Good morning church. First at all, let me introduce myself. My name is Chee Lim from Working Adult Central Region. Today I want to testify how great is our God.
I have a fear of public speaking. Still remember last 3 times I stand on the stage to give my testimony. No matter how I try to control my hand – they are shaking and trembling. One of the testimony, I was too nervous that at the end, I said something like this “I will end my preaching with the Bible verseâ€. It really gave the audience a shock.
But God is great. 2 weeks ago I had my first preaching experience at Hope Ipoh. As it was my first time preaching, brother Kian Wee sent me the preaching material one week before for preparation. I went through my sermon with my shepherd twice in the same week. I told my shepherd that I had a dream - to invite my mother to listen for my first preaching. My mother is not a Christian and I have invited her to church many times but she refused to go. There also double challenge for me as I have public speaking fear and one of the audience is my mother. On top of it, I need to preach in Cantonese because my mother does not know English and also not really good in mandarin.
At the same week, Sunday morning, I received a sms from brother Kian Wee requesting for change in the sermon due to some reasons. Oh no! But I followed the instructions. That Sunday I was playing bass for Sunday service praise and worship. During the last 2 songs: “Mighty to Save†and “How great is our God†I saw myself preaching and my mother was there. I knew that it will not be by my strength but by the greatness of God.
I know that God use me not because I am very good or strong. But He wants to reveal His power in my weaknesses. I decided to have a liquid fast and pray from Monday until Friday (Liquid fast means the whole day only drink liquid and no solid food for 5 days.) for preparation of my sermon. My shepherd taught me 2 important things for preaching. First is preachers cannot tell lies .Second is the preacher must first preach to himself. Through these five days I first preached and responded to God’s word for myself and let God’s word first challenge myself to change. On Sat, Jessie, Pui Kee and I went to Ipoh early morning and joined my parents for dim sum. I invited my mother to church but she did not reply . Praise the Lord that during the dinner time she suddenly said that she and her friend will come to church the next day because she and her friend visited Hope Penang and they felt happy with the atmosphere few weeks ago. Although the whole service in Penang was conducted by English and my mother and her friend could not really understand but it really gave them a good impression. I really thank God because He has already prepared the way..Last month when sister Wai Yee (Previous Hope PJ member now at Penang) went back from PJ to Penang. Along the way she called me how to go to Fu Shan (a famous dim sum place at Ipoh). She met my mother at the dim sum place and my mother is excited seem meeting the old friend. Spontaneously my mother plans a trip to Penang with her for next time round going back to Penang. My mother and her friend have a good time at Penang and they have a short visit to Hope Penang before they came back. After the Sat night dinner I continued to pray and prepare my sermon in Cantonese. Sunday early morning, I worshipped God with the song “How great is our God†and really thanked God for His goodness and great deeds in my life - beyond what I can fathom. I was filled with peace and joy when I went to Sunday service with my mother. Praise God for that morning my mother met a Christian friend who also encouraged my mother go to church. Finally the preaching time came. And at the first one minute basically my hand was shaking. But God is great, after the one minute I can preach fluently in Cantonese. I can even move freely with expression and actions. Thank God that for the rest of one hour it was God who preached through me. For my first preaching I learned 3 important things:
God helped me to overcome the fear of public speaking. His power was perfectly revealed in my weaknesses.
1. It was God’s plan to change the sermon because He wanted me to forget what is behind (my short comings, mistakes, failures and etc) and strain towards what is ahead. (Focus on Jesus and how great is our God.)
2. God lifted my faith for my family’s salvation and know that He is preparing the way.
Finally I want to end my testimony with 2 bible verses from my preaching. Phi 3:13-14. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Forget the past that hinder you press on toward the goal in God and focus your eye in our Lord Jesus, you will see how great God can work in you life. Amen!
