Why God Lets Bad Things Happen

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[Source: Youtube.com.u2bheavenbound]

Male News Anchor: Latest on those terror attacks that unfolded in Brussels, Belgium this morning, at around 3 A.M. Eastern Time, during their morning rush hour. This is the scene as it unfolded. Terrified passengers running for their lives at the airport and this photo here shows the damage. At least two different attacks across the city this morning. 

Female News Anchor: And here is what we know right now—it is changing. At least two explosions hit that airport.  Another rocked a Metro station, at least 28 people now killed, dozens injured. All airports and public transportation in Brussels, now shut down. And the terror level there, raised to maximum, the highest.

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Brother Dennis Lovendino: Terrorist attacks in different parts of the world, in Brussels, Pakistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. Hello, I’m Dennis Lovendino and this is the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. 

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DENNIS LOVENDINO

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Brother Dennis: Today we’ll be discussing what some people may be thinking, which is, “How can a loving and compassionate God who created all things allow such horrendous tragedies to happen, such as terrorist attacks?” All this and more right here on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. 

Brother Dennis: Joining us today is Brother Ruben Bustos in Los Angeles.

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RUBEN BUSTOS

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Dennis: Brother Rommel San Pedro in San Francisco. 

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ROMMEL SAN PEDRO

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Dennis: And Brother Glenn David in Sydney. Hello Brothers. 

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GLENN DAVID

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Rommel San Pedro: Hi, Brother Dennis.

Brother Glenn David: Hello, Brother Dennis.

Brother Ruben Bustos: Hello, Brother Dennis.

Brother Dennis: Brothers, no matter what part of the world you and our viewers may be at this moment, there is a great chance many people are aware of the devastating events that have happened recently and are threatened to happen again in the future because of the horrible acts of violence, sometimes categorized as terrorist attacks. Now let’s hear what some eyewitnesses had to say about the recent attacks in Brussels, Belgium.

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

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[Source: Youtube.com.BBC News]

Man #1: I just moved away, like one minute away, from where the explosion happened. I was just buying, grabbing some bunch of stuff for my kids. I heard the first explosion. 

Interviewer: So, you felt the explosion?

Man #2: Yeah, I feel it and then I protect my face and glass over my side.

Man #3: I was having my break. I was inside the building. We just heard a loud bang, everything was shaking. We looked outside of the window. There was smoke coming out of the departure hall. 

Man #4: We ran away. We were running very quickly. My colleague jumped into the carousel behind the check-in desk.

Man #1: Just after one second, the second one exploded. And this one was really, really heavy. It was really, really heavy.

Man #4: I thought I was hurt, I was hit and then there were two people who were working at the airport and they told me to just come inside and locked the door. 

Man #1: People started panicking, running. The only thing I was seeing, it was just dust in the air. Like people running to save their lives.

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Brother Dennis: We would like to say that we extend our thoughts and prayers to all those people and their families whose lives were deeply affected by those horrible attacks. 

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DENNIS LOVENDINO

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Dennis: And watching what those people had to say, you could tell that they were just going on about their daily schedule and they had no idea that this was how their day would end up to be. And it reminds me, Brothers, of the September 11, 2001 attack. How we vividly remember where we were when that terrorist attack happened. Brother Glenn, do you remember where were you?

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GLENN DAVID

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Glenn: Absolutely, Brother Dennis. I remember where I was, because it was actually my birthday. So I woke up to my dad yelling at me, “America attacked! America attacked!” And then instead of getting a “happy birthday”, I got that instead. So I said, “What are you talking about?” So I turned on the T.V. and there I saw the Twin Towers on fire and the buildings didn’t collapse just yet, but it was only about half an hour later when it collapsed and there was just this…my mouth, my jaw just dropped. It was just so unbelievable that this could really be happening. 

Brother Dennis: How about you Brother Ruben?

