Unleashing God's Truth: The Overcomers
By Dywen Lauren
()
About this ebook
Unleashing God's Truth, The Overcomers, was formerly released as two individual books: As I Also Overcame, and He Who Overcomes.
Together they portray the personal journey of the author, Dywen Lauren, and how God trains her to be an overcomer, and empowers her to teach others the qualities necessary to gloriously overcome.
Whether you are an earnest seeker who wants to find the one true God, or the sincere Christian who wants to live a life of victory while pleasing and honoring God, you will find this book enlightening and full of convicting truths.
Christians who are wavering will find powerful reasons to fear the Lord and return to Himto their first love.
The destiny of the nation lies in the destiny of the Church, and Gods will for the Church is to be an overcomer. Im sure as you read this book, youll find yourself challenged, encouraged, nourished in Christ, and empowered to move on to greater things in your life.
Dr. Rajan Thiagarajah, Senior Pastor, Mighty Living Waters Life Fellowship, Australia
Dywen brings a timely warning and needed reminder to all Christians and even to Pastors, of the perilous times we are in. The deceptions that are highlighted in this book already exist and the Lord Jesus said that even the very elect would be deceived, if it were possible. This book will open the eyes of those who are not watchful.
Khim Ang, Senior Pastor, River of Life Sanctuary, Malaysia
This book makes you think about the importance of abiding in and living the Truth, to discern deceptions and overcome the works of our flesh in order to live as an overcomer.
Pastor Larry Leong, Singapore
Dywen Lauren
Dywen Lauren has experienced great challenges and exhilarations in both the corporate secular world and in the church for the past 30 years. Before she became an author, she was one of the youngest Country’s Managing Directors of a Fortune Global 500 organization in Singapore. Dywen is also an author of two business management books about making a difference: The MAD Culture and MAD in Action.
Read more from Dywen Lauren
Mad Culture: In the Mad, Mad World of Business the Only Way to Excel Is to Become Mad! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHas Grace Been Abused?: Once in Grace, Always in Grace, Even If You Live in Dis-Grace? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Unleashing God's Truth
Related ebooks
Spiritual Water for the Soul...Sermons and Commentaries: Volume 1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod Talk: Extracts from a Journal Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMourning Morning Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBarefoot in His Presence: Kingdom, Holy Spirit and prayer. How God establishes His will and purpose on earth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Power of the Declaration Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReflections of an Awesome God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFasting God’S Way Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLet’s Talk to Our Father: Communicating with Our Heavenly Father Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow You See You Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDivine Orchestration Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBe Blessed and Encouraged: 204 Prayers—Praying Through Selected Passages of the New Testament for Our Family Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHere I Am: Responding When God Calls Your Name Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Covenant of Health: Beyond a Promise Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod’s Way Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Shadow of My Soul Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe BE Attitudes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFilthy Garments Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Heart of a Worshiper Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy High Places: Devotions for Spiritual Growth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Prayers That Secure Heavenly Answers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Dose of Inspiration Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod's Heart Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Student of Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHealing For The Soul: Food for Thought Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsComplete Restoration: Overcoming Brokenness Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsYou Better Believe God!!! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThrowing Grapes and Moving Mountains: A Devotional Journey for the Hungry Heart Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIn God's Grace: Daily Meditations and Prayers for the Season of Lent Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPrayers & Devotions: That Change Lives and Hearts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMarriage, It’S Not Physical …It’S … S P I R I T Ua L!!! ...(Holy) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
New Age & Spirituality For You
The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reflections on the Psalms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dream Dictionary from A to Z [Revised edition]: The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Don't Believe Everything You Think: Why Your Thinking Is The Beginning & End Of Suffering Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams: The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Knowing God Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Writing to Wake the Soul: Opening the Sacred Conversation Within Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth Awakening to Your Life's Purpose Summary Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5As a Man Thinketh Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mastery of Self: A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gospel of Mary Magdalene Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Three Questions: How to Discover and Master the Power Within You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5High Magick: A Guide to the Spiritual Practices That Saved My Life on Death Row Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Conversations With God, Book 3: Embracing the Love of the Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vision for Seeking Wholeness Every Day Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Secret History of the World Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Abolition of Man Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Unleashing God's Truth
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Unleashing God's Truth - Dywen Lauren
Unleashing
God’s Truth
The Overcomers
Dywen Lauren
missing image fileCopyright © 2012 Dywen Lauren.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
1-(866) 928-1240
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
ISBN: 978-1-4497-3148-9 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4497-3147-2 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2011963272
Printed in the United States of America
WestBow Press rev. date: 1/25/2012
Contents
From the Author
Foreword
SECTION I
As I Also Overcame
Part I
The Overcoming Journey
Part II
Insights of an Overcomer
Section II
He
Who
Overcomes
Unleashing God’s Truth
The Overcomers
www.theovercomers.info
Where scripture versions do not supply capitalization of pronouns used for God, I have done so. I have also occasionally supplied some of my own emphasis to scriptures by bolding or rendering words totally in capitals to highlight their intended meaning.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV
are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com.
