EASTER TESTIMONIES III

Looking Forward to Serving the Lord

I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour on 5 December 1976. Prior to this, the Lord had prepared the circumstances by which he would lead me to his salvation grace. As a youth, conscious of and troubled by the sins in my life, I desired and yearned for a fresh start in life. I was then searching for the meaning and purpose of life. Questions like where we came from, who made this vast universe and everything therein, who created the law that governed the movement and behaviour of the physical entities in this universe, how can we find true peace and joy in life, crossed my mind.

While I pondered upon these questions, God, through His gracious appointment, caused me to stumble upon a tract at my home with the Gospel message clearly illustrated in graphical form. It showed man on one side being separated from God on the other side by an insurmountable gap. It further showed that it was sin that separated man from God and while man tried to reach God by good works, it was all futile attempts on the part of man. The illustration showed that the cross served as a bridge by which man could get back to God. Man, without the help and intervention of God, would only end up in hell because of sin. I realised that it is God who can truly fill the void and emptiness in my life because in Him lies the meaning and purpose of life.

By God’s grace, I understood that it was my sin that separated me from God and Christ is the only way through which I can be reconciled to God. The Gospel message was clearly illustrated in this simple tract which God had used to stir in me a desire to want to know more about the Gospel truth. Subsequently, God used my elder sister to further explain the Gospel to me and invited me to attend her church. After some hesitations, I decided on the Sunday of 5^th December 1976 to respond to the altar call to receive Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Joy filled my heart and I felt that I had been given a new lease of life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” brought assurance and comfort to my heart. Thank God that in Christ all my sins have been forgiven and in Him I have found the meaning and purpose of life. Being convicted of the need to faithfully follow Christ and to obey Him in public confession of my faith in Him, I decided to be baptised on the following year on Christmas day.

It was only by God’s grace and mercy that He had drawn me to Himself to taste of His salvation grace and experience His goodness in preserving me all these years. Thank God for bringing me into the Bible-Presbyterian (B-P) Church. It was during my study in Australia that the Lord brought me into contact with the B-P Church of Western Australia. Having witnessed the example of godly leaders and the sound and Christ-honouring teaching of the B-P Church, I and my wife decided to stay with Calvary Pandan B-P Church after our marriage. We subsequently joined Calvary Tengah B-P Church as an outreach of Calvary Pandan to the western part of Singapore. God now has led me to be part of the family of True Life B-P Church and, together with my wife, we look forward to serving the Lord Jesus Christ with members of God’s family. P Phoa

I Found the Living God

When I was very young, whenever my mother brought me to visit sick relatives at the Singapore General Hospital, I would feel very depressed and sorrowful seeing patients lying on the sick beds. At night I would sob till I fell asleep. I prayed innocently that if there were gods—please help the sick and needy. I kept questioning why human beings must suffer so much pain and sorrow?

I was afraid of death and suffering. One day, an uncle brought my siblings and me to Haw Par Villa. The vivid depictions of the “ten courts of hell” transfixed me with more fear.

Out of apprehension of going to the courts of hell, I made a conscious effort to be obedient and to do good all the time. I assisted my mother in her housework, even helped her to burn incense papers and prayed to idols. If any kind deeds were needed I would be the first to volunteer. I even aspired to be a nun after watching a television programme “Flying Nun”.

In my early teens, I pondered a lot on what life was all about? Why were there so many different types of religions? Gazing upon the sky, I would look at the cloud formations and search for fabled gods.

One Sunday I was invited to worship in a Roman Catholic Church. I asked my friends a question, “Why are there so many different types of religions?” They were dumbfounded and went to ask their priest. The answer given was, “If you are a Catholic and you pass away, you would travel to heaven faster, like a rocket. The followers of other religions would also go to heaven, but they would reach there at a slower speed.” I felt the answer sounded a bit absurd and ridiculous.

My elder sister was rather worried that I might attend a Roman Catholic Church. She brought me to the Church of the Good Shepherd located in Queenstown for a Christmas Service. The meaning of Christmas was preached. It was about the birth of Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary and who is the Saviour of the world. John 3:16 was emphasised during the service. “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.” It was also the first verse I learned and memorised.

