My name is Adrian Sales Rivera. I was born in the Philippines where 81 percent of the population are Roman Catholics, a denomination where I spend most of my life attending Sunday masses on a regular basis. I grew up in thinking that it is my obligation to spend an hour each week to attend church masses and counting good deeds as my passes to heaven. But day by day I was living in sin. You won’t even imagine how good I was in disobeying God’s law given unto Moses and stated in Exodus chapter 20;
*False god
*Idolatry
*Misused thy Fathers name
*disrespect the Holiness of the Sabbath day
*dishonor thy father and mother
*Adultery
*Stealing
*False Accusation against another person
*Coveting
I almost got all ten if I didn’t manage to stop thinking of taking or losing my life out of depression caused by broken relationships, anger and carelessness. For if all these were just part of an exam, then maybe I must have passed them with flying colors.
All the while living in sin, in His sovereign grace; God never got tired to reach out for me. (Ephesians 2:1-2 ESV) September 12, 2006: While I was doing a temporary electrical connection at our newly constructed house, I suddenly heard a loud BUZZING sound and immediately I noticed that I was in a state of being electrocuted. Unable to release myself from the wiring that holds me, I could not move, I could not open my mouth to yell for help, and the last 4 seconds I knew were the longest 4 seconds in my life that I could remember. I turned to God and bargained for my life and ask
“Lord, spare my life and let me live for I’m still young, my parents still need me, and I would like to take care of them as they grow old.”
Sadly, I cannot do anything for myself, at that moment I am literally DEAD. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV) It was “Game Over” for me, after 4 seconds I passed out and fell 3 meters from ceiling to the floor creating a loud noise, unconscious and bleeding they rushed me to the hospital where I woke up and stayed for a week. Gracefully I was pardoned by the mercy of God, but I gave less credit to Him, and I lived as if nothing has happened joking and boasting on my friends that I am stronger than the 230 volt current that shocked me.
I came to Dubai 2007.
August 2010: Became the turning point of my being where in the midst of my sinful life and disappointments I had nowhere else to run to but God. Someone gave me my first Bible, An application Bible on my phone where I started reading verse by verse. Like a child learning how to walk I responded to an invitation to hear a preaching, later joined a small group in order for me to fully understand the message of the scripture and feed the hunger to grow in knowledge of the good news of Christ’s purpose on earth, what He lived and died for; was to make known to man the freeness of salvation by grace through faith in Christ by His death and resurrection redeemed us from sins so we can live by faith in Him all for the Father’s glory.
(Ephesians 2:1-2 ESV) And you were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.
That was me, DEAD nearly 7 years ago defines my life right there; separated from God and deserving of hell. Unable to do anything to save myself.
But I rejoice in Christ my savior who enables me to turn away from sin, and put my hope in Him alone.
(Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
This is me today, all by the grace of God who was and is patiently at work in me the whole 31 years of my life. Things have change since then, I have now a better view of life in light, and choice to resist darkness.
Join me as I grow in faith and pray for me as I publicly declare that the old me exist no longer, a new me come alive by the renewal of my spirit.
I am Adrian, a sinner saved by grace.
February 8, 2013-Dubai
Dear Adrian Rivera,
I am Matthew Collins from Blessed Hope Publishing. We are a publishing house devoted to the publication of manuscripts written on Christianity. Our aim is to diffuse the Word of God and to guide those embarking on their walk of faith. In this respect, we offer our services to publish preaches and other religious writings.
Our services are free of charge and your book will be available through more than 80,000 booksellers, among which amazon.com.
We would be pleased to know whether you would be interested in publishing with us.
Kindly confirm your interest in receiving more detailed information in this respect by contacting me via email (please see below in signature)
I am looking forward to hear from you.
Kind regards,
Matthew Collins
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Hi dear,
I am also a roman catholic. I was like you. But now I understood and feeling the unmeasurable love in that mass time. You said this is your obligation to spend an hour each week to attend church masses. I don’t know what you meant? But I just want to say, that 1 hour is the most precious time in the whole world. That is not simply mass, that is Eucharistic celebration. Jesus gave his body and blood for us. You just believe in that mass really Jesus is being offered as body and blood. JUST FEEL. That reminds us the love love love of our heavenly father. I tell you dear you will find the peace which this world can not give you at that time. I hope you will understand and feel dear. May god shower abundant love upon you. God bless!!! Our god is the most lovable merciful father. We are scattered because of this denomination. Come all my friends let us pray together for others and needy irrespective of the denominations.
Love,
Mary.
