"My journey to becoming a Christian"

Dear readers,
this article is written by dearest brother-in-Christ Vincent. I was overwhelmed with joy when I knew he had written this article. I believe God is using my articles to inspire others to write as well. It is my prayer that more will write their life testimonies and share them. If you are willing, I am more than glad to have your article posted on my blog. Indeed, through this blog, many will come to know Christ. Take heart dear ones and keep shining for Christ!

Here it goes:

Christianity started reaching out to me during my secondary school time. I remembered the first encounter was when a Christian girl approached me at Bedok Interchange. During that time, I thought I was so handsome that the girl approached me. And she asked, “Do you know why God gave you eyebrows?” I replied, “No”. She said, “Because when you perspire, the sweat will not flow to your eyes. God made every part of our body for a reason”. And she started telling me about what sin is and why Jesus died for us and so on... And in my heart, I thought to myself, “what rubbish is this…”

Many Christians reached out to me in many different ways. I went to a bubble tea workshop organized by some Christians and at the end of the event they started talking about God to us. I went for a basketball game with students from an Australian College. And they shared with us about God at the end of the game. My impression towards Christianity worsened as I felt that Christians always lure me to an event without telling me that they would talk to me about God.

I started dating Joanne during my polytechnic years. Back then, both of us were free-thinkers. Our relationship went smoothly for 1.5 year until one day on Bus 27, she told me that she was going to be a Christian; I strongly rejected it. I told her that if she became a Christian, our thinking will be different and that we might have many conflicts. During that time, I cared so much for our relationship that I often took things in my own hands and foresaw anything that might hurt our relationship. In the end, she still became a Christian.

We grew further and further apart from each other from then on. Subsequently, Joanne invited me to her church. During the church service, I did not enjoy the worship, I forced my hands to clap, forced myself to sing. The more I read the lyrics, the more doubts I had. When the pastor preached, my heart could not agree with everything he said. In my mind, I was challenging what the pastor was saying and that caused my doubts to grow stronger.

Joanne also started talking to me about God, but it always backfired. I would always challenge her with questions about God which was impossible for her to answer. I told her, “If God is so great, why did He allow disasters to happen?” I still remember one incident that made me really mad. Joanne passed her exam and she said, “Thank God that He helped me pass the exam”. I challenged her by saying, “If you didn’t study for your exam, would you pass?” She had nothing to say; she only remained silent. This made me even sure that I was right about God’s non-existence because she could not answer me.

Four months later, our relationship ended. My heart was full of hatred and I kept blaming God for our breakup. I scolded Joanne almost every day on Msn. My hatred for God grew even stronger.

I graduated from the polytechnic, went for National Service and then graduated from University after. It had been 4 years. I still maintained contact with Joanne and asked her if we could patch up for 7 times but she always rejected me. My hope in getting back with her grew lesser.

One day, I went back to my polytechnic for taekwondo training. Kelvin, who was our common friend, started asking me about Joanne. I told him that we had broken up for 4 years and I had been asking her to patch up many times but she didn’t want to. I told him I was going to give up. He advised me not to give up and try praying to God. In my heart I said, “What? Praying?” He said, “Yes, start praying and even ask Joanne to pray together.” In my heart I questioned again,” What? With her?” During our conversation, Kelvin also shared about his testimony and God. But I reacted differently this time round; I opened my heart and listened. Because I felt that this was the only hope I had left.

So immediately after training, I called up Joanne and told her that I wanted to meet up with her. When we met, I told her what Kelvin had shared with me about God and I asked Joanne whether we can pray together for our relationship. She didn’t say anything at that point of time. When I went back home, right before I slept, I knelt down and pray, “Err…I do not know who You are but I hope You can help me. I would wish to get back with Joanne as I really love her. It’s been 4 years and she rejected me 7 times. It seems so impossible to get back together again. Please help me… In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen”.

Joanne invited me to her church, Fruitful Vine Church (FVC) 7^th Anniversary (2009). When I sat down and browsed through the brochure, I saw Joanne in every picture and in every event. She is dedicated towards the church and I felt that Joanne would want her partner to be like her, to be actively involved in Church. From then on, I changed my mindset from a challenging mindset to a willing-to-know-more-about-God mindset.

