There was a period of time when I was managing my day work, travelling heavily on business trips and building my a new business during the night. I was so passionate and driven to make my business successful that I did not realize I spent too much time at night on it and subconsciously neglected what God has initially appointed me to do – to lead a group of fellow Christian brothers and sisters. I was missing in action for 2 months until God spoke to me through His Words in the bible and through my spouse.
What I started off for God fervently and consistently for a considerable period of time had taken a lesser priority in my life unknowingly. The consciousness of God has always been there and I have always wanted to spend time with God daily. The problem is the more I extend the time and effort on my own start up business, the more I compromise those time with God through prayer and bible study, leaving these times to the end of the day when I was physically and mentally tired. As a result, the degree of intimacy with God decreases and slowly the accountability of the things He as given me wanes. Instead of seeking God for instructions and wisdom to manage my group, I spent more time asking for favor and wisdom to build my own business. While asking God for wisdom to grow my business is not wrong, the issue is the content of my prayers are becoming more self centered and less “servanthood”. I am losing balance in this area.
However God has been merciful and gracious.
Proverbs 3:11-12, “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.”
While reading my bible during one of those stolen moments, God brought my attention to the Words written in the book of Haggai. In particular, I could sense that God was trying to catch my attention to the following scriptures
Haggai 1:4, ““Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?””
I realized I have neglected building the house of God while I pursued to build my own business. I was convicted then.
Several days later, my spouse also mentioned that I was focusing too much on my business and have spent considerably less time with her in the evening.
I felt that God was also trying to reach me through my spouse and bring me to an attention of something that needs to be reviewed and change.
Then and there, I have decided to put my own agenda aside and reprioritize my roles and responsibilities. As much as I want to pursue my business, I have decided to cut and limit the time I spent on it and give God’s work its due diligence and attention.
Looking back at those 2 months, I was also glad that I did not clinch a major deal that would considerably boost my confidence in my new start up business. If I had then, I would have overworked to meet the dateline and compromised every other areas of my life and get hurt in the process.
I thanked God for His conviction and correction.
Revelation 3:19, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”
In addition, I was brought back to my remembrance on what the bible says.
Proverbs 23:4, “Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!”
Proverbs 10:22, “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.”
Anonymous
Saturday, December 4, 2010
God orchestrated a string of events supernaturally for the Word of God to be shared
I had a friend of mine whom I have the desire to reach out to him. He was an unbeliever and he was a good man. I will call him Tom in here. Every now and then I would have this nagging feeling in me to share the gospel with him. This lasted for months and I knew I need to obey God at a point in time.
The challenge is Tom is smart, sociable and had a strong character. In a social setting he leads conversations and provide logical advices most of the time. I knew it will not be easy to bring up the subject of God and share my testimonies with him. God would need to open up doors of opportunities for me to do so and I knew He would.
In the beginning of our friendship, I was already seeking ways and opportunities to reach out to him. However the level of passion wanes as time passes when I repeatedly could not find the right time to do so. Nevertheless, our friendship deepens as we get to know each other better over the months. Trust was established. Close to a year later, Tom would be pursuing his own agenda which means that we would not get to see each other as often in the future. It was then when the sense of urgency came back to me and I begin to seriously ask God for opportunities again. I knew that it would be now or never.
I must say supernaturally, God orchestrated a chain of events that eventually gave me the chance to bring up the topic to Tom. I looked back and realized it was God’s hand moving behind the scene as various situations build upon each other over time to give me this final opportunity. God leads but my obedience was equally important to bring the events to pass. Most importantly, my heart was seeking and hence God can use me and work through various situations.
There was an occasion when 2 of my Christian friends mentioned that there was a Christian book store sale going on around the corner. Tom happened to be lunching with us at that time and he thought it was ok to accompany us to the store. I was quite surprised though. Anyway when we were in the store, we were searching for what we wanted while Tom was walking around the store. After I paid for what I wanted, I went to search for Tom. At the corner of my eye, I noticed him browsing through a book at one corner. A part of me wanted to go up to him to check out what he was reading due to my curiosity. The other part of me thought that God could be speaking to him through the book and I should not interrupt him at this moment. After all we are in a Christian book store. Hence I continued my browsing before joining him later.