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RUBEN BUSTOS

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Ruben: I remember that day because I had just dropped my daughter off at school, and when I was parking the car I heard on the radio that some person had driven their, or flew their plane, I should say, into the Twin Towers. When I looked at it on the T.V., it didn’t look like an accident, it looked deliberate. That’s when the second plane had hit the tower. And I could remember just going around in Jersey City, because that’s right across the way from where it happened. You could see people, they were just walking around in a daze. People were always looking behind them, they were very scared. There was this sense of hopelessness just engulfing the whole area between Manhattan and Jersey City. 

Brother Dennis: Brother Rommel?

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ROMMEL SAN PEDRO

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Rommel: I was assigned in Mississauga, Canada, but two weeks prior to that I actually took my oath in New York City as a [Evangelical] Worker. And so I just missed it by just two weeks. And you could see that some of those people they just missed dying, just by in an instant. They were mentioning how close a call they had to being inside that building when the explosions happened. I’ve heard a lot of stories like that from the members who were in Jersey City, because I was the Resident Minister shortly after that event in Jersey City. And I was talking to the members and how it was miraculous that they were all safe from disaster on that day. 

There were those who woke up late, there were those who had taken a vacation, there were those who were fired prior to that instance. There was somebody who decided to go, for some reason, window-shopping. Had an urge to go window-shopping and even if it would mean that she would be late for work. And I remember they even had a video about that whole event and how our Lord God had saved our members from the disaster on that day, but the members recalled how there were other people who were affected by that devastating attack. There are those who, for example, saw people jumping off the buildings and it led to post traumatic stress disorder and all kinds of troubles. That’s what their co-workers experienced.

Brother Glenn: So this was not just an American event, also all over the world. Because all T.V. channels, no matter what channel you were watching, all covered this event 24/7 for the next two months. Every newspaper, everything, was covering this event. You just see buildings collapsing, interviews of people who’ve survived. There [were] people holding onto hope that their loved ones were still alive, and still as we recall, I can still remember that very, very well, Brother Dennis. 

Brother Dennis: If I’m not mistaken, that’s the worst terrorist attack in the United States, and prior to that was the bombing of Pearl Harbor where there were more than 3,000 casualties. 

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DENNIS LOVENDINO

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Dennis: And during 9/11, more than 3,000 lives perished because of [those] terrorist attacks. Now, Brothers, some people are asking, “Why are these things happening today?” Now, isn’t our Lord God, the one who created us a loving, compassionate and merciful God? So, why is this happening, Brother Ruben? 

Brother Ruben: Well, Brother Dennis, in as much as the recent events of terrorist attacks truly are very disturbing and heart-wrenching. Well, it is best to view these things in the perspective, the way that God wants us to. Now for us to be able to do that, we need to know if these things should even surprise us. Now, if we ask the Holy Scriptures if God gave us a warning about the terrible events that have happened, well this is what we could read. Here in the Book of Isaiah, chapter 24, verses 1 and 3, this is what the Bible says what the world will experience: 

The LORD is going to devastate the earth and leave it desolate… The earth will lie shattered and ruined. The LORD has spoken and it will be done.

[Isaiah 21:1a, 3 Today’s English Version]

Brother Ruben: Hence, the Bible does warn us that there would be devastation on the earth. We shouldn’t forget though that devastation isn’t just in terms of natural calamities. 

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad things to Happen

Brother Dennis: Devastation by definition, we have to understand, Brothers, is great destruction or damage. Devastation also causes severe and overwhelming shock as well as grief. 

Brother Rommel: And that is why the devastation mentioned in the Bible could be, like what Brother Ruben mentioned, not only from a natural calamity or disaster but it could be man-made. There is a devastation that comes as a result of war, as Brother Dennis mentioned earlier regarding Pearl Harbor. There’s devastation that could come as a result of terrorist attacks, random shootings. The world we are living in is very violent and the ones who are affected are not only the victims themselves but also their family members. It puts a sense of fear in people’s hearts. People are worried, people are nervous, when there’s this kind of calamity or this kind of terrorist attacks happening around us. And it puts people in unease. It affects society as a whole, it affects the economy, it affects all sorts of levels of behavior in people. 

