EASTER TESTIMONIES

God’s Grace upon Me

I was born into a Christian family, where both my parents taught me God’s Word at an early age. As a young boy, I remember how my mother used to read me Bible stories using picture cards which I always looked forward to. My father would also pray with me every night before putting me to bed. He was strict and firm with me, but always loving and nurturing, knowing that these were for my own spiritual good. I thank God for parents who brought me up in the fear of the Lord and constantly prayed for both my brother’s and my salvation.

I can’t recall the exact date my parents shared with me the gospel. Understanding that I was a sinner needing to be forgiven, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour at around five years old. When I turned thirteen, I went through catechism class and publicly reaffirmed my faith at the church I was worshipping in.

However, my life was anything but smooth sailing. There was a period where I backslided. Though I never questioned my salvation, I was a troublesome teenager, causing my parents much sadness and disappointment. My life was a mess back then, being in and out of rebellion, constantly fighting with God, thinking I knew better.

In my secondary school years, I played truant, ran away from school, said things I shouldn’t have and was even kicked out of school. I had to apply for another school, was retained and repeated secondary one. Despite my wrongdoings, God was gracious to grant me a second chance to study at ACS (Barker). Again, I took it for granted and from secondary two to three, I dropped from one of the top classes to the bottom class, ranking last place 300/300 that year. Looking back, God knew I was too proud and needed to humble me. I am reminded that if we fight God, we lose.

A turning point in my life was in secondary four. I vividly remember one morning, at my lowest point, a voice inside me told me to stop all my sinful ways and give my life back to God. I was sure that God put the thought in me that day to remind me that I am still His child. I repented and sought forgiveness. Since then, He revived my faith, and I made a promise to God to stop living for self and start living for Him. I was reminded “that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you” (1 Cor 6:19).

As I began to surrender my life to God, He has graciously blessed my life since — with good studies, a godly wife, faith and grace in the Lord in times of need. It is only by His grace that He was able to turn me away from my wrongdoings. As such, Romans 8:28 holds a special place in my heart, “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.”

After much prayer and visiting for the past year, my wife Eleanor and I have decided to join the True Life BPC family, where we hope to serve God faithfully, giving Him all the glory. Amoz Boon

God Helped Me

I come from a Christian family. My parents taught me the Word of God since young. Going to church was a weekly routine. I attended Sunday schools, services, prayer meetings and youth group meetings regularly. I knew that believing in the Lord Jesus was the only way to heaven but temptations in the world and in school were great. I wished at that time I could both follow the world and Christ and still go to heaven.

My parents prayed fervently for my sister’s and my salvation. God was working in me too. I felt guilty about living a ‘double- choice’ life, yet I conveniently brushed the thought aside each time.

When I was 16 or 17 years old, my paternal grandpa was diagnosed with colon cancer. He was getting weaker and weaker by the day, yet he still served God cheerfully. He was illiterate and could not help much in many ministries, but he faithfully arranged and kept the chairs every Sunday. He was a quiet man. He didn’t socialize much but during his funeral, many testified how they were so encouraged by his faithfulness for the Lord.

During his battle with cancer, I took time to ponder about my life and my salvation. The constant thought about life after death kept occurring. God troubled me much. After brushing off countless times, I finally went down on my knees and sought the Lord for forgiveness and direction.

‘How to not lead a double life?’ I asked Him constantly. I began to search His Word and prayed more. At times, I could only pray, ‘God, help me’. Slowly but surely, He showed me through His Word. John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Romans 10:9–10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

It was evident that God was all I needed. The straight and narrow way was The Way. I began being interested about things in the Bible and surrendering my life to Him, to wait for His direction and take things in His time.

