret Ip
Hong Kong, China
Sister Margaret Ip: Despite all things, no matter what will happen, no matter how severe that disease would be, we remain as a firm member.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis. Naeemah Waleed
Philadelphia, USA
Sister Naeemah Waleed: With God, all things are possible—that is what I’m standing on.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis. Ghieanne Moreno
California, USA
Sister Ghieanne Moreno: I feel confident. I feel confident because I know God, our Almighty God, is here, is with us.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
We Were Prepared
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Worship service officiated by the Executive Minister of the Church Of Christ, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo
April 26, 2020
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: Do you see who truly trusts in the Lord God? No matter how grave or severe the problem they encounter, they depend on God to help them. When you ask God for help and He helps you, you will win—whatever the situation you face in life and however grave it may be.
Let us imitate God’s ancient servants who, whenever they were in need and faced a difficult problem in life—no matter how difficult it was—they would draw near to God, call and pray to Him because He listened to their prayers.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
10 years ago…
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
New York, USA
Sister Ghieanne: If I didn’t have the faith I have now,
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Macau, China
Sister Ghieanne: I don’t think I’d be able to handle COVID-19. Ten years ago I was a completely different person. I was dealing with depression and I felt lost.
I was at that time, a really angry person. Who I was then, was someone that couldn’t grasp their own emotions and how to handle them.
Brother Jon: The truth is that I used to not attend any worship services. I prioritized playing basketball and training. I prioritize my friends. I prioritized playing computer games.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Jasen Keane
Melbourne, Australia
Brother Jasen Keane: To describe myself 10 years ago, I was a completely different person and I just didn’t see how being an active Church member was beneficial for me. At that time I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand it.
Sister Ghieanne: My depression was really bad. I didn’t see hope. I didn’t see any value that I was giving to my family, so I decided that I needed help. I went to counselors. I went to school. I looked online to solve my problems. The only thing that I didn’t try was to pray—and I prayed. I just wanted help. I wanted to change. I didn’t like who I was. And that change drew me closer to God.
Brother Jasen: Once I started to see the life of Church members in the Church Of Christ—once I started to see the difference between my life and their lives, I needed to change. I just thought to myself that “what have I got to lose?”.
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: The Bible is teaching us that “the Lord has set apart the redeemed for himself.”
Does anyone want to be of God? It’s only by being set apart, chosen, and redeemed that people can be of God.
That’s why it’s important for a person to be a Church Of Christ member if he wants to receive God’s blessings and help because the chosen , set apart, redeemed—referring to the Church Of Christ—have the right to call to and be answered by the Lord God in their requests to Him.
And that’s what God did for His early servants.
God is Almighty. He can easily help us. The Bible even says that we can’t even imagine what God can do to help us with His power. Brethren, that’s what we must firmly believe in. We must never lose hope.
What will the Lord God do? He will help us more than we can ever imagine because God can do everything for us through His power. God will never forsake us. Brethren, may that be our belief, conviction, and faith.
Brother Jon Lucas: If I were my 2009-2010 self, I would certainly have fallen into depression. But now, whenever problems come, I know there’s Someone Who will help me. I know God is with me. I won’t fall into depression because of God’s promises.
Brother Jasen: The changes that happened in my life were drastic. I went from drinking on weekends and partying to not drinking on the weekends and partying. That there were so much that changed in my life. Most definitely, me being more active in hearing the words and really paying attention in the worship services and attending bible studies, that absolutely strengthened me.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis. Magaret Ip
Hong Kong, China
Sister Margaret: As an adolescent, you might’ve argued with the parents in a very impolite manner. And I learned to change that. So, I was baptized back in 2013. And at that moment, I was introduced by a sister to always conduct devotional prayers to our Lord God. And not only did I gain the help from our Almighty God through prayers, but the change that brought me was I learned how to love my parents even better and be nice to everyone. Be friendly, be kind to everyone.
Sister Ghieanne: I knew what it was like to feel like the world was ending, to feel like there was no hope or to feel anxious all the time especially in times like these. Our Almighty God saved me. There is nothing that I am afraid of after that.
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: Let us be loyal to our membership in the Church Of Christ. God will never forsake us. When we approach God, He will fulfill what He promised. He will listen to our prayers and grant us all our needs. God said that He will hear those who will turn from their wicked ways.
Brethren, isn’t that our campaign in the Church? The intensive renewal of life. We didn’t invent those things that we instruct Church members to do: We should be proud of our membership in the Church Of Christ. We should live according to God’s will.
Actually, those things that we were instructed to do were meant to prepare us for this situation now when we all the more need God’s help. Because when we fulfill what God expects us to do, He will not forsake us. We will experience right away that God is listening to our call and He will give us the answer to all of our needs.
Sister Ghieanne: In January [2020], my family and I participated in the Special Gathering in each household. It was before COVID-19 and remembering the lesson, prepared my family to be ready, hatever may happen, whether it’d be COVID-19 or another pandemic. Brother Eduardo is always preparing us. And for me, and my family, we are so thankful.