When we convened, I suggested we check out the café around the corner as the other 2 friends were still browsing. I thought this was a good opportunity for me to bring up the subject of God to him. So I asked him, “Tom, you believe in God?” Tom replied, “I do not feel it is relevant to me. I cannot relate to it.” He paused before saying again, “Anyway, I was reading a book on something relevant to my life and I agree with some of the things the book mentioned. It is more like some motivational book to me.” At this point in time, I still could not feel the flow to share my testimony on how relevant Jesus can actually be in our lives using me as an example. The conversation took a change in topic and I could not find ways to bring back the topic on Jesus. In my heart, I was thinking if I could have just force my testimony into our conversation even though it did not flow. Such thoughts have went through my mind on several occasions when Tom and I were alone and I thought it was a good time to share the gospel.
Nevertheless the next day when I woke up, I was still thinking about the short conversation I had with Tom at the Christian book store. “How can I create a situation that allows the topic of God to me share in a non intimidating manner?” Then, I recalled about the book he mentioned and I felt impressed in my heart to buy the book for him and use it as the conversation starter! Praise God! And I did just that. It was out of the way for me but I drove to the Christian bookstore, check out the area where he was browsing the book earlier and managed to find the book which he was reading. I knew it must be the one because that was the only book on the subject he told me he was reading. I was joyous! Not only that I picked up another Christian children book which I thought since this was a rare opportunity so why not bless his child too! Now I told myself that I must make the opportunity right and ask God to help me.
A few days later, we had the chance to have lunch alone again. One of our friends wanted to join us but he could not due to some reasons. I brought along the books and was glad he could not so I could have some alone time with Tom. I believe it was God’s plan. I had a very specific agenda for this lunch.
I put out the books and passed it to him, “Tom, for you and your child. This is the book that you were reading that day right?” He was shocked. I then said, “This is a Christian book and hence as a Christian, I want to bless you with you. In addition, the other book is for your kid. I hope your child will like it too.” I paused. “Anyway have I shared with you how I became a Christian and how God transformed me to who I am today?” God opened the door of opportunity and the divine seed in Tom was watered. It was watered because Tom later shared with me that he had encountered some friends who had similar testimonies with God. I told him, “See, I am not the only one, hope that someday before you pass away, you must remember to asked Jesus to be your God. This is one thing which I sincerely want you to do and you know I have your interest at heart.”
Hallelujah! Praise God! This evangelizing encounter with Tom is certainly one of the highlights of my life. I am very grateful to God to lead me in this manner to reach out to Tom. God was helping me to see the “cracks” that I could use to reach out to Tom and how things unfold over time still amazes me today.
Anonymous
The challenge is Tom is smart, sociable and had a strong character. In a social setting he leads conversations and provide logical advices most of the time. I knew it will not be easy to bring up the subject of God and share my testimonies with him. God would need to open up doors of opportunities for me to do so and I knew He would.
In the beginning of our friendship, I was already seeking ways and opportunities to reach out to him. However the level of passion wanes as time passes when I repeatedly could not find the right time to do so. Nevertheless, our friendship deepens as we get to know each other better over the months. Trust was established. Close to a year later, Tom would be pursuing his own agenda which means that we would not get to see each other as often in the future. It was then when the sense of urgency came back to me and I begin to seriously ask God for opportunities again. I knew that it would be now or never.
I must say supernaturally, God orchestrated a chain of events that eventually gave me the chance to bring up the topic to Tom. I looked back and realized it was God’s hand moving behind the scene as various situations build upon each other over time to give me this final opportunity. God leads but my obedience was equally important to bring the events to pass. Most importantly, my heart was seeking and hence God can use me and work through various situations.
There was an occasion when 2 of my Christian friends mentioned that there was a Christian book store sale going on around the corner. Tom happened to be lunching with us at that time and he thought it was ok to accompany us to the store. I was quite surprised though. Anyway when we were in the store, we were searching for what we wanted while Tom was walking around the store. After I paid for what I wanted, I went to search for Tom. At the corner of my eye, I noticed him browsing through a book at one corner. A part of me wanted to go up to him to check out what he was reading due to my curiosity. The other part of me thought that God could be speaking to him through the book and I should not interrupt him at this moment. After all we are in a Christian book store. Hence I continued my browsing before joining him later.