The NIV
and New International Version
are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Scripture quotations marked NASB
are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quotations marked AMP
are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
To him who overcomes
I will grant to
sit with Me
on My throne,
as I also overcame
and sat down with
My Father on
His throne.
(Rev 3:21 NKJV)
Tribute to my
LORD GOD
My ABBA Father
Clothes me with a robe of righteousness.
In His holy presence,
He embraces me.
Love, joy and peace overflow.
My Beloved Bridegroom,
Jesus the Anointed One
Adorns me with rows of jewels.
In His compassionate love,
He woos me.
"Arise, my lovely one, my fair one,
Come away with Me"
My Comforter, the blessed
Holy Spirit
Bestows on me
a crown of beauty,
the oil of gladness,
and a garment of praise.
From the Author
To the Body of Christ,
All who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and are loved by God the Father.
May the grace of our Savior, the peace of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.
Thank you for taking time to read this book. The title of this book is taken from Revelation chapters 2 and 3 where Jesus Christ, the Anointed One exhorted the churches to repent from ungodliness and to rise up to be overcomers in Christ. To him who overcomes, Jesus promised heavenly rewards from The Great I AM.
This book covers several of God’s repeated warnings to the Body of Christ about the events of the last days. It also touches on some issues that are close to the heart of God.
When I received His word to write this book, I struggled. Like many others who prefer to remain backstage, I asked the Lord, Who am I that You should assign me to write such a difficult subject? I don’t have the position and authority to convey such words to Your people. Though You have spoken to me through many instances pertaining to this subject, I still don’t think I am the right person (to write). I am sure there are many, many more prominent men and women of God elsewhere who are anointed to write with more authority and precision, where Your people will hear them. Lord, not me!
Having had many experiences where I had to journey over difficult terrain, encountering mountains and hills, falling into deep valleys and sometimes unwittingly detouring into wilderness, I have learned not to disobey His commands when He has spoken.
If I want to hear these words from my Master, Well done, my good and faithful servant!
, I must then walk in and pursue His divine plan and purposes for my life.
I am grateful to Dr Rajan Thiagarajah, the Senior Pastor of Mighty Living Waters Life Fellowship, the church I am attending in Perth, Australia, and his lovely wife, Pastor Ruby, for encouraging me to commit to a book what the Lord spoke to me on this subject.
I remember his words, It is not often that you come across someone who is passionate, consistent and focused about such a subject. When the Lord gives such knowledge and revelation to you, surely He will give you a forum to release His words. When the prophet Jeremiah spoke (during his time), not many wanted to hear him, but today, we are still reading the book of Jeremiah!
These words truly encouraged me. After he had spoken to me, Dr Rajan prayed and his prayer was one that convicted my spirit. He did not pray that I should ponder and consider what he had said. Instead, he asked the Lord to grant me wisdom, accuracy and simplicity as I wrote. It was a straight to the point
request to the Lord to make His words known through the book that I was to write.
Through his prayer, Dr Rajan released God’s divine appointment into my spirit. The door of my heart had been locked but now it was unlocked—and I was free to decide to open it and allow the word of the Lord to enter to perform His work, or let it remain shut.