Brother Jon: Talagang naihanda na po ng Panginoong Diyos ang kaniyang mga lingkod sa kanyang pong pagkasangkapan sa ating Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan na para kahit po tayo ay nanatili po sa ating mga tahanan ay tayo po ay makapagsagawa pa rin po ng mga pagsamba.
Noong nalaman ko po ‘yon, wala na po akong ibang inisip kung paano ko po paghahadaan yung pangunguna po sa pagsamba—kung paano ko po madadala ang aming sambahayan sa uri na karapatdapat sa panahon ng pagsamba.
At kaligayahan naman dahil po sa pamamagitan po ng aking pangunguna sa kanila, ay naipapakita ko po bilang Ama ng sambahayan na dapat po talaga maging matibay tayo—na dapat po anoman ang mangyari sa ating buhay, yung sambahayan natin ay huwag na huwag dapat patatangay sa mga pagsubok na dumarating at dapat nananatili tayong nananalig sa ating Panginoong Diyos.
God has really prepared his people through the instrumentality of our Executive Minister. So, even if we have to stay in our homes for now, we’re still able to hold worship services.
When I heard that instruction, I focused on how I would lead the household worship service, on how I would be able to lead my family in conducting a proper worship service.
It made me happy because by leading my family in the household worship services, as the head of the household, I’m able to guide them in being firm in the faith. I teach them that no matter what may happen in life, as a family we shouldn’t be affected by any test of faith. Rather, we should remain trusting in God.
[On-screen text graphics]
Brother Eduardo Manalo ordination
A Biographical Account on Brother Eduardo V. Manalo
By Gemma Minna V. Manalo
Brother Eduardo Villanueva Manalo was born in Manila, Philippines on October 31, 1955. He is the eldest son of Brother Eraño G. Manalo, who was Executive minister of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ)
Brother Eduardo was ordained as a minister on May 9, 1980.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis. Ghieanne Moreno
California, USA
Sister Ghianne: To our Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, Happy 40 years in the ministry po! Thank you so much for your dynamic leadership, for your love and your care.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis. Naeemah Waleed
Philadelphia, USA
Sister Naeemah: I’m really grateful to have you as our leader.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Michael Beug
Texas, USA
Brother Michael Beug: Your guidance and your encouragement has continued to help keep me and my family strong in our faith.
Brother Jon: Salamat po sa pagsasakripisyo, sa pagtitiyaga, sa pagtitiis, para madala kami sa mga kasakdalan ng paglilingkod sa Diyos.
Thank you for your sacrifices, for your diligence, for your patience so that we would be guided in the proper way of serving God.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Christian Escario
California, USA
Brother Christian Escario: Thank you for being there for the brethren during the good times as well as the dark times.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis. Nicole Mayao
New York, USA
Sister Nicole: We truly felt your love and your concern for us.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Maurizio Borghetti
Lucca, Italy
Brother Maurizio: Dear Brother, I would like to say thank you because thanks to you and to your preaching, I don’t feel alone and I don’t feel in danger.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Kristoffer Carlson
Maryland, USA
Brother Kristoffer Carlson: Thank you po.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Roger Naguid
Nasser, Qatar
Brother Roger Naguid: Thank you for everything.
Thank you for everything.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Edward & Sis Janelle Eugenio
Virginia, USA
Sister Janelle Eugenio: Thank you so much.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis. Naeemah Waleed
Philadelphia, USA
Sister Naeemah: Thank you. Thank you.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
A Decade of Blessed Leadership
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Bro. Glicerio B. Santos, Jr.
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Glicerio Santos: Kaya ganito kasigla at katagumpay ang Iglesia, una, sapagkat yung ang gusto ng Diyos—kalooban ng Diyos. Ikalawa, ay dahil sa sipag at maging kagitingan ng kapatid na Eduardo V. Manalo na kaya nangyari ang lahat ng tagumpay na ito. At ang laging iniisip niya, sa bawat sandali, ay yung kapakanan ng mga kapatid sa Iglesia.
The reason why the Church is this active and this victorious, firstly, is because it is the will of God. Secondly it is due to the dedication and what we would call, courage of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, which is why the Church Of Christ has achieved all of these victories. And what he is constantly thinking about is the welfare of the brethren in the Church.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
A Decade of Blessed Leadership
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
Sis. Nicole Mayao
COVID-19 Frontliner
Sister Nicole: No matter what pandemic, no matter what hardship I go through this life, as long as I have my membership in the Church Of Christ, I know that our Almighty God will keep me going.
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: Let us approach God through our prayers. Let’s express to God that we acknowledge what He can do for us—that we rely on His power, and that we yearn for His help. If we do this, especially during this worship service, the Bible tells us that when we plead to God for His help in times of trouble, our Lord God not only will listen to us; He will save us.
[On-Screen Text Graphics]
© Executive News 2020
[Video ends]
