I Was Blind, Now I See

(A Personal Testimony by Peter M Maurice, 1st Year FEBC Student)

I was born on 5 April 1984 to a non-Christian family. We held to the African traditional religion, and my grandmother was a champion of this religion. From time to time, we would all participate in the ceremonies including me. These ceremonies were idolatrous and involved the worship of traditional gods.

I completed my primary education at age 15. In the year 2000, I was enrolled in high school which was quite far from my home. It was there that I got to hear the preaching of the gospel. Unfortunately, it was preached by the Charismatics. I had no idea who the Charismatics were and what was their doctrine. Anyway, in one of their meetings in March 2000, I had an experience which drove me to be prayed for to receive Christ. Henceforth, I “thought” I was a Christian. I joined the Christian Union and rose to the position of a Chairman.

When I finished high school, I had a deep desire to study law. I had acquired a good grade which could earn me a place in the university in Kenya. However, at the break of 2004, the lady preacher in the Church began to prepare for her marriage. From time to time, I felt God’s work was falling apart after her departure. I struggled deep within my heart whether to go for law or to help in the church. I struggled for about four months and I could not contain the situation and had no peace. Finally, I gave in to study theology at the Bible College of East Africa (BCEA).

In this College, the Bible was purely taught to me. In the same year, I began to doubt whether for sure I was a Christian. I struggled inside my heart but always told myself that I was indeed a Christian for how else could I have received a call to the ministry. The matter became worse when I read Hebrews 4:8, “For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.” Howbeit, inside my heart there was no rest. I struggled with my conscience until I gave up, and ended up making a second confession.

Now, the problem was that some people knew me to be a Christian from high school while others knew me to be a Christian from 2005 onwards. Afterwards, I decided to retain the year 2000 as the year of my new birth. Then confusion set in. Since then, I had no rest at all, and still had no interest in reading God’s Word though in a Bible College. Afterwards, I graduated as the best academic student but still with a heavy and guilty soul still with unconfessed sin.

The fear of death and the imminent return of Christ set in since I was not sure of my salvation. I dreaded very much to give a testimony, but I did it anyway when asked. Over the years I have been involved in preaching and even witnessed to people including my family members who ended up confessing their sins to Christ. However, all the time when I was witnessing, there was a still small voice in my heart telling me, “But Peter, have you believed in me, and can you believe now?” Nevertheless, I ignored.

By God’s providential plan, I was chosen to study at the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC),  Singapore, where I wrote this testimony. Since the day the classes commenced, the teachers emphasised, “You must be born again.” But I told myself that I was a Christian until I learned in Contemporary Theology about the doctrine of the Charismatics from whom I professed Christ in high school.

I struggled for two months having my conscience tormented by the teachings about the Charismatics. I had no ASSURANCE at all. I feared death and the imminent return of Christ. Then by God’s grace, He opened my heart about my foundation, and realised that it was made of sand and not the Rock (Jesus), Matthew 7:24-29. Various Bible texts came to my mind as I studied in the College, e.g. Romans 10:17, Hebrews 4:8, Matthew 7:21-24. Still there was no rest.

It was the Bible passage of Romans 10:17 that drove me to Christ in the morning of Thursday, 1 October 2009. I will never forget this day. It was during the Life of Christ class. The Lord opened my mind and my heart when the teacher (Dr Khoo) was teaching and unveiled my sins that I had done in darkness and yet maintained to be a Christian. I mourned for my sins. I looked unto the Saviour for forgiveness. After my classes, I returned to my room where I asked the Lord to forgive me of my unbelief. My eyes were opened and perfect peace for my soul set in. From that day, I am enjoying perfect peace from the Perfect Saviour who made me whole through His grace alone. I am no more doubting about the great, full and free salvation which the Lord by His mercies has given to me. I am no longer fearing death, neither am I afraid of the Lord’s imminent return for I am His. I am sure of God’s salvation and am sure of going to heaven. I have resolved to study God’s Word and know Him more and tell others who are still blind as I was. All glory be to God. Ephesians 2:8-9. Amen.

 

Still Serving the Lord

Dear Dr. Khoo,
I hope you are all fine and everything is alright at FEBC and True Life BPC. I am fine in the Lord with my family and we are still serving the Lord. I have just resumed my pastoral duties in the same church in Nairobi which I pastored before I came to FEBC. I am also teaching part time at Faith College of the Bible (Eldoret). I stay in Nairobi but I travel to Eldoret to teach for one week every month. Please continue praying for me and my family as we serve the Lord here in Kenya.

God be with you and bless all your labours
for Him.

Yours in the Lord,
Titus Nzoka
9 October 2009

 

Praying for an Uncorrupted Bible for the Chinese

Dear Dr Jeffrey Khoo

I read your weekly “The Jew, the Bible, and China” when I searched for the old Chinese Bibles. I have been praying to God to reprint His uncorrupted Bible for Chinese Christians for years. Praises to God, our Father in heaven and our Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit guided me to find the New Testament, 1872 Peking Mandarin Version in June 2008. I started to do the Chinese word processing of this version in July 2008 and had completed all the books of the New Testament 1872 Peking Mandarin Version last month. I would like to share the books of Thessalonians and Timothy with you. If you find yourself interested in this work, I can email
all the books to you.

May God’s will be fulfilled upon us.

In our Lord Jesus Christ
Mrs Kit Chan
4 September 2009

Ed: We thank the Lord for Mrs Chan’s labour of love. The Parallel KJV, 1872 Peking Mandarin Version and Chinese Union Version New Testament can be freely downloaded from the FEBC website (www.febc.edu.sg) for your further study and reference. Hard/softcopies of the above may be purchased from the FEBC Bookroom. See sample page below.