|
 |
 |
|||
Volume. XXIII, No. 19 Testimonies
TESTIMONY OF BRO COLIN GAN (for transfer of membership)
My salvation came about in 1976 when my brother witnessed to me using the “4 Spiritual Laws” tract, which points out that: 1. God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life. 2. Man is sinful and separated from God. 3. Jesus Christ is God\'s only provision for We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God\'s love and plan for our lives. The Holy Spirit convicted me of my sins, the need of my repentance and it was with many tears that I prayed the sinner’s prayer and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. As I look back through the years, I cannot say that I have always had a right relationship with God, and in the times that I have had a right relationship, I cannot claim any credit for them. God has always been the one that has brought me back to Him, and kept me a Christian. His love, providence, mercy and grace never fail. Looking back, I can see that He directs my steps and watches over my life all the time. I did not come from a Christian family, and though my brother had been instrumental in bringing me to Christ, he was also a young Christian starting out on his own Christian walk, so there was little follow-up from within the family. Yet in our spiritual infancy, God kept us from false doctrines and teachings, and the churches we attended and the organizations we have been involved with have had sound Biblical foundations. During my three years study in the UK, where Grace joined me a year later as my wife, and now with my family, God has provided us with the right Christian fellowship and support for our Christian growth. John 10:29 “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father\'s hand”. Even in career choices, I see God’s hand directing. I once tasted a seaman’s life but He showed me this was not for me and led me into an electrical engineering career, which offered more stability for a family man. In time, I climbed up the corporate ladder. As I contemplated the world around me, status, materialism, the rat race and the things of this world became more meaningless. What are we living for? Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose” as he went into the mission field to the Auca Indians in Ecuador and there lost his life for God. Jim’s wife and daughter continued his mission work with the Aucas in spite of this, and God used their ministry powerfully to bring salvation to the Aucas. Matt 6:19 –20 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:” When we became a family, God added a new dimension to my understanding of His relationship with me and His children, His judgements and punishments as recorded in the Bible, and the sacrifice God made in Christ Jesus. In disciplining my own children, I can appreciate God’s disciplining of me. How gracious is God for His love and patience towards us. What does the future hold for us? Who knows but God alone, in Whom all things are subjected to. Rom 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. What has God done in my life? Everything that’s worthwhile, and I look forward to what is to come. I end with the verse that brought me into this wonderful relationship with my Father, Creator God. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. TESTIMONY OF SIS GRACE GAN (for transfer of membership) When Pastor Ki approached us a couple of months back regarding transferring our Church membership to Hope, we were not entirely surprised as we have been worshipping here for more than 1 ½ years now. This also got us thinking of our home Church in Singapore, the beginning of my Christian life. In giving my testimony, I was occupied with the age old question, where should I start? It has been so many years since I asked Jesus to come into my life and there is so much to say of how gracious God has been to me. Well a quick summary, I was born into a Christian family with my paternal great-grandfather, paternal grandmother and parents being born-again Christians. I was brought up with Christian lullabies, attended Sunday School, worshipped with my family and prayer was second nature to all of us at home. My family would get together to pray in good times and bad and we have always found strength and direction from God through prayer. When I was twelve, I received Jesus as my Saviour. God has been gracious towards me and I thank him for His plans for me. While serving Him in the Music Ministry, I met my husband and life-time partner Colin, whom you all know. Together, we have been blessed with three beautiful children, Kimberley, Natalie and Timothy. When we thought of migration, it was because we wanted our children to be able to enjoy their childhood while also enjoying a fuller education. We left our plans and prayers in heaven and He directed us here to Adelaide. When we first came by faith, we were both not employed but we knew we had a church we could worship in, where we can find genuine Christian fellowship with Pastor, Myung and all of you. We knew that in His time, all will fall into place and indeed God is good for he has provided and continues to provide for all our needs. My journey has not ended but I know our Lord Jesus goes ahead of us and walks with us. In closing, I would like to share two favourite verses from the bible with you: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Sprit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Eph 6:18) and “I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.” (Ps 118:21) TESTIMONY BY SIS JUDY XIAOSHEN LI (for Holy Baptism) Praise God for salvation! I know that I am such a horrible sinner. I deserve to go to hell! But our heavenly Father is such a loving God. He sent his only son our Lord Jesus Christ to save us sinners. By believing in Him, our sins were forgiven and we can have eternal life. Not by good works, but by faith in Him alone. I once was lost, but now I am found by my shepherd. I know that by believing in Him, we will bear the cross. I am willing to take the cross, because that is nothing when we think of what our Lord has suffered. I am not afraid, because I know whom I believe in and He is with me always. I confess I am a sinner and I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. He died on the cross for our sin and rose up again. He finished all his work on earth and went to heaven. He said He will come again and my hope is looking forward to His coming. I am willing to give my life to Him, let Him be the Master, and walk closely with Him. (Next week: Testimonies by Pastor David & Sis Susan Weng will be published) |
|