Behold! Bro. Eli is telling the truth about Catholic Church Idols!

The TV program that night ended, but I could not explain the feeling inside of me. I got very angry with Bro. Eli! I hated him! It was maddening! And yet it was the truth! I was contented with what I heard, but I did not entertain it.

By Jocelyn Cervania

I clearly remembered my days when I was still a member of the Catholic Church. At primary years, it was a school requirement to attend Sunday Mass and ask the parochial priest to affix his signature to our index card as proof of our attendance.

I was also then a member of the Legion of Mary, where we study the life about Mary, mother of Jesus. My interest to serve God increased and in my own understanding of how to show it, I started joining some church groups introduced that time. I went to nearby churches that celebrated their saint’s day. I always made myself present in every traditional practice of the Catholic Church. For that, in my own assessment, I was an active church goer and religious person. In all those days I had spent, we studied the Bible very minimal.

At my collegiate years, I felt a hunger deep inside of me. Despite continuing the church services every Sunday and the usual practices, I still had the feeling of discontentment. And such feeling of discontentment drove me to look for another religion.

I attended once the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) worship, and after learning that Jesus is not God in their doctrine, I discontinued attending. Many times, too, I had attended Born-Again Movement groups, and I thought I found already what I was searching for. My enthusiasm, however, began to wane every time they preached about contributions. I knew it was in the Bible, but I had the feeling that there was something wrong.

I first heard the televised preaching of Bro. Eliseo Soriano in my friend’s house when I visited her. Her mother was an inactive member of the Members Church of God International (MCGI) that Bro. Eli preached. I clearly remembered that it was due to the “gayak” doctrine (Christian Dressing) that she discontinued attending. I didn’t understand her explanation then. Also, I wasn’t interested much; neither did I clearly understand Bro. Eli’s preaching at that moment. I had other interests, and so I never heard Bro. Eli again.

Later, my life turned sour; I had emotional problems, but my newly-found religion (the Born-Again) did nothing to comfort me. I found myself wanting my desperate life to end as I was so depressed that time. My depression turned to frustrations. My frustrations turned to sins. And those sins turned me into another human being – alive but with a life so meaningless.

Having had acquired insomnia, I stayed late watching TV. And that was the second time I heard Bro. Eli at SBN 21, when there was no other channel airing that late night.

Bro. Eli preached with much boldness and bravery, and each time he read Bible verses to prove what he was saying. This time the topic was about the practices of the Roman Catholic Church regarding idols. I ran to fetch my Bible and hurriedly looked for the verses for myself. I had doubts then that he was telling the truth.

Behold! Bro. Eli is telling the truth about Roman Catholic Church idols! Lo! The Bible verses are written very clearly, he is telling no lies! God is much displeased with idol worship! For many years, I had believed the opposite.

The TV program that night ended, but I could not explain the feeling inside of me. I got very angry with Bro. Eli! I hated him! It was maddening! And yet it was the truth! I was contented with what I heard, but I did not entertain it.

The next night, something was telling me to watch again the program”Ang Dating Daan,” and I did. At the same time, there was also something pushing me to change the channel and stop listening to Bro. Eli. I prayed so hard to God with tears, asking Him for His guidance. Deep within me, I knew that I had found the true religion! It was the one I had been searching for a very long time!

I have no words to explain my feelings every time I hear Bro. Eli’s preaching. I find myself contented. This preacher was sent by God, for he is telling no lies. He is just reading the Bible to explain and to answer everyone. I have my Bible on me, and I can verify everything he is saying.

I never went to the Catholic Church again: neither to the Born-Again groups.

On June 8, 2007, together with my husband, I got baptized. We are very fortunate to be members of the Church of God International!

[Jocelyn Cervania is a member of the Locale of Amaya, South District, Cavite.]