I took a step of faith and enrolled for baptism classes. I was finally baptized in April 2007. I thank God too for my parents who never stopped praying for me and my salvation. They have been a great influence in my walk with the Lord. All praise and glory to His name. Eleanor Ee

God Opened the Door

I was born into a non-Christian family. However, my parents enrolled me in a mission primary school. There is nothing much of the Christian faith or the Bible taught in those years that I could remember except for an Ethics teacher who made the whole class memorise Psalm 23 and Psalm 121. One of my classmates told me he was a Christian and that his family went to church every week. I was curious to know what Christianity is, especially when we had to update our particulars in school. My brother told me to fill in “Buddhist” as my religion. What also aroused my interest in Christianity were the carols that were sung by groups in my neighbourhood during the Christmas period.

Going into the secondary classes of the same school, God brought a Christian classmate into my life who invited me to attend Sunday School at his church. Though I was a timid boy, I mustered the courage to ask permission from my mother to attend Sunday School. I started learning Bible stories and various teachings. My friend invited me further to attend the Youth Fellowship on Saturdays, but as many school activities packed my Saturdays, I did not attend any of the meetings. It was in secondary four, towards the end of the year, when school activities were stopped to allow students to spend more time in preparing for the examinations, that I was invited by a school mate to attend an ISCF (Inter-School Christian Fellowship) meeting after school. There, I heard the Gospel clearly presented and I accepted Christ as my Saviour.

During the examinations that followed and going into hectic pre-university life, the only thing that I did besides attending Sunday School was to attend church service. I was baptised before I entered National Service. I thank God for sustaining me in my faith during the NS years. I was more involved in church activities when I entered university. I could see how God led me to the course of study and enabled me to complete it. God was very patient and kind and loving to teach me more of His ways. My faith continued to grow. I became a deacon and later, an elder. Then I left the church because the church was overtaken by non-VPPers.

By then, through the preaching of Rev Timothy Tow, and having gone for mission trips to Thailand and Kenya, the Lord convicted my heart to stop work and enter His service. I wanted to go to Kenya and join a friend to share the Gospel with the Masaai people. God knew that I was not prepared to do this great work. He brought about a “chance” meeting with Rev Timothy Tow which resulted in me attending FEBC. Thank God for those precious years. The door was open for me to go to Tanzania, when I graduated, to teach at BCEA Tanzania for two years. When my work permit expired I returned to Singapore.

In Singapore, the Lord opened the door for me to continue to reach out beyond our shores to GAPPI Getsemani in Batam. My local church ministry has been among the elderly and visitation to the sick.

Somehow, the Lord placed a burden on my heart when I left Tanzania, to start a Christian orphanage. Proverbs 22:6 says that we should “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”. The Lord responded to my prayers by opening the door to do so. It was according to His leading and enabling and provision that a Christian orphanage was set up before the COVID years. May the Lord use this work to bring souls into His kingdom. All glory and honour be to Him.

God willing, I will go to Tanzania to help establish this work. My prayer to the Lord is as the Psalmist in Psalm 71:18, “Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.” Tan Nee Keng

God Healed Me

In the past, before I came to know God, I did not know that this true God existed in the world. At that time my son and daughter-in-law knew this true God and shared God’s words to me from time to time. But I resented their sharing. This is because I was an idol worshipper in the temple and did not believe in the existence of this true God.

However, there was once I was struck with a very serious illness. I saw many doctors and worshipped in many temples. Despite this, my illness was not cured but became worse. When I could find no help, my son took me downstairs. When I reached downstairs, I heard many people singing hymns. My son told me that this was a neighbour’s vigil service. At this point, I suddenly burst into tears and kept crying. Many people found it strange and told it to the pastor. This pastor came to show me concern and asked me what happened? I suddenly poured out to him all my problems. He said, “You don’t need to be afraid, God will help you.” The pastor even prayed for me, and I went with them for the burial. After I came back, I found my illness was much better. I felt the presence of this true God and He helped me. This led me to believe in the existence of this true God. God healed me and my illness was cured. Thank God I was soon baptised, joined the family of God and became a child of God. Wendy Teoh