When we convened, I suggested we check out the café around the corner as the other 2 friends were still browsing. I thought this was a good opportunity for me to bring up the subject of God to him. So I asked him, “Tom, you believe in God?” Tom replied, “I do not feel it is relevant to me. I cannot relate to it.” He paused before saying again, “Anyway, I was reading a book on something relevant to my life and I agree with some of the things the book mentioned. It is more like some motivational book to me.” At this point in time, I still could not feel the flow to share my testimony on how relevant Jesus can actually be in our lives using me as an example. The conversation took a change in topic and I could not find ways to bring back the topic on Jesus. In my heart, I was thinking if I could have just force my testimony into our conversation even though it did not flow. Such thoughts have went through my mind on several occasions when Tom and I were alone and I thought it was a good time to share the gospel.
Nevertheless the next day when I woke up, I was still thinking about the short conversation I had with Tom at the Christian book store. “How can I create a situation that allows the topic of God to me share in a non intimidating manner?” Then, I recalled about the book he mentioned and I felt impressed in my heart to buy the book for him and use it as the conversation starter! Praise God! And I did just that. It was out of the way for me but I drove to the Christian bookstore, check out the area where he was browsing the book earlier and managed to find the book which he was reading. I knew it must be the one because that was the only book on the subject he told me he was reading. I was joyous! Not only that I picked up another Christian children book which I thought since this was a rare opportunity so why not bless his child too! Now I told myself that I must make the opportunity right and ask God to help me.
A few days later, we had the chance to have lunch alone again. One of our friends wanted to join us but he could not due to some reasons. I brought along the books and was glad he could not so I could have some alone time with Tom. I believe it was God’s plan. I had a very specific agenda for this lunch.
I put out the books and passed it to him, “Tom, for you and your child. This is the book that you were reading that day right?” He was shocked. I then said, “This is a Christian book and hence as a Christian, I want to bless you with you. In addition, the other book is for your kid. I hope your child will like it too.” I paused. “Anyway have I shared with you how I became a Christian and how God transformed me to who I am today?” God opened the door of opportunity and the divine seed in Tom was watered. It was watered because Tom later shared with me that he had encountered some friends who had similar testimonies with God. I told him, “See, I am not the only one, hope that someday before you pass away, you must remember to asked Jesus to be your God. This is one thing which I sincerely want you to do and you know I have your interest at heart.”
Hallelujah! Praise God! This evangelizing encounter with Tom is certainly one of the highlights of my life. I am very grateful to God to lead me in this manner to reach out to Tom. God was helping me to see the “cracks” that I could use to reach out to Tom and how things unfold over time still amazes me today.
Anonymous
An interesting evangelizing experience with a cab driver
This was one of the most interesting evangelizing encounters I had with a cab driver.
I was going to the airport to catch my flight. As usual, I would flag a cab for my trip. However the moment I got into the cab, it did not take me long to realize that the cab driver was actually meditating with a chain of beads while he was driving. The chain of beads was long and it kept getting tangled around the gear stick and the cab driver was trying to change gear and count the beads simultaneously. I was certainly not pleased with him trying to multitask this way and putting his passenger’s life at risk, especially when he was driving a manual car.
However I could feel a sense of grief in my heart for this cab driver for putting his faith in the wrong source. My compassion for him rises and I could feel the Holy Spirit prompting in my heart to share the gospel with him. I started praying in tongues at the same time, asking God to lead me or show me an opportunity to break the salvation message to him. So I broke the silence and the conversation went like this:
Me: “Uncle, can I disturb you for a while?”
Cab driver: “Ya, sure sure.”
Me: “ What are you doing?”
Cab driver: “Oh, I am meditating.”
Me: “For peace?”
Cab driver: “Yes, yes. For peace.”
Me: “Is it ok if I share my experience with you?”
Cab driver: “Sure.”
Me: “Jesus can give you the peace that you want.”
And the conversation about Jesus and God’s salvation plan started from here.
As our conversation went on, I could tell that this cab driver was a staunch believer of another religion. He believes the need in doing good works to attain salvation. While he was not a student of his religion, his faith in it was strong.
I remembered in the past, one of the visiting pastors to our church shared his experience with the congregation on his relationship with a leader of a non Christian religion. He told us that this leader was very well trained in the teachings of his religion. The pastor started to build a relationship with this leader and gradually gained his trust as a friend. There was mutual respect for each other’s role as a religious leader. The pastor also did not try to share his faith with this leader all this while. He knew they would engage in a never ending debate on the topic of God. Until one fine day, the Holy Spirit prompted the pastor to ask the religious leader questions on salvation and eternal life. These were questions where the answers to them were vague and uncertain from non Christian religion teachings. Hence I applied this wisdom into the current situation I was facing.
