2 Corinthians 5:17, “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
I want to share God’s goodness, and how he has turned my life around. He can do the same for you if you let him.
Growing up in a area in South London where crime, drugs and gambling were rife, it was as early as 10 years old that I fell into bad habits, first gambling (which was the biggest stumbling block in my life) and later drugs and alcohol. A promising young life soon deteriorated, to a squandered education and youth.
My parents, who were Christians, were heartbroken but upheld me in prayer every day. Despite continuing in my ways, I still made the effort to go to church, and although I struggled to change it was God who kept me in my darkest hours (and no doubt saved my life on many occasions). I desperately wanted to get out of the mess but I seemed to keep falling.
I started to take my life with Jesus seriously and my breakthrough came, not immediately, but in stages, and although it took a while, when it happened it was so easy.. I didn’t have to fight or struggle with temptations after that. It is as if I was never ever involved.
God has since given me a wonderful wife and family, and blessed me financially and given me good jobs.
God does things his way. It may not be how you would like it or within the timeframe you want (sometimes that may be our fault too). All I can say is persevere, have faith that God loves you and wants the best for you. No matter what you have done he can save you. He wants to help you and all you need to do is believe in Jesus.
Anonymous
Thursday, March 26, 2009
I shared my job opportunity with a fellow friend in need
Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others
A few weeks ago, one of my colleague announced that he has been asked to leave the company. The company has carried out the first round of retrenchment. This was the second round but none of our team members was affected except him. It came as a shock to us. At that moment, I felt impressed to help him. It seems to me that God wanted me to share my recent headhunted job opportunity with him. Actually I have planned to use this opportunity to leave for a better job prospect myself. I also thought about my family during this time of economic recession and some of our financial commitments.
While I tried to rationalize this prompting, I constantly felt burdened in my heart. In the end, I yielded to this leading and proceeded to act on it. My colleague was surprised by my offer. I also took this opportunity to share Christ with him.
Upon leaving his office, I could feel a sense of joy bubbling up within me after helping my friend.
Initially I though God was leading me out of my job through the headhunted opportunity. Through this experience, I realized I have used my own finite thinking to assume God is leading me in a way I thought and wanted. I have subconsciously placed my faith on the job offer instead of God. That is one of the reasons why I resisted the thought of sharing my offer initially. I believe God is trying to lead my attention back to Him and not on the purported blessings no matter how logical it might seem to my natural mind. In the process of correcting me, He was also able to show off His glory through my obedience in reaching out to my friend. All praises go unto Him. I was later informed that the job offer is put on hold but my friend later told me that the headhunter has offered him another offer which might be suitable for his job profile. The last update was he went for a second round of job interview and currently waiting for his potential employer reply.
Anonymous
A few weeks ago, one of my colleague announced that he has been asked to leave the company. The company has carried out the first round of retrenchment. This was the second round but none of our team members was affected except him. It came as a shock to us. At that moment, I felt impressed to help him. It seems to me that God wanted me to share my recent headhunted job opportunity with him. Actually I have planned to use this opportunity to leave for a better job prospect myself. I also thought about my family during this time of economic recession and some of our financial commitments.
While I tried to rationalize this prompting, I constantly felt burdened in my heart. In the end, I yielded to this leading and proceeded to act on it. My colleague was surprised by my offer. I also took this opportunity to share Christ with him.
Upon leaving his office, I could feel a sense of joy bubbling up within me after helping my friend.
Initially I though God was leading me out of my job through the headhunted opportunity. Through this experience, I realized I have used my own finite thinking to assume God is leading me in a way I thought and wanted. I have subconsciously placed my faith on the job offer instead of God. That is one of the reasons why I resisted the thought of sharing my offer initially. I believe God is trying to lead my attention back to Him and not on the purported blessings no matter how logical it might seem to my natural mind. In the process of correcting me, He was also able to show off His glory through my obedience in reaching out to my friend. All praises go unto Him. I was later informed that the job offer is put on hold but my friend later told me that the headhunter has offered him another offer which might be suitable for his job profile. The last update was he went for a second round of job interview and currently waiting for his potential employer reply.
