United in love, faith and service to God

“Therefore, as God's chosen people holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgives you and over all these virtues put love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through Him".

Colossians 3:12-14, 17

I am Mrs. Gemma B. Tagab of Lomanoy Lila, Bohol , married to Jonathan C. Tagab. My husband and I want to praise the Lord and proclaim His miraculous deeds. We will give Him thanks for the peace, love and unity that He brought to our family. My first testimony was written in this column last Sept. 17, 2006. I further testify my life's experiences having been in the grace of faith together with my husband's conversion to adhere God's call. In March 2004, my five months old daughter got sick of fever. Since I already experienced the gift of healing through prayers and Gods words alone, I never went to hospital instead I went to a healing prayer meeting in Tagbilaran together with the healing ministry. The prayer meeting started 7 pm to 11pm . Since I live in Lila, I used to sleep in my best friend's house at Tiptip.

My husband who works abroad called up at 12 midnight . My mother-in-law answered the call and told my husband that our daughter was sick of fever and I went to a healing prayer meeting. Upon knowing that I was in Tagbilaran for prayer, he got angry. He asked me in his text why we should not seek treatment at the hospital. He told me that it is not right for me to just sleep in other house. He said in his text a dog is better than me. He further insults me and said that I can never be trusted. The words he used to insult me were harsh words. I was hurt. Even my best friend Ester, shed her tears upon reading his text. That night prior to that incident, I heard a message from Fr. Edgar that says "If anybody throws bad words against you. If you are in Christ, be patient and never do the same to that person so that he can see that you are in Christ".

I answered my husband with bible passages with love and compassion. The more he got angry. He said I'm just using Jesus to cover my wrong acts. The next day, he called up and told me to pack my clothes for he wanted separation. He said that he already warned me that he doesn't want to hear news that I am in other places joining prayer meetings. Prior to that incident he already told me that I should stop attending prayer meetings. He warned me to cut my monthly allotments if I continue to do so. His reasons of preventing me to attend prayer is that, If I will be in prayer meeting and serve the Lord my time is redirected to service to God and my children will be neglected. I want to reason out and explain to him the importance of God in our family but he never listened.

I never uttered any words against him. I never fight him back. The only word that I answered to him is "IN JESUS NAME" despite of all the bad words he throws against me. He told me that my answer to him is a cursed against him. I prayed and I realized that Satan is using my husband to test my faith in Jesus. That night I prayed and sang praises. I cast out evil in the name of Jesus. I saw the devil, black in color with long tail pass in front of me. I prayed heartily and claimed that Satan has no authority to use my husband. Everyday I sing praises to God. I never packed my clothes and went home but I prayed that God will save us as promised in Psalm 34:19. I told Jesus that I will never stop serving Him. Even if I will lose my husband as long as Jesus never leaves me. After three days my husband called up asking forgiveness and he told me that he is coming home. A year after, I lead the daily prayer in our place. A lot of people were healed from different diseases by God's word alone.

May 2005, my husband came for a vacation. A week after he got sick of tonsillitis. I asked him to choose between prayer and medicine. I give him conditions that if he chose medicine I will never pray. He asked me to buy medicine. After one week, his condition became worst. He can't open his mouth, he chilled because of fever. He also had hyper acidity for he took medicine but fewer intakes. My five year old son went to him and asks his condition. He told our son that his condition became worst. Our child told him " Ikaw man god papa gahi man ka ulo ug nagpa pray kapa ulian unta ka dayun."

He further testifies that he was healed ahead of time when he got fever. My husband heart was broken upon hearing his son's faith. He was ashamed, that a 5 yr old has a greater faith than him. Aside from that, as a son telling his father God is unthinkable. He called me and the whole family gathered for prayer. After I hr. he was totally healed. He jumped and yelled "Alleluia!" Starting from that day, he realized that if somebody went to the hospital and become 50-50, the doctor says only miracle can save the life of the patient. My husband said that if we will go directly to God and ask miracle before it becomes 50-50, then there's a bigger chance that the patient would be saved. Now, by the grace of God we are united in prayer and in faith, We both now serve the Lord for His Glory. Amen.

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