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Seeking God
Fe Ballar
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The word of God has since come alive to me. I find myself thirsty to learn and understand God's word I grew up in a poor family, started working in my teenage years to support my family. I lived a sinful and worldly life, got into trouble many times due to making bad choices. God is kind to arrange for me to work for Christian employer. They brought me to church. Hearing messages each Sunday caused me to seek His guidance and direction in my life. March 13, 2005 God touched my heart to respond to an altar call and I surrendered my life to Christ
John 11:25-26 "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."
Amazing recovery
Celene Lim
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Some weeks ago, our home was broken into. Some things were stolen. The more significant ones were 3 rings & 2 diamond rings which I received as gifts from my mother-in-law and my mom, and my wedding band. My husband, Paul, lost 3 laptops which were inventories of HP. To be able to find such small items is like finding needles in a hackstack, but I made a police report of the theft at the nearest police post anyhow.
For 2 weeks, thereafter, we heard nothing from the police. During these 2 weeks, I was pondering in my heart as to what God was trying to teach us. At the same time, anger and vengeance built up in me towards the culprit. We had our suspicion that some workers who were doing some rectification work in our premises, did it! I was angry at them. I used to think that my material goods is no matter to me, but with this anger in me, I realized that I am wrong. God gave me an opportunity to revisit my humanity - my inner being and my unforgiving spirit.
On 10th Sept. 2006, the Sunday sermon was on I Cor. 9. - what do we discipline ourselves for? An altar call was made at the end, asking us to throw away our outward façade of religiosity with an inner contradiction. We were asked us to seek Gods forgiveness. I transacted with God in tears and I felt the chains of unforgiveness fell setting me free from bondage to the things that I held dearly to. A certain unspeakable joy filled my heart that morning. Three days later, a police called to say that they found my 3 rings! I couldn't believe my ears! What amazed me even more is how they recovered the stolen goods. Apparently, the police from Bedok HQ were doing their usual rounds on the east side. They decided to check the ID of a suspicious-looking pedestrian. The checks, somehow, lead them to a search of his hotel room which was where they found my lost items together with some other loot. This search was a totally independent work to the report I made at the Holland police post. What amount of chance do you think such a find is possible? Does this not amaze you?
I am still finding it so hard to believe that such an incident can happen without the intervention of the Most High! What do you think? One of my colleagues was saying that, possibly, my guardian angel was pointing at the culprit when the police passed him by! This is our God, whose favour is like a shield around His righteous (Ps.5).
Declaring His Glory!
Finding peace
Neo Chun Choon
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I grew up a parent-hater, people-hater, and a God-hater. In my days of childhood and teenage, I had always been adamant to prove myself to be strong, be it in academic areas, personal achievements, even the way I carry myself as well as the company that I mix with. Coming from a broken and dysfunctional family, I was convinced that there is absolutely no one dependable and trustworthy, and that I could only depend on myself if I ever want to survive in this world. I rejected God and His people, calling them hypocrites and even pointing the finger at the Most High Himself, blaming Him for all the hurts and troubles that I went through.
Then came a time when I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I could never find that true peace which I always longed for, never able to fill that void in my heart. I sank into depression and lost hope in everything: studies, family, friends, etc. Suicidal thoughts crept in, yet something held me back from ending it all. It was then, that a friend very randomly invited me to her church; a normal Sunday church service. It was not the first time I stepped into a church, but at my wits end, I decided within my heart to really give this Jesus a try. That day I experienced the peace of God. Being a person who constantly worries, this seemingly normal experience had such a profound effect on me, and I gave my life to Christ that very moment. The problems did not go away immediately, but He has been faithful and healing me slowly but surely, releasing me from all these bondages of sin, and leading me from glory unto glory.
"Praise be to God, for He has opened my eyes, healed me and led me back to Him at the right time, that He may be glorified all the more! For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son
and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified, and these whom He justified, He also glorified." (Rom 8:29-30)
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