Brother Dennis: And it does affect everyone, Brothers. And we even see how much attention this creates in the mainstream and also in social media. And so, Brothers, why are these things happening today?

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GLENN DAVID

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Glenn: These sufferings and devastations that happen in the world today, well God declares the very reason as written here in Isaiah, 24, 5 to 6, God says this:

The people have defiled the earth by breaking God’s laws and by violating the covenant he made to last forever. So God has pronounced a curse on the earth. Its people are paying for what they have done. Fewer and fewer remain alive.

[Isaiah 24:5-6 Today’s English Version]

Brother Glenn: So why is it that God allows devastation to be experienced by men in this world? Well just like what the Bible says here, “The people have defiled the earth by breaking God’s laws.” 

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad things to Happen

Brother Glenn: And of course the consequence is very clear. The Bible once again says, “God has pronounced a curse on the earth”and “its people are paying for what they have done.” So God allows man to suffer devastation and tragedies in this life because of sin. And we know because of sin, man has been separated from God, therefore man must also suffer death and devastation. However, the death and devastation that man suffers in this life does not compare to the greatest death or devastation that will happen on the Day of Judgement. And we can read that here in 2 Peter, chapter 3, 7 and 10, this is what the Bible teaches us through the Apostle Peter. He says this:

But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

[2 Peter 3:7,10 New Kings James Version]

Brother Glenn: What is the greatest destruction, the greatest devastation, that the people of this world will suffer? This will happen on the Day of Judgement. Now what did the Apostle Peter say will happen on the Day of Judgement? It’s very clear what it says in the Bible, “the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and works that are in it will be burned up.” Everything will be destroyed.

Brother Dennis: Now, some of our friends who may be watching are thinking, why[are we] so certain that this will happen? Because there are still skeptics out there who do not believe that God would destroy all things. Now, are there examples in the Bible of instances when the Almighty God decided to destroy all things because of His anger against the sin committed by man? Brother Rommel, what does the Bible say about this?

Brother Rommel: In actuality, Brother Dennis, there are examples by the Bible about God bringing disaster upon the vast majority, and we could read that in 2 Peter, 2:5-7:

and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked

[2 Peter 2:5-7 New Kings James Version]

Brother Rommel: The Bible gives us two examples here about the vast destruction of the majority. For example, during the time of Noah, you notice the vast majority were destroyed. 

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Brother Rommel: How many were saved from that flood? Only eight people in total. Noah was only one of eight people you know, his wife, his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth and their wives. A total of only eight were saved from drowning in that flood.

During the time of Righteous Lot, it was only Lot, his wife, and his two daughters who were saved from Sodom and Gomorrah. We also know what happened to his wife. She looked back, contrary to the instruction of the angel, and turned into a pillar of salt. Nevertheless, it was Righteous Lot, who’s related to Abraham, who was saved from that destruction in Sodom and Gomorrah, showing that the vast majority there were being destroyed. Why? Because of the sin of mankind. Because of the sins of the times, of the people at those times. 

Now when it comes to all this, we should not all the more be surprised if disasters and calamities are happening in our time. Why not? Because it was prophesied. Our Lord God knows the future. Our Lord God Almighty told us the future in advance. What did our Lord God say would happen to the world right before the Day of Judgement? We could see that here in Ezekiel, 7:5-8, this is what our Lord God prophesied through His prophets. And we can read what the Bible says here:

This is what the Sovereign LORD is saying: “One disaster after another is coming on you. It’s all over. This is the end. You are finished. The end is coming for you people who live in the land. The time is near when there will be no more celebrations at the mountain shrines, only confusion. “Very soon now you will feel all the force of my anger. I am judging you for what you have done, and I will pay you back for all your disgusting conduct.

[Ezekiel 7:5-8 Today’s English Version]

Brother Rommel: Right before the end of the world, what did our Lord God say would happen? “One disaster after another is coming.” So, we shouldn’t be surprised if we live in a time where we could see one disaster after another. There are tsunamis that are killing thousands upon thousands in our lifetime. We can see devastating earthquakes in our lifetime. Superstorms like Yolanda and Sandy and all the other kinds of storms, typhoons, that are devastating, causing so much damage all over the world, as well as all of these acts of terrorism. These are all signs that very soon the Day of Judgement will come. Very soon, the greatest destruction will happen to mankind, and that’s when our Lord God will end this world. 