I have learnt that it is not wise to haggle with the Lord. Disobedience is sin. The Lord had spoken! It was the Lord’s will that I must obey. Period.
As you read this book, I encourage you to be like the Bereans whom the scriptures praise saying,
"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11 KJV)
It is my prayer that you will read with an open heart and mind. Please allow the Spirit of the Lord to minister to your heart. I humbly submit my writings to your discerning judgment, divinely led by the blessed Holy Spirit dwelling in you.
This book does not intend to criticize, nor is it designed to condemn. The contents of this book do not judge you. Only God can judge us. He knows the intents and thoughts of our hearts.
For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:12-13 NKJV)
May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened as we read the pages of this book, in order that we, who are bought by the precious Blood of the Lamb, will stand together as one in the Body of Christ to accomplish the will of our ABBA Father.
May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess 5:23 NIV)
Love in truth and truth in love.
Dywen Lauren
Foreword
AS I ALSO OVERCAME
Dr Rajan Thiagarajah
Dywen Lauren is an upcoming author who is much led by the Holy Spirit in her life. Her testimony of how God has given her the power to overcome her life’s obstacles has equipped her to move on to greater things, and greater blessings in her life.
God’s will for the individual is to be an overcomer.
As He is, so are we in this world. (1John 4:17 KJV)
The destiny of the nation lies in the destiny of the Church, and God’s will for the Church is to be an overcomer.
I am sure that as you read the following pages, you will find yourself challenged, encouraged, nourished in Christ and empowered to move on to greater things in your life as is possible when you move in the Holy Spirit’s leading and anointing.
God sees you as an overcomer. My prayer is that as you read this book, you will see great things happening in your life.
I am certain that you will be blessed beyond measure as you see yourself mighty in battle, strong in Christ.
Dr Rajan Thiagarajah, Founder and Senior Pastor
Mighty Living Waters Life Fellowship, Perth, Australia
Dr Rajan Thiagarajah ministers at many pastors’ conferences and churches throughout the world. His weekly television program Life in the Spirit
is impacting millions of souls.
www.lifeinthespirit.info.
Your Words were found, and I ate them,
And Your Word was to me the joy
and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your Name,
O Lord God of hosts.
(Jer 15:16 NKJV)
SECTION I
As I Also Overcame
For me to live is Christ
Part I
The Overcoming Journey
Now it is God who makes both us
and you stand firm in Christ.
He anointed us, set His seal of
ownership on us, and put His Spirit
in our hearts as a deposit,
guaranteeing what is to come.
(2 Cor 1:21-22 NIV)
My Testimony
I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord at the age of 14.
Born into a staunch Buddhist family in a small town in Malaysia, I was the second youngest in a family of five daughters.
I was the first member of the family to convert to Christianity. My family, although professing to be Buddhist, was also practising Toaism. We also worshiped Hindu gods.
I remember in my early years, my mother would take us to Hindu temples to seek blessings from the priests. My dear second sister, who was quite sickly as a child, was forced to have her tongue pricked several times by the priests to obtain some form of divine blessing! We all felt so sorry for her!
Among my siblings, I was the one most staunchly abiding by the rituals. I would often offer incense at the altar for the gods and our departed ancestors. During certain calendar dates, I helped my mother slaughter chickens and drain their blood for offerings at the altar.
My parents had all daughters, no sons. From a very tender age I was treated as the boy
of the family. The expectation placed upon me to fulfill that role made me a bold person. I dared to take on challenges and stand up for my family.
I was brought up in the practices of Buddhism, Toaism and Hinduism. In my years of primary education, I was sent to a prestigious Convent school. I was exposed to Christianity (or rather Catholicism), and even attended some chapel services.
However, I saw no difference between Christianity and the religions that I believed in. To participate in the services, I had to dip my fingers into the holy water
provided and pat it onto my forehead, my chest and my two shoulders (the shape of a cross). Then, I was told to kneel down before the statues which my Catholic schoolmates told me were Jesus Christ, Mother Mary, and some other saints.