After the service, a few of my elder sister’s friends came to share the gospel of Christ with me. In a strange way, I could not control my tears from flowing like a river continuously. They were tears of joy for receiving Christ as my personal Saviour and also tears of repentance for my wretched sins. I experienced much peace and joy in my heart on this beautiful Christmas Service, 25 December 1975. Thank God for saving me, a wretched sinner saved by His wonderful grace. At last I have found my true and living God, my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. M Chua

Praying for Many to Be Saved

Born into a Taoist family, I was told from young to stay away from going to church.

My life changed when my parents decided to send me to a mission school in Singapore barely eight months away from my GCE O Level exams. The need to quickly settle down and to adapt to a new environment in a new country was daunting for a growing teenager. I was happy to have my freedom and yet found myself totally lost, alone and missing my friends and family in Malaysia.

When my prelim results were released, I knew I did well enough to go to junior college but the coming GCE exams continued to trouble me.

Observing that most of my classmates went to the school chapel (usually after school) to pray, I felt the need to seek divine help too! One fateful afternoon just before the exams I waited outside the school chapel for everyone to leave. I then picked up the courage to enter the school chapel secretly for the first time! I knelt down behind a pew near the chapel entrance and told God that I was not a Christian like some of my classmates and I pleaded with God to help me in my exams as I did not know who else to turn to. I felt a strange calm, and a feeling of peace and warmth in my heart when I left the chapel. I could not explain why but I was sure God heard my prayers.

I did well enough to go to junior college and then completed my tertiary education overseas where a college evangelist (my first friend there and a messenger of God) spent many months teaching the Bible to me. I finally took the plunge and said the sinner’s prayer and started attending church with him every Sunday.

When I returned to Singapore to work after graduation, I attended many different churches but did not find one I liked and finally stopped attending church.

My work occupied most of my time as I had to work long hours, but deep inside me I questioned the purpose of my existence and God’s purpose for my life.

Imperfect as I am, my spiritual life deteriorated, and I was not sure why but an unexplainable and strange void in my heart troubled me.

In March 2013, I attended Calvary Pandan BPC with my daughter at her friend’s invitation and I was baptised the same year by Senior Pastor SH Tow in December. My wife seeing how God has miraculously changed me was baptised a year later.

As a born again Christian reconciled to God, I became more conscious of how my thoughts, my actions and what I say can affect my witness as a child of God to friends and family members.

I don’t know why I waited this long to surrender my life to Jesus. I know God has a purpose for my life, for He truly loves me, and has redirected my life to Him.

Nothing in our life happens by accident. Looking back, by God’s grace and perfect timing I took the step of faith to become the first Christian in my family. Truly God sent other saints into my life to bless and edify me, to strengthen my faith and to reach out to my friends and family members who have yet to accept Christ into their lives.

My brother and my aging father said the sinner’s prayer in September 2019 and in early February 2020 respectively. Though I cannot be sure that they said it with their heart, I truly hope to see them in heaven and pray that many other unbelievers like them may be saved too!

May all praise and glory be to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. G Liew

God Is My Pillar

Prior to my salvation, I was always at a loss. I questioned the meaning of my existence. As I grew older I focused on worldly ambitions. I knew I could only achieve these accolades by journeying to a country with a flourishing economy. This was after I graduated from a university in Australia. So I came to Singapore in 1988. It was certainly not by chance that my Christian aunt insisted that I stayed with her.

My aunt persistently shared the gospel with me. After I became convicted, I started experiencing “disturbances” and nightmares. My aunt prayed for me and I prayed the sinner’s prayer. Immediately, I felt peace. God really provided guidance and protection. I was overwhelmed by the knowledge that God gave me His only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for my sins.

I pray without ceasing now. God is my pillar. He helps me overcome difficulties. As a child of God, I have the assurance that nothing happens by chance. He is there for me. I will never forget how He saw me through a most stressful time at my last job. He comforted me through the words in Psalm 91. With God, I was able to forgive those who tried to harm me. Before (i.e. pre-conversion), I would hold grudges for a long time and often had vengeful thoughts against people who had hurt me. Now, I have peace in Jesus. He has taught me to be longsuffering. I am guided by the Holy Spirit. All praise and glory to God. Liew SC