Brother Dennis: Thank you, Brothers. Friends, when we come back, we will answer the question, “Did our Lord God create mankind just to destroy them?” and, “Is there hope of not being part of this punishment of the Lord God in Heaven?” All this when we return on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition.

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INC INTERNATIONAL EDITION

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DENNIS LOVENDINO

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEl

Brother Dennis: Welcome back to the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today we’ve been discussing about the disasters that we experience in this life. 

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Brother Dennis: And we have also learned that the greatest disaster has yet to be experienced by man and that would take place on the Day of Judgement or the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Terrible events that we have seen like the terrorist attacks and other forms of violence are just signs that the ultimate destruction is going to come. 

Now, Brother Ruben, earlier we asked, did our Lord God make mankind only to destroy them? And is there hope of not being part of that punishment that our Lord God will bring to man on the Day of Judgement?

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RUBEN BUSTOS

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Ruben: Well, Brother Dennis, those are good questions. But we should allow our Father to answer those questions, and we could read His response here in the Book of Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 32, He says this:

For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” 

[Ezekiel 18:32 New King James Version]

Brother Ruben: Now we go back to the question: Did our Lord God create mankind just to destroy them? Well the answer is no. The proof of this is God’s declaration. Our Father says, “…I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies.” We have to notice, Brothers, that God does not want us to be destroyed. The terrorist acts and random acts of violence do not please our Father in Heaven.

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Brother Ruben: But what is it that our Father wants? Well, let’s remember what He mentioned here, that He wants us to turn and to live. Now there is something that we should notice here, Brothers, that there is hope in the way that man can be saved from the great destruction or devastation. How can we have that hope? Well, we should turn to our Father in Heaven. But how is it that man could turn to our Lord God? What is the proper way? Allow again the Bible to answer, beloved friends, in Jeremiah, chapter 6 and the verse is 16: 

Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

[Jeremiah 6:16 New King James Version]

Brother Ruben: How is it that man can turn to our Lord God so that he could be saved from devastation? Well, our Lord God is advising us to find the good way, and after finding that good way, we should walk in it.

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ROMMEL SAN PEDRO

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Rommel: Brother, it would be important to point out to our viewers that the path, or that good way, is not as common as people assume. It’s a common assumption of people that just any path could lead to our Lord God, or there are multiple paths that lead to our Lord God, but that common assumption is contradictory to what our Lord Jesus Christ Himself taught, here in Matthew 7:13-14:

“Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it. 

[Matthew 7:13-14 The Living Bible]

Brother Rommel: Let’s point out again that the one who is speaking, in these verses, is our Lord Jesus Christ. And our viewers, I know every one of our viewers, if given a choice, they all want to go to where? To Heaven, otherwise known as the Holy City. We want to go to Heaven. None of us want to go to Hell, none of us want to end up in the Lake of Fire.

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Brother Rommel: But what did our Lord Jesus Christ say? Heaven can only be entered through where? The narrow gate or the narrow door and there are few who find it. How about the wide gate, the broad gate, that’s the gate that leads to where? That’s the road that leads to Hell. It’s easy, the multitudes are on that path. It’s where people assume the right way is. Because people, when they make the assumptions, a lot of times they base it on the majority opinion or on polls. 

But according to the Bible, if we do it like that, we’re in trouble. And so we have to find that narrow gate, we have to find the narrow path, and we don’t have much time. What’s the proof [that] we don’t have much time? Well the show is about how close we are to the end—the devastation, all the destruction, all the disasters happening around us, from the terrorist attacks to all the calamities, are showing us that our time is running out. We have to be on that narrow path. We have to be on that straight road that leads towards Heaven or Eternal Life.