Although I was young, my soul was troubled. I was searching for the Truth of truths! I had the conviction that if I wanted to believe and embrace a certain faith, I must know what it is that I believe in. Just listening to another believer was not good enough for me! I wanted the truth to reveal itself to me.
Therefore, as a Buddhist, I read books on Buddha. But to my dismay, I learned that Buddha told his followers that he himself was searching for true enlightenment. Buddha instructed his followers not to worship him as he was just another human being, like them.
That statement struck my innermost being. If Buddha himself had to seek the truth, for he was not the truth, then why was I worshiping him as God?
I told myself Buddha was after all just another good teacher; the only difference was that Buddha was a prince who left his palace and family to search for truth. In my young soul, I knew Buddha was not the God that I was seeking.
When my mother took my sisters and me to Hindu temples, I saw goddesses with many hands immortalized in sculptures emphasizing their sensuous figures, male gods with ferocious looks and many statues of cows, elephants and snakes. I could not comprehend.
Why was I worshiping all these images and animals? How could God—if there was one—be in such forms?
As practising Toaists, my family went to temples quite frequently. I remember I used to ask my mother why were there so many gods, and why did some of them look so fierce and frightening. There were gods of wealth, gods of war, gods of hell, gods of health, gods of happiness, gods of mercy… there was a god for every need.
As a child, seeing the image of a god with its bloody tongue sticking out was a nightmare! My dad used to tell me that if I wanted to be a courageous person, I must possess the same spirit as the god of war! This god had a red, fierce face and held a big, long sword!
I was forbidden to make unfavorable comments about any of these gods, as my parents feared that bad luck or evil would befall me.
All these beliefs only added to my confusion. Somehow, in my spirit, I understood that some of these deities were legends, some were ancient warriors and some were good people who were highly revered and later worshiped as gods.
I even looked into Islam. Living in a country where the majority of the population was Muslim, it was easy to observe and learn about their beliefs. In fact, for many years my two good friends were Malay Muslims.
At that time, Islam was the only religion I knew that did not worship statues. Worshipers believed there was only one God. Moreover, I admired their diligence in observing their prayer times, five times a day.
However, I was disillusioned about their Prophet who gave Muslim men the right to marry four wives. (I later found out Muhammad had 13 wives, the youngest was nine). I was also disappointed that this religion imposed discriminatory restrictions on females.
Both of my Muslim friends’ fathers had more than one wife. I remember that when I visited their homes, I could only sense sadness and grief. I once asked my good friends, Don’t your mothers hate your fathers for having more than one wife? Do you like having more than one mother?
Their replies were, Allah said our fathers can have four wives.
Their mothers said, "We cannot do anything about this command. We are born as Muslim women, so we must accept it as the will of Allah." One of my friends solemnly added, When I marry, I must be prepared to share my husband with his other wives.
Even as a young girl, I simply could not accept this religion!
I remember when I was eight years old, my aunt took my sisters and me to watch the movie The Ten Commandments.
I was so touched and impressed that the God of Moses was such a righteous God. This God was not only mighty, but also compassionate. This God of Moses was such a fair God. Men, women and children were all equally treated and taken care of.
At the time I wondered did this God of Moses still exist or was it just a movie, but I recalled that the movie stated that the story was based on a true history taken from the Bible. Also, I heard from my school friends that the Bible was the Word of God for Christians.
The reality of Heaven and Hell
Having seen, observed and experienced some practices of Buddhism, Toaism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Islam, I concluded that none was for me. But as I was still a child, I abided by my parents’ religions.
As a young girl, I would debate and argue with my Christian friends whenever they tried to witness to me. As I had rejected Catholicism, I rejected whatever my Christian friends shared with me. To me, both were the same. They worshiped the same Jesus.
One day, I was invited to attend a Christian youth outing. It was a three-day outing on a famous resort island. I had not been there before and so I was keen to go. Although I knew it was organized by a church, an idea I did not like, I agreed to go because I was confident that I would not be brainwashed
by these Christians. My parents were equally confident and allowed me to go.
