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TESTIMONY OF BROTHER PAUL GIDEON
Life must have a beginning, and that beginning is with God, both physical and spiritual.
My earthly life began in a Christian home, with godly parents, who brought me up in the fear of God and admonition in God’s Holy Word. I was a Christian activist taking share in every Christian activity of the church. My father used to take me to several places during his ministry to help him in the music. Although I knew everything about salvation, I never had a personal experience. I thought there was no need, because I was already doing God’s work.
At the age of twelve, I signed a decision card in one of the Gospel meetings, without repenting for my sin, thinking that God would accept me with such initiative. For five years I was in such deception of the devil. Had I died during one of those days, when I remember to have been almost crushed to death between two Transport buses, my destination would have been Hell fire. But God has been merciful and long-suffering and prolonged my life.
At the age of seventeen, in one of our family prayers while we were reading from 1st Peter chapter 1, the Lord spoke to me from verse 23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” These three words “Being born again” started troubling me from that day. Constantly I used to hear these words, “Paul, you must be born again.” I began to think why a man should be born twice, but I was putting aside this thought, but God never did. On a Sunday evening in a Gospel meeting at Hebron Church, Hyderabad, India, God’s messenger referred to 1st Peter chapter 1, I was sitting in the front row with my friends who were laughing, and joking and giggling during the meeting. While we were reading, my attention was drawn to a fragment in verse 23 again, “Being born again” this time with a greater force. My heart became restless, disturbed and a battle had begun in me. I never raised my hand during the time of invitation but went home, had my dinner and went to my room with my Bible to get things right with God straightaway. It was on August 24, 1974 at 10.30 p.m. I opened my heart to the Lord. The Spirit of God convicted me of my sinful condition and every sin I had committed one by one I confessed with tears, pleading for God’s mercy, forgiveness and cleansing by the blood of Jesus Christ. The Lord brought before me Galatians chapter 5 verses 19 & 20, and also Mark chapter 7 verses 20-22, which showed my own sinful state, - envy, jealousy, anger etc., I confessed all of them one by one. In simple faith, I thanked the Lord for dying for me on the Cross and shedding His precious blood to wash me from my sin and rising again to live in me. I thanked Him for forgiving my sin, coming into my heart and writing my name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. That which happened next I cannot explain or express, may be this hymn can.
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
When at the cross my Savior made me whole
My sins were washed away
And my night was turned to day
O, what a wonderful, wonderful day
Day I will never forget
On that day I received the gift of Eternal Life, which was the beginning of my spiritual life. The burden of sin rolled away, heavenly peace and joy flooded my heart after this transaction with the Lord Jesus. I began to learn several lessons for my spiritual growth, out of which I would like to share three instances.
OVERCOMING LIFE:
The desire for worldly music and evil thoughts used to bother me. I claimed the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ but this was not sufficient to get rid of the habits into which I was falling again and again, and it grew from bad to worse. The desire for worldly music made me even to visit clubs to satisfy myself. But by keeping regular fellowship with God’s people, I learned the secret of appropriating the power of death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. I became dead to sin and alive to God. I prayed, “Lord please help me to die to my desire for worldly music and evil thoughts and quicken me with the power of Thy resurrection.” I could see that these desires have all disappeared even unto this day. After this victory, I testified in the waters of baptism.
CLEAR CONSCIENCE:
There was an hindrance which resulted in dryness and barrenness in my spiritual life. It was when once I fell victim to cheating in my graduate examination. My colleagues used to bring the question papers at midnight. I passed the examination well, but my conscience troubled me for several months. I thought, “God is holy, I should also live a holy life.” So I wrote a letter to the Vice-Chancellor, sharing my testimony and to impose whatever punishment I deserved. This could result in losing my job as well. The Vice-Chancellor replied, “Our education has served it purpose by creating that conviction in you to have introspection.” Having my conscience cleared and putting things right with God and man, I could experience progress and fruit in my ministry.