Brother Dennis: And, Brothers, I would like to point out that what our Lord Jesus Christ said is contrary to what many people today think—that all religions are like roads that will lead to the same destination, that you can take any of these religions, as long as you are serving God, that you will be assured of entering the Kingdom of Heaven. But as our Lord Jesus Christ said, Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate. Now, dear friends, in order for us to make sure that we enter the narrow gate and to be saved from eternal devastation, we need to know: How can we enter that narrow gate? Now all this when we return, on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition.

[Break]

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INC INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Brother Dennis: Hello, friends, and welcome back to the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. 

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DENNIS LOVENDINO

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Brother Dennis: Today we’ve been discussing about disasters that we experience in this life. And we have learned so far, in our discussion, that the greatest disaster has yet to be experienced, and that is the one that will take place on Judgement Day. The Bible taught us that the way to be saved from that destruction is through the narrow gate. Now, Brothers, our question that we would like to address now for our viewers, “How is it that we can enter that narrow gate?”

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GLENN DAVID

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Glenn: Well, we can enter that narrow gate by asking that to the Savior Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, and He explains here in John 10, 7 and 9, it says:

Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, …

[John 10: 7, 9 New King James Version]

Brother Glenn: So what is that way to enter the narrow gate? Our Lord Jesus Christ clearly explains here—”I am the door of the sheep.” Since Christ is the door of the sheep, what does He expect? He expects us to enter through Him, the door, so that we may be saved. So if we want to be saved, we have to follow this instruction, this command of our Lord Jesus Christ. But how can we do that? In another translation of the Holy Scriptures in John 10:9, in the Revised English Bible, it reads this way:

I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe. …

[John 10:9 Revised English Bible]

Brother Glenn: So if anyone wants to be saved, or safe from that eternal punishment, one must enter the Lord Jesus Christ or be part of that fold or flock.

Brother Ruben: Well, Brother Glenn, that brings us to a question: Which is that fold or flock that a person must be a part of, so that he could be saved from eternal destruction? Well, let’s read the answer here in the Book of Acts, chapter 20, verse 28. This is what the Apostles teach to us:

Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood

[Acts 20:28 Lamsa]

Brother Ruben: Which is the flock that is being mentioned by the Holy Scriptures? Well, it is none other than the Church Of Christ. Hence, the Church Of Christ is the narrow path in which one would be able to enter the Lord Jesus Christ, so that he could return to our Lord God and to be saved from the eternal destruction.

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ROMMEL SAN PEDRO

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Rommel: I’d like to point out to our beloved viewers, who are watching our show, that we’re not saying that if you join the Iglesia Ni Cristo or the Church Of Christ you’re not going to end up going through some kind of calamity in your life.

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Brother Rommel: No, we’re not saying that at all. It’s hard to know when a calamity will strike, an earthquake, or terrorist attack. We make preparations to prevent ourselves from being in that kind of situation. We also have disaster preparedness in case anything happens, we have food and water to take care of us and our needs. But what we’re talking about is the most devastating disaster. That’s the Day of Judgement, when fire will come down to destroy this world. We can do something to prepare for that. And what is that? We have to be in the true Church Of Christ. We have to be in the Church our Lord Jesus Christ built. We have to be in that Church to be saved on the Day of Judgement.

Brother Dennis: And, Brothers, I would like to point out also that we are not teaching that it is the Church Of Christ that will save man—no. The Bible is clear. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the appointed Savior. So, what is the importance of the Church? It is the Church through which our Lord Jesus Christ will perform the process of salvation. Now, dear friends, when we return, we will learn how important the decision is for us to join the true Church Of Christ. Please stay with us.

[Break]

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INC INTERNATIONAL EDITION

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DENNIS LOVENDINO

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Dennis: Welcome back to the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today we’ve been discussing about disasters that we experience in this life and why they happen.