While I was trying my best to share the message of that salvation is free for the cab driver, I could sense that our conversation was veering towards the direction of a debate which was something I do not want to get into.
Cab driver: “Every religion is the same. It depends on fate. Maybe I do not have the fate with Jesus.”
Me: “Then you can consider we are fated today to meet and for me to share this gospel with you.”
(Some people tell me that they are not fated to be with the Christian God. In realty, they just do not believe in Jesus and was using this as an excuse. I have realized that my answer is probably the best approach to such replies, which is true. God arrange for this divine appointment.)
Colossians 4:2-4, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 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, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”
Then I asked, “Uncle, does your religion guarantee a passage to heaven?” The cab driver replied, “Yes.” I was not surprised because I had encountered such replies in the past but the underlying confidence is not there when you probe further.
Me: “How do you know?”
Cab driver: “It was written in this religion’s scriptures.”
Me: “Who wrote the book?”
Cab driver: “The religious head.”
Me: “So is this person a man or God?”
Cab driver: “Man.”
Me: “So if he is a man, how does he know he will go heaven when he had not been there?”
The cab driver was not able to answer properly and kept emphasizing it was written in the scriptures. If he has asked me, I would have said, “I knew I would go heaven because the bible says so too. The bible also says that Jesus was resurrected and hence we serve a living God. But most importantly, I had a living relationship with Jesus. Hence I am fully convinced that I would go heaven should I die.” I did not have the luxury of time to explain this to him as he tried to change the topic.
Cab driver: “So tell me. When is Jesus birthday?”
Me: “I do not know.” (Jesus birthday was not written in the bible although 25th Dec was appointed as Christmas day)
Cab driver: [laughs] (Deity birthdays are very important occasions in his religion)
Me: “Is it important?”
Cab driver: [kept quiet]
Me: “I really do not know when is Jesus birthday because the bible did not say so but I knew that Jesus death made such a big impact to this world that 2010, the year we are living now, was marked at His point of death. This is where BC (Before Christ) and AD (After Death) dates arises from.”
Cab driver: “Sorry, I do not understand what is BC and AD.”
The cab driver was probably not well educated and hence he did not know what is BC and AD. By this point in time, I was arriving at the airport already. I ended our conversation with, “Uncle, thank you for allowing me to share my faith with you. Please do not misunderstand me that I am asking you to believe my God right now and then. I just want to share this with you so that in case you want to seek other gods, you can consider turning to Jesus Christ by asking Him to be your God.” The entire conversation went well and we ended amicably. It was non confrontational but gentle in nature. My sharing arises from my compassion for the cab driver and I was sharing with fear and trembling.
1 Corinthians 2:2-4, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,”
After I got down the car and think back about this incident, I realized that the Holy Spirit had been leading me in asking the right questions and giving the right answers to the cab driver. Praise God!
Isaiah 55:11, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Like what the visiting pastor advised. Ask the right questions, share the Word and let God minister to their hearts and set them thinking.
I thanked God for this divine opportunity as well as the wisdom to share the gospel with this cab driver.
Steve
I was going to the airport to catch my flight. As usual, I would flag a cab for my trip. However the moment I got into the cab, it did not take me long to realize that the cab driver was actually meditating with a chain of beads while he was driving. The chain of beads was long and it kept getting tangled around the gear stick and the cab driver was trying to change gear and count the beads simultaneously. I was certainly not pleased with him trying to multitask this way and putting his passenger’s life at risk, especially when he was driving a manual car.
However I could feel a sense of grief in my heart for this cab driver for putting his faith in the wrong source. My compassion for him rises and I could feel the Holy Spirit prompting in my heart to share the gospel with him. I started praying in tongues at the same time, asking God to lead me or show me an opportunity to break the salvation message to him. So I broke the silence and the conversation went like this:
Me: “Uncle, can I disturb you for a while?”
Cab driver: “Ya, sure sure.”
Me: “ What are you doing?”
Cab driver: “Oh, I am meditating.”
Me: “For peace?”
Cab driver: “Yes, yes. For peace.”