By wanting to know more about God, I attended FVC and also my friend’s church services. Even though I opened my heart and mind, and tried to accept God’s teaching, it was still a struggle to me because many things didn’t make sense.  For example, when the pastor preached that God is able to give us strength and power, I felt that it’s just a mental boost. When I witnessed someone being slain by the Holy Spirit, I felt that it’s just a show. When people in church rose up their hands up during worship, I felt very eerie. When the church asked for offerings, I felt that it was a scam. The more I went to church, the worse it got, the more doubts I had. Overtime, I felt that I could not accept Christianity. I wanted to give up and forget about everything, since I had tried and I failed.

Few days later, my friend asked if I wanted to attend the Alpha 10-weeks Course conducted by a Church in St-Hilda Secondary School, which was catered for non-believers. I decided to give it a try. Before I went for the course, I had a lot of questions in my minds and I couldn’t wait for them to be unlocked. Over there, I learnt the fundamental of Christianity through videos. Somehow, I enjoyed the teachings from the videos and the sharing sessions. I felt more comfortable attending the Alpha course because I wasn’t the only non-believer there. I asked many questions and they tried to clear all my doubts. I always wanted to encounter God first, only then will I accept Him. During one of the sharing session, one of the organizers asked if I wanted to experience God. In my heart, I thought that he wanted to let me see God physically. So I said “Yes”. He brought me to another room and he led me to say the sinner’s prayer and after that, he said, “Congratulations, you are a Christian now.”  I was like “What? That’s all?” but I thought I should let things be, that I would just be a Christian then. I accepted Jesus as my Savior there on 14 August 2009.

A miracle happened after that, Joanne accepted me on 19 August 2009. My heart rejoiced! This is a miracle to me and I thank God for His grace. From then on, praying to God became very real to me because I know now that He listens. He is a Living God who died for me on the cross and rose again after 3 days.

When I became a Christian, problems started pouring in. My dad opposed me of being a Christian and we quarreled for months. My friends felt that I became a Christian because of Joanne. I felt that I could not mix with my church friends too. But, I just prayed to God and somehow most of the problems were solved overtime.

Now, the way I handle my relationship with Joanne, is very different in comparison to the past. After my conversion, I had learnt not to rely on my own strength and understanding but rely on God’s ways. Whenever we have problems, we encourage each other with Bible verses and we would pray together. Our problems seemed so small each time we looked upon God.

I had always wanted to experience God first before accepting Him. It was when I accepted God as my Savior that I started to experience His goodness. I never regretted being a Christian “accidentally”.

Being a Christian is not as easy as I thought it would be but I will press on till the day Jesus returns or till the time the Heavenly Father calls me home. Press on, my dearest brothers-and-sisters-in-Christ!

Your Dearest Brother,

Vincent Tay

visions from God

Visions. Pictures. Images. These exist both real and unreal. Visions we see, could be of a person or an object, they are real. Visions we see, images and pictures in a storybook or in an animation, are unreal. They are created. Yet, have you ever wondered if there are visions that exist having infinite reality in them? Visions that are always realistic even if they are simply images or pictures or motion – they are real. How is that possible?

It isn’t, not here, not in this world. But, I have seen them. Yes I have, and I pray that you will see them too because they are special. These are the visions from God, visions from heaven. And in His Kingdom, it is ABSOLUTELY possible.

They came to me unclear at first. Then, they became crystal clear. I can’t tell exactly when I first saw one, but I can vaguely recall the times I figured I did.

If you have read an article I have written previously, “23.10.10”, then you might have identified a vision from God in there. It was the vision I had before my beloved grandma’s death. Several weeks before her death, God seemed to have DRAWN in my mind a picture of my grandma on her deathbed and beside, stood two of my cousins and my aunt. This vision, not a prediction of the future then, but something God allowed me to see that I may glorify Him through this, is a revelation from the above. It came to pass 23^rd October 2010. Just when my sister and I left the hospital, I saw the exact two cousins and aunt going up to visit my grandma and it was them who witnessed the death of my dearest grandma. It was then that I realized the vision was from God and not something my wildest imagination created. I grieved, but I thanked the Lord for I know through this His name is glorified. Amen!

