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Real Joy I count it as a real joy and a privilege to be able to proclaim how the Lord Jesus Christ took the life of a guilty Hell deserving sinner and transformed him to a new life of service for his Saviour. 1st Corinthians chapter 2, verses 1 - 5 says "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." I had the privilege of being brought up in a Christian home and I was faithfully taken along to Church every week. But I am living proof that attending church will never make you right as you stand before a Holy God. I am sure you have all heard the saying "You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink." I might well have been taken to church, but from the beginning to the end of the service I never listened to a word that was spoken. I would have sat and daydreamed about anything that came into my head. I don't even have any recollection in my younger days of even knowing what sin was or that I needed to be saved, its just something that I never thought about. Sure I knew the difference between right and wrong and in my own eyes I wasn't that bad. At school I guess I was the person that everyone hated, I was always on time, always had my homework done and never got myself into too much trouble with my teachers, I was the perfect student. At the age of 11 I left Primary School and went to High School. While I was in first year, Cecil Boyd was holding a series of Gospel meetings in our church here at Bethel and I asked a friend of mine at that time if he would like to come along to them with me. He agreed and we both went along. Things still hadn't changed as I cannot remember a word that Cecil spoke about but it was the words of the final hymn that really spoke to my heart: Just as I am, without one Plea. After the service Cecil approached my friend and I and asked us if we had ever considered being saved. I was very shy in my younger days and for Cecil to approach us is just what I wanted. After sitting chatting to him for about 10 minutes we prayed a simple prayer acknowledging that I was a sinner and asking the Lord Jesus Christ to take away all my sin making me fit for heaven. That was on 22nd September 1986. This is really where my testimony begins in how God has been changing my life and leading me in His paths. |