Me: “Is it ok if I share my experience with you?”
Cab driver: “Sure.”
Me: “Jesus can give you the peace that you want.”
And the conversation about Jesus and God’s salvation plan started from here.
As our conversation went on, I could tell that this cab driver was a staunch believer of another religion. He believes the need in doing good works to attain salvation. While he was not a student of his religion, his faith in it was strong.
I remembered in the past, one of the visiting pastors to our church shared his experience with the congregation on his relationship with a leader of a non Christian religion. He told us that this leader was very well trained in the teachings of his religion. The pastor started to build a relationship with this leader and gradually gained his trust as a friend. There was mutual respect for each other’s role as a religious leader. The pastor also did not try to share his faith with this leader all this while. He knew they would engage in a never ending debate on the topic of God. Until one fine day, the Holy Spirit prompted the pastor to ask the religious leader questions on salvation and eternal life. These were questions where the answers to them were vague and uncertain from non Christian religion teachings. Hence I applied this wisdom into the current situation I was facing.
While I was trying my best to share the message of that salvation is free for the cab driver, I could sense that our conversation was veering towards the direction of a debate which was something I do not want to get into.
Cab driver: “Every religion is the same. It depends on fate. Maybe I do not have the fate with Jesus.”
Me: “Then you can consider we are fated today to meet and for me to share this gospel with you.”
(Some people tell me that they are not fated to be with the Christian God. In realty, they just do not believe in Jesus and was using this as an excuse. I have realized that my answer is probably the best approach to such replies, which is true. God arrange for this divine appointment.)
Colossians 4:2-4, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 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, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”
Then I asked, “Uncle, does your religion guarantee a passage to heaven?” The cab driver replied, “Yes.” I was not surprised because I had encountered such replies in the past but the underlying confidence is not there when you probe further.
Me: “How do you know?”
Cab driver: “It was written in this religion’s scriptures.”
Me: “Who wrote the book?”
Cab driver: “The religious head.”
Me: “So is this person a man or God?”
Cab driver: “Man.”
Me: “So if he is a man, how does he know he will go heaven when he had not been there?”
The cab driver was not able to answer properly and kept emphasizing it was written in the scriptures. If he has asked me, I would have said, “I knew I would go heaven because the bible says so too. The bible also says that Jesus was resurrected and hence we serve a living God. But most importantly, I had a living relationship with Jesus. Hence I am fully convinced that I would go heaven should I die.” I did not have the luxury of time to explain this to him as he tried to change the topic.
Cab driver: “So tell me. When is Jesus birthday?”
Me: “I do not know.” (Jesus birthday was not written in the bible although 25th Dec was appointed as Christmas day)
Cab driver: [laughs] (Deity birthdays are very important occasions in his religion)
Me: “Is it important?”
Cab driver: [kept quiet]
Me: “I really do not know when is Jesus birthday because the bible did not say so but I knew that Jesus death made such a big impact to this world that 2010, the year we are living now, was marked at His point of death. This is where BC (Before Christ) and AD (After Death) dates arises from.”
Cab driver: “Sorry, I do not understand what is BC and AD.”
The cab driver was probably not well educated and hence he did not know what is BC and AD. By this point in time, I was arriving at the airport already. I ended our conversation with, “Uncle, thank you for allowing me to share my faith with you. Please do not misunderstand me that I am asking you to believe my God right now and then. I just want to share this with you so that in case you want to seek other gods, you can consider turning to Jesus Christ by asking Him to be your God.” The entire conversation went well and we ended amicably. It was non confrontational but gentle in nature. My sharing arises from my compassion for the cab driver and I was sharing with fear and trembling.
1 Corinthians 2:2-4, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,”
After I got down the car and think back about this incident, I realized that the Holy Spirit had been leading me in asking the right questions and giving the right answers to the cab driver. Praise God!
Isaiah 55:11, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Like what the visiting pastor advised. Ask the right questions, share the Word and let God minister to their hearts and set them thinking.
I thanked God for this divine opportunity as well as the wisdom to share the gospel with this cab driver.
Steve
A testimony on how God changed the hardened heart of a non believer
My friend shared this testimony of her friend’s father’s salvation which I felt was very encouraging to all believers whose family members have not been saved as well as a reminder to continue reaching out to them. I will name her friend Sharon here.