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Brother Dennis: Now we learned that calamities and disasters, even the ones that come in the form of terrorist attacks or random acts of violence, are signs that the ultimate destruction is going to come on the Day of Judgement. And whenever there are calamities, whenever there are natural disasters that happen, we in the Church Of Christ or Iglesia Ni Cristo, are extending our assistance. Whatever assistance that we can give to those who are victims of these natural calamities. Now, let’s watch a video clip of the things that the Iglesia Ni Cristo has been doing to help those who have been victims of disasters and natural calamities.

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Philippines

Get to know this Church we are introducing

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The INC Giving Show

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2015 Outreach

Projects of The INC Continue to Grow Internationally

Narrator: Almost every week, the Iglesia Ni Cristo, through a partnership with the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation—continues to hold numerous Outreach Evangelical Missions in different parts of the world.

Female News Anchor: My Countrymen, My Brethren held an outreach evangelical mission …

Male News Anchor: The Iglesia Ni Cristo held an outreach program in the town of Isabela …

Female News Anchor: More than 20,000 families living in Salam compound were able to receive medicine most especially for the children …

Narrator: This year alone, numerous events have been held in provinces throughout the Philippines, and even reaching King William’s Town, South Africa.

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King William’s Town, South Africa

Sister Thandiwe Songwaxa (INCTV Correspondent): We are having My Countrymen, My Brethren, wherein we are going to be sharing the words of God with the people of South Africa. And after that, we are going to give them food parcels.

Interviewee: So the project or the Church Of Christ, what it’s doing, that’s giving something to them.

Brother Carlo Ramos (INCTV Correspondent): Brethren pitched in to help package relief goods…

Narrator: Relief missions, giving immediate aid to those struck by calamity, is another continued effort witnessed in 2015 as well.

Brother Carlo: We can see how quickly the Church Administration reached out and helped those affected by what took place; they not only helped fellow members of the Church Of Christ, but even our countrymen who were devastated by the storm. 

Narrator: The INC also inaugurated a new, self-sustaining, 100 hectare, eco farming site in Paracale, Camarines Norte in November, to assist 300 households of the province’s indigenous Kabihug community. 

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The INC Giving Show

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2015 Outreach

Projects of The INC Continue to Grow Internationally

NAIC, CAVITE, 19.6 hectares

TANAY, RIZAL, 42 hectares

SAN MIGUEL, BULACAN, 69 hectares

PINUGAY, RIZAL

Narrator: It is the INC’s tenth eco farming area. 

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NEW ERA UNIVERSITY, Quezon City, Mushroom House

LANAO, 26,000 hectares

Alang Alang, Leyte, 3,000 hectares

Narrator: Established after the launch of a 3000-hectare, EVM self sustainable, eco-farming community in Leyte earlier in 2015, implemented to assist local residents in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, which struck the province in November 2013. 

Interviewee: I would also like to thank our Executive Minister so much for the help he gave to the Kabihug tribe and to our fellow brethren. We were able to find [a means of] livelihood in this place, we did not expect that that would happen here.

Interviewee: We are so happy and we are all extremely grateful.

[Video ends]

Brother Dennis: Now as we have seen in the video, during the Hurricane Sandy that devastated many towns and cities in New Jersey and New York way back in 2012, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) was able to extend our material assistance to those who have been victims of that calamity. And Brother Rommel, were you not there during that assistance? 

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ROMMEL SAN PEDRO

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Rommel: Yes, Brother. I was fortunate enough to be there during that time to help in giving the relief goods to those who had been affected. We were able to, with the help of  our Lord God, deliver a lot of those goods also in the middle of Times Square, where there were thousands of brethren who participated and united with the Church in giving those goods to those victims. 

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Rockaway, New York

Elizabeth, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey

Staten Island, New York

Times Square, New York City

Brother Rommel: And the victims were very happy in receiving the relief goods. They were filled with great joy in seeing and feeling our great love and concern for them, not only in the Time Square area, but as you mentioned, all over New York and New Jersey. I also remember all the houses that were toppled, all the devastating results of that disaster. It was a very major superstorm that was unprecedented. They didn’t expect anything like that to ever happen in New York City and then it happened. So, people, they don’t realize that things should happen anytime, anywhere these days. Things are, that’s the way the world is today. Things could just happen anywhere, anytime. And you have to be prepared for those types of eventualities.