MARRIAGE:
I took a challenge to find and do God’s will for my marriage. My prayer had been “Teach me to do thy will O Lord.” Psalms 143.10. According to Psalms 27:14, I had to wait for God’s time. It took me three years of praying for my marriage, and seven months of waiting for making sure and re-sure and doubly sure of God’s will in my life regarding my life partner. The Lord confirmed His will through 1st Corinthians chapter 16 verses 8 and 9 saying that I should tarry at Ephesus (a seaport) for He has opened a great and effectual door for me. My wife hails from a seaport. Thus very minutely I could see the Lord’s leading. My priorities are first to love God, then God’s work, then God’s people and lastly my wife. I shared this thought with my wife, and she said that she has been looking for a person with such convictions. God has been graciously leading us to serve Him in his vineyard.
Are you encouraged with this testimony then please do not hesitate to respond. We would be praying for you. God Bless you.
Send Email:pgdevadass@gmail.com |
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BEHOLD, I WILL DO A NEW THING |
Late Brother S.SOLOMON RAJA |
Among many privileges, I count the privilege of being born in a believers' family, who honour God and fear. His Name, as the greatest. I have a challenging Christian father, who believes in the "Printer's Pulpit" that is, the Gospel tract which can speak to anyone, anywhere, anytime. He makes it a point to carry tracts wherever he goes and distributes them. I have been watching him atleast for the last two and a half decades. He must have distributed several thousands of tracts by now. My mother too is a good Christian, who was actively involved in the activities of the House of God till she took ill and for 12 long years has been confined to bed, now through the prayers of the saints and the Church she is back to normal completely.... A miracle !
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Both my parents used to worship the Lord in Jehovah-Shammah, Madras, in the early forties when the work of God started. Right from my childhood I had the privilege of being brought up in the House of God. I still remember the walks and talks of great servants of God, the pioneers of our assembly, like Bro. Bakht Singh, late brothers R.P. Dorairaj, R.R.Rajamani, C.E.Dasan, George T. Rajaratnam, and others. I witnessed the Lord's wonderful deeds which were accomplished through His servants. Due to my father's transfer, we shifted to Secunderabad in the year 1967. Here we stayed in a place which was quite far from "Hebron" and in those days we had the conveyance problem. Therefore we could not attend God's House regularly on Sundays, as we used to do in Madras.
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During the days when we stayed away from the Lord's House, Satan took advantage and started working in me. Gradually I began to have worldly friends and on Sundays I spent my time in listening to worldly music and gossiping about worldly things with friends. I became engrossed in sports and games and neglected spiritual things and my studies. Even though I had little fear of God, the pleasures of this world lured me and diverted me from the consciousness of the Lord's presence.
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By the time I reached my High School, the craze for cricket gripped me. Very soon it became my idol. I had an ambition to become a great sportsman with name, fame and within a short time could get my name strike in the newspapers. I was already well established in the junior college cricket team, and won prizes and certificates. I thought I could play well, and enjoy life. Every Sunday I had a cricket match and absconded from the church, inspite of warning from my parents. I was so foolish and ignorant, that I used to pray and ask God to help me play well in the match and that to on a Sunday, the Lord's day. However, the Lord's time came to draw me to Himself. As my Intermediate examinations approached, having neglected my studies for two years, tried to make up all subjects within a month, to pass the examination. I slept only for two or three hours in the night and rest of the time studied hard. I promised the Lord that if I came out successful in my examination even in the third division, I would go to the church regularly for five Sundays continuously, sacrificing cricket. But the Lord was quiet and was working out His plan for me in a different way. While studying in my house my attention always fell on a particular motto card, which had the following verses:
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"Be not afraid" Matt. 14:27 |
"I have chosen thee" Hag. 2:23 |
"Thou art mine" Isaiah. 43:1
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These verses seemed to speak to me like this: Solomon, be not afraid if you fail in your examination for I have chosen you and you are mine. But I avoided such pessimistic thoughts and continued studying. However, the examination commenced thought it was tough, I struggled hard and wrote to the best of my ability. When the results were published in the newspapers, I was totally disappointed as I did not find my number in the list of successful candidates. I was very much broken and all my ambitions seemed to have disappeared like a dream. However, the above three promises were brought to my attention again and again.