Sharon was serving full time in her church ministry. She is a Malaysian but has been working in Singapore for a long time. Not long ago, her dad fell sick. He was suffering from cancer and that was then when Sharon decided to take a no pay leave to return back to Malaysia to care for her father. As a trained nurse, she felt that she could take care of him and it was her duty to do so as a daughter. For 9 months, she saw the gradual deterioration of her father’s health and for the 9 months, she fed, washed and clothed him unceasingly with love. One of her greatest desire is to see her father receive God’s salvation. Her father was strong willed and stubborn. Despite all the years of reaching out to him, her father never accepted Christ. There was a point in time when the father even told her that even if he is going to die, he will not acknowledge Jesus as his God. However with this sickness hitting him hard this time, Sharon was more than determined to see her father accept God’s salvation before he dies. She told God that if He could change King Nebuchadnezzar, He could change her father. And by God’s grace, her father accepted Jesus finally.
One day, Sharon was washing her father and scrubbing his back as what she had been doing all for the past 9 months. And then she gently asked her father, “Dad, you want to accept Jesus as your God?” To her utter amazement, her father replied, “Yes.” She could not believe it. In fact after leading her father in the salvation prayer, she still doubted because she thought her father might be in a state of semi conscious under medication.
It was then later some of her relatives visited her father. She told them that her father has accepted Christ. This group of relatives was elated! In fact they have been praying for her dad all these while. “Did you really receive Christ?” one of them asked. “Yes I did. I only believe Jesus and no other gods,” her father replied. Sharon was swept away by her father’s reply as this was a confirmation God is showing her. Praise God.
A while later, Sharon knew that her father’s time to go home to the Lord was near. One night she felt impressed in her heart to sing the song “So you would come” by Hillsong to her father. In fact a friend of hers emailed her the lyrics of this song for her to sing to her father a week ago. Finally that night, she sang the song to her father while he was lying on his bed. Her father was in pain and could not sleep. She sang once, and then the second time, and then the third time. She just kept singing because it seemed like the Holy Spirit was prompting her to do so.
So you may come lyrics:
Before the world began
You were on His mind
And every tear you cry
Is precious in His eyes
Because of His great love
He gave His only Son
Everything was done
So you would come
Nothing you can do
Could make Him love you more
And nothing that you've done
Could make Him close the door
Because of His great love
He gave His only Son
Everything was done
So you would come
Come to the Father
Though your gift is small
Broken hearts, broken lives
He will take them all
The power of the Word
The power of His blood
Everything was done
So you would come
When she sang the third time, she saw tears running down her father’s cheek and her father broke into a smile at that moment. A short while later, he fell asleep. He never woke up again.
After the funeral service was over, Sharon began to ask God, “Heavenly Father, why did you ask me to sing the song 3 times and then why did my father tear?” God answered her, “It was because your father felt unworthy of Me for all the years of rejecting Me. He was not sure if he would see Me when he dies. I affirmed him through your singing.” Sharon was touched and was very grateful to God. Only God knows the deepest depth of a person’s heart and know how to respond to him in times of need.
Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart - These, O God, You will not despise.”
Steve
Sharon was serving full time in her church ministry. She is a Malaysian but has been working in Singapore for a long time. Not long ago, her dad fell sick. He was suffering from cancer and that was then when Sharon decided to take a no pay leave to return back to Malaysia to care for her father. As a trained nurse, she felt that she could take care of him and it was her duty to do so as a daughter. For 9 months, she saw the gradual deterioration of her father’s health and for the 9 months, she fed, washed and clothed him unceasingly with love. One of her greatest desire is to see her father receive God’s salvation. Her father was strong willed and stubborn. Despite all the years of reaching out to him, her father never accepted Christ. There was a point in time when the father even told her that even if he is going to die, he will not acknowledge Jesus as his God. However with this sickness hitting him hard this time, Sharon was more than determined to see her father accept God’s salvation before he dies. She told God that if He could change King Nebuchadnezzar, He could change her father. And by God’s grace, her father accepted Jesus finally.
One day, Sharon was washing her father and scrubbing his back as what she had been doing all for the past 9 months. And then she gently asked her father, “Dad, you want to accept Jesus as your God?” To her utter amazement, her father replied, “Yes.” She could not believe it. In fact after leading her father in the salvation prayer, she still doubted because she thought her father might be in a state of semi conscious under medication.