Anonymous
God teaches me through a fellow sister in Christ
John 14:26, “26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things …”
When I was very young in the Lord, I read the Gospel of John and have always wondered why Jesus chose to turn water into wine as His first miracle to perform. To me, I have seen TV programs of magicians performing on the streets by turning a cup of water into money, elevating from the ground and other performances. Therefore I always thought that Jesus could have done something better and more spectacular. In fact I have been asking God this question in my heart but have not really asked any of my church seniors or friends. This question comes and goes in my mind and this went on for a few weeks. Then on one Sunday morning, the answer came. I was casually chatting with another church senior when she begins to introduce me to a book that I should read. At that time she showed me how this book explains the gospel of John and gave the example of why Jesus turned water into wine and the significance of it. She explained that changing water to wine symbolizes the complete transformation of our spirit to one that is worthy of the Kingdom of God while the earthen pots which represents our earthly flesh which remains the same even after we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour. I am sure the wine which Jesus has transformed could possibly be the best wine anyone has tasted. I have never asked her about this but it was so clear to my spirit that God is talking to me through her! I was awed by the reality of God being so real and personal as He reads your thoughts.
Steve
When I was very young in the Lord, I read the Gospel of John and have always wondered why Jesus chose to turn water into wine as His first miracle to perform. To me, I have seen TV programs of magicians performing on the streets by turning a cup of water into money, elevating from the ground and other performances. Therefore I always thought that Jesus could have done something better and more spectacular. In fact I have been asking God this question in my heart but have not really asked any of my church seniors or friends. This question comes and goes in my mind and this went on for a few weeks. Then on one Sunday morning, the answer came. I was casually chatting with another church senior when she begins to introduce me to a book that I should read. At that time she showed me how this book explains the gospel of John and gave the example of why Jesus turned water into wine and the significance of it. She explained that changing water to wine symbolizes the complete transformation of our spirit to one that is worthy of the Kingdom of God while the earthen pots which represents our earthly flesh which remains the same even after we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour. I am sure the wine which Jesus has transformed could possibly be the best wine anyone has tasted. I have never asked her about this but it was so clear to my spirit that God is talking to me through her! I was awed by the reality of God being so real and personal as He reads your thoughts.
Steve
God gave me the wisdom and favour to excel in my job
James 1:5, “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
During my last employment back in August 2007, I was appointed from being an administrative staff to lead a sales team that was formed by people from different cultures, age, gender and experiences in the job.
At that point, I did not know how to address the team or even to hold a sales training program. All I know and could remember is that Apostle Paul mentioned about asking for wisdom if we lack of it, so I asked. Nothing happened, no special feeling but just believing that I have it.
Along the first 6 months of leading the team, it was very challenging, from the technical aspect of the business to the sensitive issues arising among team members. But there were always this great peace and stability in handling them, I would always seem to have the answers for all the matters
And on one occasion, I met up with one friend who was an expert and a consultant in our industry. She was amazed on how much I know and how much I’ve grown in understanding the trade in just 6 months, as we would have the same sentiment on most aspect of the trade.
I know very well that it was God who gave me the Wisdom from the time when I first asked. Wisdom was displayed even when I am not aware of having it. All glory be unto God, He is faithful!
Justin
During my last employment back in August 2007, I was appointed from being an administrative staff to lead a sales team that was formed by people from different cultures, age, gender and experiences in the job.
At that point, I did not know how to address the team or even to hold a sales training program. All I know and could remember is that Apostle Paul mentioned about asking for wisdom if we lack of it, so I asked. Nothing happened, no special feeling but just believing that I have it.
Along the first 6 months of leading the team, it was very challenging, from the technical aspect of the business to the sensitive issues arising among team members. But there were always this great peace and stability in handling them, I would always seem to have the answers for all the matters
And on one occasion, I met up with one friend who was an expert and a consultant in our industry. She was amazed on how much I know and how much I’ve grown in understanding the trade in just 6 months, as we would have the same sentiment on most aspect of the trade.
I know very well that it was God who gave me the Wisdom from the time when I first asked. Wisdom was displayed even when I am not aware of having it. All glory be unto God, He is faithful!
Justin
God opened up opportunites for me to share the gospel
Colossians 4:3-6, “3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
God opened up doors of opportunity for me to share the Word of God. This was what happened on two consecutive days at my work place last week.
First, I have always felt prompted to reach out to one of my colleague whose working space is open making it inconvenient to talk about spiritual things. She is married, in her late thirties and probably no kids yet. So it happened on this day when I came back from lunch, I found the office to be pretty empty and I thought it was a rare chance for me to talk to her about Jesus now. I started off asking her about kids as a start and shared with her that I have a couple friend who seek God for an offspring and God answered them. Realizing that she was not really interested in this area of discussion, I diverted the conversation to how I became a Christian which somehow caught her attention. Although she is not ready to accept Christ yet and I believed I have watered into her life.
