By Cyrus A. Natividad
Japheth Espinosa was the CEW speaker for the Junior High School convocations.
In the morning of August 13, 2019, the Rose Memorial Auditorium was filled with enthusiastic students. It was the opening of the Christ Emphasis Week (CEW) Convocation for the Junior High School.
Japheth Davis Espinosa is the invited CEW speaker that morning at the Rose Memorial Auditorium. He is a Centralian from Kindergarten to 3rd year High School. He belongs to a family with many businesses. His wife and children also studied in CPU.
What is noteworthy about him is that he speaks honestly about himself; “You got to see what is the real me, I have nothing to hide”, he said. “That is how I understand “No Filter”, Espinosa added.
Espinosa talked about how he had fallen with drugs and alcohol. To avoid being tempted to use drugs, he attended regularly the Bible study with his wife at their residence – until somebody tempted him to use drugs. “It was of a little amount until I lost control. I became addicted and became totally dependent on ‘shabu’ and alcohol; I had to find them at all cost, anytime when I needed them”, he said.
“My life was a total mess and miserable, I told my wife”. “Then I told myself that my life is going darker”. “I asked protection from God, and that I was successfully rehabilitated. I turned to the Bible verses that assured me about changing, about living a new life with Christ”.
In his message at the CEW, Espinosa said “Jesus Christ changed me”, declaring Him as “my Lord and helper – referring to the verses in Matthew 10: 32-33. Espinosa also pointed to the verse in Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you…” to drive the point that God has a wonderful plan for each one of us if we surrender our lives to Him.
In addition, Espinosa encouraged everyone to live in Christ, and declared that “There is no place to run. God is the safe place to hide, He never leaves us for one moment”.
Espinosa, having been used by God, is now engaged with the Celebrate Recovery Ministry that is helping people with substance abuse. When Japheth was introduced by Rev. Cris Amorsolo V. Sian, Senior Pastor of the University Church, it was said that he baptized 63 “tokhang surrenderees” whom he has been ministering into.