It was then later some of her relatives visited her father. She told them that her father has accepted Christ. This group of relatives was elated! In fact they have been praying for her dad all these while. “Did you really receive Christ?” one of them asked. “Yes I did. I only believe Jesus and no other gods,” her father replied. Sharon was swept away by her father’s reply as this was a confirmation God is showing her. Praise God.
A while later, Sharon knew that her father’s time to go home to the Lord was near. One night she felt impressed in her heart to sing the song “So you would come” by Hillsong to her father. In fact a friend of hers emailed her the lyrics of this song for her to sing to her father a week ago. Finally that night, she sang the song to her father while he was lying on his bed. Her father was in pain and could not sleep. She sang once, and then the second time, and then the third time. She just kept singing because it seemed like the Holy Spirit was prompting her to do so.
So you may come lyrics:
Before the world began
You were on His mind
And every tear you cry
Is precious in His eyes
Because of His great love
He gave His only Son
Everything was done
So you would come
Nothing you can do
Could make Him love you more
And nothing that you've done
Could make Him close the door
Because of His great love
He gave His only Son
Everything was done
So you would come
Come to the Father
Though your gift is small
Broken hearts, broken lives
He will take them all
The power of the Word
The power of His blood
Everything was done
So you would come
When she sang the third time, she saw tears running down her father’s cheek and her father broke into a smile at that moment. A short while later, he fell asleep. He never woke up again.
After the funeral service was over, Sharon began to ask God, “Heavenly Father, why did you ask me to sing the song 3 times and then why did my father tear?” God answered her, “It was because your father felt unworthy of Me for all the years of rejecting Me. He was not sure if he would see Me when he dies. I affirmed him through your singing.” Sharon was touched and was very grateful to God. Only God knows the deepest depth of a person’s heart and know how to respond to him in times of need.
Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart - These, O God, You will not despise.”
Steve
A lesson learnt to just obey God’s prompting instead of deferring it
Not long ago, I learnt that my colleague’s dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I give this colleague a car lift back when we knocked off from work pretty frequently. In fact during the same year, his grandma passed away. Hence it was particularly sad and tiring for him to take care 2 sick family members one after the other as he was the only son and they do not have many relatives in Singapore. I offered my prayers to his father but he told me his father was not keen as his father was a staunch believer in another religion. I did not pushed further but told him the door is always open for prayer any time he felt it was ok for me to visit and pray. His father’s condition deteriorated over time. Each time my friend mentioned about his father condition, I would offer to visit and pray for him. However, this was always turned down. In order not to appear too pushy, I did not offer my prayer proactively since then.
A few weeks later, I was chatting with my colleague over the phone and then I casually asked how his father was doing. He said no good and that his father will be admitted into hospital in the week after this. To hear this, I was happy and yet sad. Sad that his condition worsens but happy because I thought I could visit his father more conveniently and pray for him at the hospital. However at that moment there was an impression in my heart to ask if I could visit him at his place to pray for him. I did not obey. I thought I would get the same negative response from my friend and since I could visit the hospital next week, I will just check him out at the hospital. The conversation with my colleague on the phone was on Friday. The next Monday, my colleague’s father died.
Immediately I thought if I should have offered my prayers back then. It was too late now. I knew my part was to just ask when prompted to instead of being overly concerned with what the response might be. Like what .. says.
Luke 5:5, “But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.””
I might have missed a divine appointment with my colleague’s father. I apologized to God and asked for His forgiveness then and there.
A few days later, I learnt about a probable relapse of my dad’s cancer at my dad’s place. I felt impressed in my heart to tell him I want to pray for him. I struggled to tell him as my dad was a non believer and we had unpleasant experiences over issues of religion in the past. However I recalled about my disobedience to my colleague’s father case. In addition, God brought me into remembrance of a sermon from John Bevere shared that I heard recently. God asked me, “Who is the source of my life? Men or God?” I said, “God.” He said again, “Do you remember you just learnt that a person will not offend his source of life just like a salesman wouldn’t do so to his customer. He will choose to please his source. ” He paused and asked again, “So if you are willing to visit your friends’ relatives and pray for them all these while, why are you then afraid to pray for your own dad?” I knew if I determined in my heart to make God the Lord of my life, I need to obey his prompting. God has teaching and correcting me.
Eventually I did so and I was glad to do so. There was a sense of release. I do my part and will leave the rest to God.