Adrian!!! We are serving an Almighty… The Almighty God!Reading your testimony,is like music in my ears!You realized what Jesus had in store for you!I cannot but just UNDERLINE Eph.2:8-9! God’s power and love and grace and peace can’t ever be described by us! Even if the whole world put their brains and knowledge together, and all of their best descriptions, they will be able to describe,…”maybe” a flash, of one of God’s characteristics!Even though we have an “idea” of love, peace and grace – we really fall so short of the Godly reality of the meanings of those words! The best words we can utter humanly,is something like “undescribable”, “amazing” and/or “mind boggling”! The fact is, God is more than “awesome”.His works are awesome, His plan is perfect in every way, and we can only praise His Fulness and Godliness!
In your testimony, it is clear for all to see! God take a “minus” and converts it into a “plus”! He does that with every child of Him!We all sinned against Him!The wonder is – the Godly prize He paid for us,through His Son Jesus Christ the Lord(our Lord), was and still is, the ultimate sacrifice!None could pay that, only the true Son of God- Jesus Christ!
His patience, shows His perfect love! One day, when we live and reign with Jesus, we will understand what “glorified” really means!Untill then, wow… run the race by the power that God gives to us, do that whole heartedly, and even if times are “tough and/or dark” , we may live with joy and with His Light as our guide…because NOTHING can take us(God’s children) away from His divine love and power! He already defeated Satan, and He wants us ,to walk in faith and in Victory in the prescious name of Jesus our Saviour!To be saved, to be free in Jesus Christ, how blessed are all of His children!
I praise God for His love and grace!!! For every soul that is saved, the angels in heaven rejoice! If they rejoice, surely it is a Godly gift to us, His children! We must pray that more and more people’s eyes, will be opened to see the truth,the Way and the Life! That is what this site is all about!Let us share in the joy of people who found/find Jesus as their true Saviour!We can rejoice with the angels in heaven and with all who truely Loves God the Father,God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as the Trinity! Thank you for sharing with us,may God bless you, in Jesus Name!Amen!
Hi pietergabriel,
Your words are true and it makes me to love god more. Thank you friend. May god shower all his blessings upon you. May the powerful god give you strength to spread the good news more and more.. Our almighty god is awesome. I always wonder looking at his creatures. I just LOVE him so so so so much. Thank you JESUS for making us your child, to feel your unconditional love, to enjoy your unmeasurable gifts every minute!!! Our god is a king of kings who gives us the gifts not by measuring, he gave Peter net full of fishes, 12 baskets full of breads. All are unmeasurable. We love you papa!! Taste and feel the god is good.
Love,
Mary
Hi Mary! Reading and/or writing in Testimonyshare is so fulfilling! Thank you for your blessings! All glory be unto God!
I’m sure you also experience the wonderful feeling of “giving” or sharing on this website! It is such a blessing, to read and to share testimonies, or give comment ,to strengthen and/or guide others by the grace of God! I want to do that all the time!The “living” water, coming from God, working through His children, who are the instruments in His Almighty hands, is such a form of healing! It creates joy, peace and strengthen us all!Praise God for that!
May God bless His children through this website, may we be blessings to each other through the Love of Jesus our Lord , and by the working of the Holy Spirit within us!For we are one body in Jesus Christ ,and by living in unity and love,we glorify the Name of God our Father , His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit within us! Father God, in the Name of Jesus,be with your children,teach us more and more to walk in faith, please bless each and everyone one of us, and let us shine your everlasting light in this world! You are the Almighty for ever and ever!Amen
Much appreciate your words pietergabriel and Mary.
Hi Everyone,
I hope all is well with you and with your family. I personally want to thanks you for all your responses in my testimony, I should have done this long ago after i have read your comments. none the less i would like to say thank you.
Matthew, I would love to consider your offer but I am not really a writer. But in any case, I give you the permission to used what I have written in anyway that it can help or inspire others for the glory of God.
Mary, I appreciate your words and I admire your love for Christ.. On my testimony i quoted ” I grew up in thinking that it is my obligation to spend an hour each week to attend church masses and counting good deeds as my passes to heaven.” Yes I do attend church masses and I spend an hour there standing/sitting but not really listening to the gospel and does not know the meaning of it then, my former life was composed of religious cultures and traditions, wrong perceptions and practices, that time I was blinded by thinking doing good and “literally” going to church will define myself as a Christian; I was wrong. None of my works would save me from sins and everything I do even if its good is still sin if I didn’t acknowledge Him as the righteous one who enables me to do good works; for without Him enabling us, we can’t do anything good.
Again I would like to thank you and ask you to include me in your prayers and you in mine as we journey the path which God has directed us to travel. -to Jesus.
Peter, How are you brother? I hope all is well with you.. Truly God is Sovereign and Almighty and is at work in every one of us. I find joy in the Lord sharing my testimony not for me to be known but for the name of Christ to be lifted, I am an ordinary person, sinful yet gracefully pardoned, deserving of death but rescued by Christ my savior.
Your words, together with Matthew and Mary are blessings for me. Again I would like to thank you also for your time..
May the Lord bless you and keep you together with your families safe as always..
In Christ,
-Adrian