Second, on the same day, a colleague of mine asked me a favor to pick him up in the morning at the petrol station where he has left his car for servicing. The ride back to the office was a good 20 minutes which I can have the opportunity to share Christ with him and invite him to my church. A few months ago, I have already shared the gospel with him a little. However I did not do so during this ride as I do not want to give him the impression that I am helping him to make him feel obliged to come church with me. However in the evening on the same day, he came to me again to asked if I can dropped him off somewhere near my home on the way back. Immediately I know that God has once again opened up this rare opportunity to reach out to him.
Third, on the next day, my office was under renovation. The environment was noisy and smelly from all the renovation works. I had an office room to myself and had the privilege to close the door. All the meeting rooms were used up. Then one of my colleague asked if she can use my room to have her lunch as her place is under renovation and she had now where to have her meal. Again God presented an excellent opportunity for me to spread the Word of God in private. In fact, this lady has been sharing with me that she send her children to a Christian kindergarten but I knew that she is a pre believer. There have been no opportunities to share with her until now.
JY
God opened up doors of opportunity for me to share the Word of God. This was what happened on two consecutive days at my work place last week.
First, I have always felt prompted to reach out to one of my colleague whose working space is open making it inconvenient to talk about spiritual things. She is married, in her late thirties and probably no kids yet. So it happened on this day when I came back from lunch, I found the office to be pretty empty and I thought it was a rare chance for me to talk to her about Jesus now. I started off asking her about kids as a start and shared with her that I have a couple friend who seek God for an offspring and God answered them. Realizing that she was not really interested in this area of discussion, I diverted the conversation to how I became a Christian which somehow caught her attention. Although she is not ready to accept Christ yet and I believed I have watered into her life.
Second, on the same day, a colleague of mine asked me a favor to pick him up in the morning at the petrol station where he has left his car for servicing. The ride back to the office was a good 20 minutes which I can have the opportunity to share Christ with him and invite him to my church. A few months ago, I have already shared the gospel with him a little. However I did not do so during this ride as I do not want to give him the impression that I am helping him to make him feel obliged to come church with me. However in the evening on the same day, he came to me again to asked if I can dropped him off somewhere near my home on the way back. Immediately I know that God has once again opened up this rare opportunity to reach out to him.
Third, on the next day, my office was under renovation. The environment was noisy and smelly from all the renovation works. I had an office room to myself and had the privilege to close the door. All the meeting rooms were used up. Then one of my colleague asked if she can use my room to have her lunch as her place is under renovation and she had now where to have her meal. Again God presented an excellent opportunity for me to spread the Word of God in private. In fact, this lady has been sharing with me that she send her children to a Christian kindergarten but I knew that she is a pre believer. There have been no opportunities to share with her until now.
JY
I can't run away from God
1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”
My family believes in a mix of Buddhism and Taoism. When I was only 10 years old, a man evangelized to me and passed me an orange booklet that outlined the gospel. A few days later my mum came to know about it when the person kept calling my home to look for me. That night, I was summoned into her room where she tore the booklet in my face and warned me never ever to become a Christian as long as she is alive. The devil planted a deep seed of fear into me and caused me to distance away from God since then. I was horrified when I was presented with the same evangelizing booklet 10 years later when I was in Taiwan doing my internship. I have never expected I would be brought back to the remembrance of that very traumatizing experience. However after becoming a Christian, I looked back and came to realize God was trying to lead me back to Him through this experience and many others in the later part in my life. God has been using different people to water into my life till the date I rededicate my life to Him.
My family believes in a mix of Buddhism and Taoism. When I was only 10 years old, a man evangelized to me and passed me an orange booklet that outlined the gospel. A few days later my mum came to know about it when the person kept calling my home to look for me. That night, I was summoned into her room where she tore the booklet in my face and warned me never ever to become a Christian as long as she is alive. The devil planted a deep seed of fear into me and caused me to distance away from God since then. I was horrified when I was presented with the same evangelizing booklet 10 years later when I was in Taiwan doing my internship. I have never expected I would be brought back to the remembrance of that very traumatizing experience. However after becoming a Christian, I looked back and came to realize God was trying to lead me back to Him through this experience and many others in the later part in my life. God has been using different people to water into my life till the date I rededicate my life to Him.
Steve
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