Anonymous
A few weeks later, I was chatting with my colleague over the phone and then I casually asked how his father was doing. He said no good and that his father will be admitted into hospital in the week after this. To hear this, I was happy and yet sad. Sad that his condition worsens but happy because I thought I could visit his father more conveniently and pray for him at the hospital. However at that moment there was an impression in my heart to ask if I could visit him at his place to pray for him. I did not obey. I thought I would get the same negative response from my friend and since I could visit the hospital next week, I will just check him out at the hospital. The conversation with my colleague on the phone was on Friday. The next Monday, my colleague’s father died.
Immediately I thought if I should have offered my prayers back then. It was too late now. I knew my part was to just ask when prompted to instead of being overly concerned with what the response might be. Like what .. says.
Luke 5:5, “But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.””
I might have missed a divine appointment with my colleague’s father. I apologized to God and asked for His forgiveness then and there.
A few days later, I learnt about a probable relapse of my dad’s cancer at my dad’s place. I felt impressed in my heart to tell him I want to pray for him. I struggled to tell him as my dad was a non believer and we had unpleasant experiences over issues of religion in the past. However I recalled about my disobedience to my colleague’s father case. In addition, God brought me into remembrance of a sermon from John Bevere shared that I heard recently. God asked me, “Who is the source of my life? Men or God?” I said, “God.” He said again, “Do you remember you just learnt that a person will not offend his source of life just like a salesman wouldn’t do so to his customer. He will choose to please his source. ” He paused and asked again, “So if you are willing to visit your friends’ relatives and pray for them all these while, why are you then afraid to pray for your own dad?” I knew if I determined in my heart to make God the Lord of my life, I need to obey his prompting. God has teaching and correcting me.
Eventually I did so and I was glad to do so. There was a sense of release. I do my part and will leave the rest to God.
Anonymous
Sharing the gospel with a Japanese friend
I had the opportunity to share the gospel with my Japanese colleague during one of my business trips to Japan. Although we moved in a group visiting customers and conducting meetings, I had the opportunity to sit next to him in one of the long rides on a Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Osaka.
I took this opportunity to know his background, hobbies and family better. It was been a while since we met and it was a great time to catch up especially on long train rides like this. I thought this would be an appropriate time to bring the message of God’s salvation across to him too. While my friend’s command of English is limited, I tried my best. Knowing his mobile phone was installed with language translation software. I requested him to check the translation on words like “Salvation”, “Sin”, “Holy Spirit” and “Speaking in tongues” as I shared the key points of God’s salvation with him. My intention was to make sure he understood me and he responded with “I see, I see.” each time he read the translation.
Later I asked him if he had anyone to share the gospel with him like I did. He told me he had an English teacher in the past who was a missionary. I did not ask if the missionary shared the gospel with him though. Nevertheless he commented that this is the first time someone shared his religion so “strongly” with him. In Japanese culture, I do not know whether “strongly” meant I was not polite or I was very direct in my sharing. He did not seem offended though and we had a great time even after my sharing. Anyway I believe the message has been clearly delivered.
God will be using someone else to touch him again in at the right time and at the right place. I want to thank God for allowing me to be part of His divine plan for my Japanese colleague.
Steve
I took this opportunity to know his background, hobbies and family better. It was been a while since we met and it was a great time to catch up especially on long train rides like this. I thought this would be an appropriate time to bring the message of God’s salvation across to him too. While my friend’s command of English is limited, I tried my best. Knowing his mobile phone was installed with language translation software. I requested him to check the translation on words like “Salvation”, “Sin”, “Holy Spirit” and “Speaking in tongues” as I shared the key points of God’s salvation with him. My intention was to make sure he understood me and he responded with “I see, I see.” each time he read the translation.
Later I asked him if he had anyone to share the gospel with him like I did. He told me he had an English teacher in the past who was a missionary. I did not ask if the missionary shared the gospel with him though. Nevertheless he commented that this is the first time someone shared his religion so “strongly” with him. In Japanese culture, I do not know whether “strongly” meant I was not polite or I was very direct in my sharing. He did not seem offended though and we had a great time even after my sharing. Anyway I believe the message has been clearly delivered.
God will be using someone else to touch him again in at the right time and at the right place. I want to thank God for allowing me to be part of His divine plan for my Japanese colleague.
Steve
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