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In God's providence a day after my results were published, the Youth Camp started in Hebron. Hitherto, when I entered Hebron for the Youth Camp I used to feel as though I was entering into a prison for five or six days. In view of my failure and embarrassment, I decided to go the Lord's House and make a firm decision about my life. Praise God! As soon as I entered Hebron I read the theme verse of the Camp, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col 3:2) The very reading of this verse worked effectively in my life. The Lord showed me how I should not love worldly things. I listened to God's word attentively in all the meetings. On the 5th of June, 1976, God's servant Bro. Bakht Singh, after giving the message gave an invitation saying, "Those who want to accept the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and Lord lift up your hands for prayer". Without any hesitation, I showed my hand to the Lord and accepted Him as my Lord and Saviour. I confessed all my foolishness and sins to Him and fully believed that He cleansed me and washed me according to His promises in 1 John 1:9, Isaiah. 44:22; Isaiah. 1:18; and Micah 7:19. I made a solemn decision that thereafter I would not join any worldly friend, however loving he may be, and should not waste my time in playing games and increase pride of life, by aspiring for name, fame and riches of this world. I praise God, from that day till today, I have never spent a single Sunday for myself. I have spent most of my time only in the Lord's House only. My friends came to Hebron on the last day of the Youth Camp to inform me that on that Sunday they had a match. They wanted to take me straight from Hebron Church. But the Lord gave me the joy to say "No" to them and stay in the camp till the end. That refusal holds good even till today. Many friends advised me not to abandon good future by involving myself in religion. But I told them that I wanted to live for my Lord Who gave His life for me on the cross of Calvary. I told them how temporary is earthly name and fame. It fades away like a flower on the field. Strangely, the Lord alone kept all those friends away from me.
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The Lord also spoke to me clearly about my baptism from Mark 16:16, Acts chapter 8 and through the testimony of Bro. Bakht Singh and his father. So, during the Holy Convocation of the same year i.e.on the 19th November, 1976, I testified in the waters of baptism.
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Soon after my new birth, the Lord gave me a desire to pray more and read the Word of God many times. In my failure and discouragement, as I sought the Lord, He encouraged me through His Word. One promise which helped me was from Isaiah 43:18-19. "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old….behold I will do a new thing… I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert". He said He would turn His promises. I could see miraculous things happening and the Lord building my life.
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Besides the Word of God, some spiritual books have been very helpful to me, specially I want to mention atleast three precious books which had a special impact on me.
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1. David Recovered All - Bro. Bakht Singh Immediately after I decided for the Lord, when I was still sorry for my failures and loss, this book came into my hands. God's servant has expounded great truths in it in a simple way. The Lord showed me how I could recover all my losses - spiritual and material, small and big, caused through foolishness or negligence. Especially, the chapter on "The lesson of the axe head" was very useful, where we are told to show to the heavenly Elisha, the Lord Jesus Christ, the place and the cause of loss. As I confessed the areas of my loss and failure, the Lord did work through His cross and enabled me to recover every loss. I can say for the glory of the Lord that I could recover all my losses - spiritual, educational, in the job and in every sphere.
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2. Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan The progress of the pilgrim, the Christian is exemplary. The personified characters and situations such as the slough of despond, the hill of difficulty, the valley of affliction, Vanity Fair etc. come handy to my mind when I passed through various experiences. It really challenged me.
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3. Rebuild Your Life - Dale E. Galloway I have read this book more than ten or fifteen times. It is so challenging and encouraging that I praise God for it. The author of this book went through difficult problems and discouragement. Whatever the Lord revealed to him at that time he shares in this book.
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since the time I decided for the Lord. I found that He is FAITHFUL in all His ways. He keeps His promises. His grace is sufficient for me in every situation and circumstance of life. My desire is to live for the Lord and be His witness. I want to lead young people in the right way and to the Lord's feet, to find meaning to their lives.
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Please pray for me that I may run the race with patience looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of my faith. (Heb. 12:3).
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Finally, I can very solemnly sing this chorus: |
Living for Jesus is the best life of all, |
Serving and following Him, |
Living this worldly life is no life at all, |
I know it since Jesus came in. |
Nothing can satisfy like Jesus within, |
He makes my happy heart sing, |
Walking the Saviour's ways, |
Happy in modern days, |
Living for Jesus my King. |
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