On the final morning of the outing I was still very stiffnecked and resisted all persuasions to believe in Jesus Christ. However, just before we left the island, we attended a service. There the God of Moses spoke to me. On that day—December 13, 1981 at 11.35am—the Spirit of the Lord convicted my heart. I saw the reality of heaven and hell.
As a Buddhist and a practising Toaist, I had been taught that all humans upon their death would either go to hell or pass through some stages, hurdles or trials before being reincarnated into another human (if you did enough good work on earth in your previous life) or would end up reincarnated as animals as a form of punishment.
Because I loved my parents very much, I could not bear the thought of them spending their eternity in hell. Even at my young age, I had several times told God (whichever one I was praying to at the time) that I was willing to go to hell on behalf of my parents.
I was willing to take their place and be reincarnated as an animal as long as they were reincarnated as humans who would live in wealthier homes, or in paradise, if there was one.
The God of Moses revealed to me that it was not His will that my parents or anyone in my family should go to hell when they died. There was a heaven and He was the God of heaven. Furthermore, it was only through Jesus Christ, His Son, that my family could go to heaven.
However, what truly convinced me was the fact that my heart melted when I realized that it was God who first loved us; and that Jesus, though He was the Son of God, was willing to die for mankind. He loved His Father; hence, He loved His Father’s creations.
Because of that, He was willing to sacrifice Himself, to suffer terribly and to be humiliated on the Cross for the people whom His Father loved. This was the love of God that I had never understood prior to that morning. I had never known that God was love.
This was the God that I had sought; the God that loved us first, and offered Himself so that we might live in eternity with Him in heaven.
Therefore, as a child who loved her parents very much, I knew this was the God for my parents, for my sisters and for me.
After the service, I repented of my stubbornness but I did not tell my friends of my decision to accept Jesus Christ. Instead, I went straight to the pastor and told him that I wanted to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord.
I prayed the sinner’s prayer, and I told Jesus Christ that I was also standing on behalf of my parents and my sisters for their salvation, and asked Him to book a place in heaven for them! It might have seemed a naïve prayer, but it was an innocent, sincere prayer from the heart of a 14-year-old child who believed in the existence of heaven and hell, and who loved her parents and sisters very much.
Rejoice that you are being persecuted for Christ
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (Rom 8:35 NIV)
I knew I had to be the first one in my family to break the bondage of ancestral worship and false gods. I knew that the Lord wanted to use me as the vessel to bring my family into His Kingdom.
The pastor who prayed for me assured me that if I kept on believing in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, my family would surely be saved. He showed me Acts 16:31,
Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and your household.(NIV)
This was the first Scripture in the Bible that I learned and memorized, and I have held on to this promise of God since then.
The Lord gave me the boldness and strength to declare Jesus as My Savior and Lord even though I knew my parents would reject me and persecute me. I was prepared.
My parents were shocked when I told them I had become a Christian. They believed I was brainwashed. To them, they had lost a child to a western god. I underwent constant persecutions for several years. Almost every day I was admonished by my parents.
They insisted that I should continue to show my respect to our ancestors by offering incense at the altar and consuming food which has been offered to the idols, but I stood my ground and refused. I was banned from all communication with my Christian friends except during school hours. Obviously, I was not allowed to attend church, or any other form of Christian meeting.
I remember one incident fondly: my first Good News
Bible went through water baptism
a few days after I was converted. My dad found it in my school bag, and he threw it angrily into a big bucket of water! The Bible had been given to me by a wonderful brother who had faithfully shared with me about Christ. It was the only Bible I had.
Being poor, I could not afford to buy a new bible. I faithfully dried it page by page using my towel. The next day I took it to school to sun. Since I could not take it home, my classmate helped me by keeping it and bringing it to school for me everyday. I would read it during school recess time. The baptized
Bible remained with me for the next 15 years!
I continued to remain faithful in the things of the Lord. I knew little about my newfound God but it was in that predicament that I grew in my faith in the Lord. I had the child-like faith of which Jesus spoke (Matt 19:14).
A few days after my spiritual birth, walking to school alone, I looked up to the skies and called out