Brother Dennis: Brother Glenn, wasn’t there a disaster also in Australia a few years ago, where the Church Of Christ was able to extend our material assistance to the victims? 

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GLENN DAVID

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Glenn: Yes, there was. I believe it was February 2013. There was a great flood in Bundaberg, where a lot of people lost their homes, a lot of great damage was done during that time. And I remember during that time, there was only about a week’s notice when the Church Administration made a call for the brethren to go there and help, and it was inspiring to see that all these brethren would drop everything—they’ll take time off work, time off school just to travel 18 to 30 hours by car and bus just to go all the way to Bundaberg, which is like in the outback, and then to help clean up, to give relief bags, and also material assistance to the schools and to the council, cash assistance, school equipment. 

And I can remember the Mayor, he had this great smile on his face, and it’s something that I would never forget because he looked very, very happy, indeed. And I think he’ll remember us, the Church Of Christ, for a long time.

Brother Dennis: And Brother Ruben, do you also remember that super typhoon that struck the southern city of Tacloban here in the Philippines?

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RUBEN BUSTOS

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Ruben: Yes, Brother. One of the things I remember watching on TV, one of the news channels, they were interviewing people and saying that a lot of relief efforts were done even before the government had done anything. And you know, we know that it was us that was the first ones on the scene to be helping people, assisting them. Even when the storm hit, we were already helping them. Then after that, the Administration came up with various ways to help people with their livelihood, various ways to help them in rebuilding their homes, and such. It was not only for members of the Church, but even non-members as well. 

Brother Dennis: And I remember a week after that super typhoon struck, I was fortunate to be part of the team that was sent by the Church Administration. And we ourselves, have seen the great devastation—all the homes are leveled down to the ground. People are homeless, there [is] no water that [is] clean, available for the people to use.

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DENNIS LOVENDINO

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL

Brother Dennis: But what is very, very, inspiring is the efforts being done by the Iglesia Ni Cristo in extending our assistance to our fellowmen, members or non-members alike. And we also would like to point out that our assistance to them is not limited to material things. Because right after those devastation, we also held our Evangelical Missions to make sure that the people are not only provided their material needs here on earth, but to make sure that they are given the most important nourishment, and that is the one for their soul—the words of God that are written in the Bible. 

So going back to our discussion, Brothers, how important is it for one to make a decision now, to be able to follow the command of the Savior to enter the narrow gate, or to become a member of the Church Of Christ?

Brother Glenn: We’d like to highlight to our friends, especially those who are watching, that God has an expectation concerning our decision when it comes to joining the Church Of Christ. And we could read that here in 2 Corinthians, chapter 6,1-2. This is what the Bible says here:

As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

[2 Corinthians 6:1-2 New International Version]

Brother Glenn: So, when is the time that the Lord God is expecting us to make a decision? The Apostle Paul says here, “now is the time of God’s favor,” now is the time for us to be saved. So, we shouldn’t hesitate. We shouldn’t procrastinate. We shouldn’t wait till tomorrow, next year, next week, but we should make our decision now to join the Church Of Christ.

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things To Happen

Brother Glenn: Now why is that? Why is now the best time to make the decision to join the Church Of Christ? Let’s read here in Hebrews, chapter 3, verse 15, this is what the Apostles teach us here, it says:

As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” 

[Hebrews 3:15 New International Version]

Brother Glenn: Now, why is now the best time for us to make that decision to join the Church Of Christ? Just like what the Apostles taught us, “Today, if you hear His voice,” and of course we have heard the call of the Lord God. Just like now we’re hearing the call of God through the study of these lessons, these discussions, that we are having here on these TV programs of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. When we receive that Pasugo or God’s Message magazine, we read the articles, we are hearing God’s voice through the words that we are reading. 

As well as when we are invited to Grand Evangelical Missions or to Bible study on doctrines, we are hearing the voice of God. And once we hear the voice of God, what is God expecting from each one of us? It is to make that decision. Now, as in now at this very moment. Why? Because today is the moment for us to be saved.