If you have also read the article “The glory of God revealed”, you would be awed at the sort of visions I received from God. It was in a mission trip in Ipoh, Malaysia, in November 2010. I was ministering in tongues, along with my mom, praying for the individual members of the local church. When we came to a young man, God WROTE (note the difference in verb used as in the previous vision seen and subsequent ones) in my mind the word “heart” in mandarin. Confirmation of this vision took less than a minute when my mom uttered to him, “God wants your heart.” It was indeed revelation from above. Praise God! A second time I saw a vision was during the next day morning when I was praying in tongues for an elderly lady. Again, God WROTE in my head “intercession”. I struggled with the Lord because I wasn’t sure if that was from Him or of my own imagination. It was unclear. It became clear minutes later when my mom came to pray for her saying that God will raise her up to be an intercessor for Him. The visions God give could come unclear at the beginning, but when you begin to ask Him to show you more clearly, He will. And He will give you a confirmation to it in His appointed time. Faith and patience is all that’s required.

My church, Fruitful Vine Church, is located at Lion City Hotel, Paya Lebar, Singapore. We are looking for a new venue due to the decision of the hotel owner to sell it. The church has been praying for God to reveal to us and show us where the new church location He has prepared for us is. A couple of times while we were praying, God WROTE “Eunos” in my mind and DREW a picture of Eunos MRT. Initially I thought it was again my imagination but no, it isn’t! Confirmation came when my mom told me God had told her that it would be at Eunos area as well. Then, another sister in the church shared with me how God had impressed upon her heart that it would be in Eunos while she was in the cab praying, going past Eunos MRT. God is amazing because He didn’t just give me one confirmation. The more confirmations God provides, the more my doubts shrink, and the more faith is added to me. God’s ways are higher than our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. All we need to do it trust and obey.

The night before New Year 2011 was simply amazing. The church had thanksgiving service and I stood before the Lord, committing all my plans for 2011 and just soaking in His presence. God DREW in my mind a picture of a horse. This time, I knew for sure that this vision was from God and not my untamed imagination. But, I wasn’t certain what the vision interpreted to be. Just as the Bible says “ask and you shall receive”, so I did. I asked the Lord what the picture meant. The Lord ANIMATED the picture and it was as if the horse started to gallop, like in a race which in the vision I saw, had a very misty finishing line. The Lord said, “Persevere in the race I have set for you”. I figured the misty finishing line meant that despite how far the finishing line is, God wants me to persevere. Then, I recalled a part of the verse from the Bible I have read earlier that morning. It was something about running the race and persevering. It was a confirmation of the vision. I was deeply encouraged by the Holy Spirit and I knew that I will be empowered to serve in 2011.

The final one I’ve had was during church service this morning, 2^nd January 2011. I walked forward to be prayed for and I was enjoying the presence of the Lord when the Lord PAINTED a picture of an eagle in my mind, and I was sitting on it. Then, He BROUGHT IT TO LIFE and I saw myself soaring with the eagle. Image to motion. I just love it when God shows me this. It’s like an illustration in the storybook coming to life and becoming reality. It is an awesome experience. The eagle in the vision was extremely huge and I knew the Lord was telling me that I will soar on eagle’s wings in 2011. This just means that in all I do; the Lord will be my strength. He will deliver me from my troubles. Scripture says in Isaiah 40:31, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  God gave me a confirmation to this when my mom prayed for me. She said, “2011, you will soar like the eagle.” I believe with all my heart that God will seal this word and vision and indeed if God is for me, then who can be against me? If God is for you, then who can be against you?

I am certainly looking forward to more visions from God. And I pray with you that you too may experience these visions from God that your walk with God and your life in Christ will NEVER be the same again. It is God’s desire that every son and daughter would see visions and testify of His Name and He is looking for that someone with a heart fully submitted to Him, desiring to be empowered to serve Him, and to walk with Him to the finishing line. Ask, and you shall receive! In these last days, it is time we ARISE and finish the work Jesus started.

Got it? Or rather, done it?