Brother Ruben: You know, Brothers, if a person for example, one that may be watching this program right now, if they heard a warning on TV or radio regarding an impending destruction. For example, they heard that a tornado was about to hit or maybe a superstorm or typhoon or hurricane was about to hit—

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Today’s Topic: Why God Allows Bad Things to Happen

Brother Ruben: I’m pretty sure that many of them would move into action, because they would not want their family, their lives most especially, to be affected by it. But beloved friends, we were given this warning by the Holy Scriptures regarding the impending destruction on the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s why the Bible is urging us, our Father above all is urging each one of us, to make that decision to save our soul on the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we could heed that advice of our Father in Heaven by making that decision in our life, by embracing the Church Of Christ or becoming a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the Church Of Christ.

Brother Rommel: Brother Ruben, I’d like to point out that when it comes to why now is the right time for people to join the Church Of Christ, not only do we not know when the Day of Judgement is, we don’t know the day of our death. We don’t know the day when we’ll pass away. While we’re alive, while we can understand the gospel, while we can hear the preaching and receive the Holy Baptism, that’s the time for us to join the Church Of Christ, because you can only join the Church Of Christ if you are alive, if you’re listening to the true gospel. And if people are really listening to what we preach, that’s all they can—they could see that. That we teach by means of question and answer. We ask the Bible the question, the answer comes directly from the Bible. 

That’s why we have much proof that this is the true Church Of Christ that people need to enter in order to be saved on Judgement Day. So I’d like to make an appeal to all the members of the Church—now is the time to invite our loved ones and friends, not just the viewers to come to listen, but it’s now the time to focus. Now is the time. Just like Noah prepared his family to be in that ark, just like Lot brought his family outside the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, now’s the time to make sure that everyone we love and care about, our loved ones and our friends, are inside the Church Of Christ. Let’s missionize, let’s share our faith, let’s be bold, let’s be brave. Why? Because the end is coming soon.

Brother Dennis: Dear viewers, we thank you for joining us today in our episode. We invite you to join us in our next episodes and also invite you to attend the worship service nearest you. We’d also like to thank Brother Ruben Bustos in Los Angeles, Brother Rommel San Pedro in San Francisco and Brother Glenn David in Sydney, Australia, for giving us Bible based answers—so that, as the Apostle Peter said to the members of the Church, you will be “ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are,” as written in 1 Peter 3:15. That does it for us here on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. I’m Dennis Lovendino, thanks for watching. We invite you to join us for a prayer.

Brother Ruben: Our most gracious and loving Father in Heaven, we offer to You our profound thanks, for giving us this opportunity to share once again with our fellow man Your words of truth recorded in the Holy Scriptures, so that they would be able to understand Your divine will and reach the great blessing of salvation on the Day of Judgement. 

Truly, Father, living in this world is very difficult. There are many calamities that affect the life of many people. There are acts of violence, our Lord God. There is impending destruction that is around us, Father in Heaven. We know that these are all signs that show that the Day of Judgement is truly fast approaching. That’s why, please be merciful upon our friends and our loved ones, those who are outside the Church. Please help them to realize, our God, the importance of embracing this faith, our God, embrace the Church Of Christ or the Iglesia Ni Cristo, so that they would make that decision in their life, oh God, to be members of your Church, and through this receive your protection, above all, the salvation for our souls. 

Please help our friends into action. Please help them to realize, our Lord God, the importance of making this decision. So that together, oh God, when the Day of Judgement shall come, we would be able to join them and us, our Father in Heaven, in receiving the promised salvation. 

Lord Jesus, our Savior, please make intercession for us—beseeching our great God to grant our request to help our friends and loved ones to be able to become members of Your Church, so that we could receive the graces of our Father in Heaven. 

Father, please continue to utilize this program in calling more people inside Your Church, so that more people will know You, oh God, and be able to fulfill Your divine will. Please continue to maintain our connection with the spirit that reigns within the Church Administration, for all these ask and beg for, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

[Show ends]

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