A Lecturer and A Fool!

“Freud wrote a book on religion called: ‘The Future Of An Illusion’, I don’t know whether it has a future but I know it’s an illusion!”. I was a 36 year old lecturer, and as a friend, visiting for the weekend, asked what I believed about God, I gave what I thought was a clever, sophisticated, answer. Two days later I was a committed believer in Jesus Christ! What had happened?

I was brought up in a Christian home, and went to ‘Sunday School’, then later, adult services in the Methodist Chapel. I loved the hymn singing but the rest left me cold. Eventually I became an atheist - a ‘cool’ thing to be in the 1960’s.

Later, I read Sociology at university. Seeing religion as social control, reinforced my atheism, but I met my wife, Jean, who was a Christian, there. We married as students and had two sons. Throughout that time, I was an (often aggressive) atheist until that momentous weekend.

What happened then is too complicated to explain, but following a credible threat from a self-proclaimed witch and satanist, to the life of my wife and children, I re-considered my atheism. I suddenly realised that, if I believed in the reality of that threat – and I did, then only this God whom I had spent my whole life denying, could protect my wife and young sons.

When I told Jean that we should pray she said “I never thought I would hear you say that”. We stood together in our home, but I didn’t know how to pray. I dimly remembered that Jesus had said if we asked anything in his name, he would answer, so I simply said: “God, please get rid of everything evil that is threatening our lives, in the name of Jesus, Amen”. As I said “Amen” I felt a huge weight lift from the room – not simply from me but from the whole room! Then I felt an amazing warm, comforting, and all-enveloping ‘presence’ fill the room – and I knew God was there. Suddenly I was filled with joy – ‘joy’ was not a word I would ever use as an atheist but now I knew that was the feeling. I turned to Jean. I couldn’t even speak normally because of the presence of There is far more to say, but crucially I had met with God and, after all my years of denying him and trying to convince Christians that they were wrong, he had forgiven and accepted me. I knew instantly that all I had been taught about Jesus at Chapel was true – that his death on the cross was for me (and all people) because he loves me and so that I could live the life he had always intended for everyone. In my atheism I had been a complete fool for my whole life. In the next few days, I told several people who had only known me as an atheist, that I had met with Jesus and I was now following him. I might have felt embarrassed that I had been so wrong, but I didn’t, I was just so full of joy over what God had done in my life!

Now many years later, after the usual ups and down, but especially after many more experiences of God at work in my life, I am still thrilled that he rescued me from my self-centred, futile existence. Very quickly God showed me all the ways I had gone wrong in my life (what the Bible calls sinning) and they were far more than I had ever realised. But I knew that as soon as I had asked him to forgive me and take control in my life, he had forgiven me completely. He changed me on the inside, and he has given me new life (what the Bible calls being ‘born again’) and he wants to do the same for you. He loves you. All you have to do is say that you’re sorry for anything wrong in your life and ask Jesus to forgive you and give you what he has promised to those who believe and follow him. God bless you!.

JH (Easingwold)

A Message From Sheffield

First a little background information may prove useful.

Edna was well into her eighties and crippled with arthritis to the extent that she needed carers to help her to wash and dress each day. She lived alone with no near relatives and despite her failing health was always happy and cheerful. She was a very gentle and kind person who loved to speak about the one she loved: Jesus. Edna had a huge heart for those who suffered persecution solely because they would not stop following Jesus.

For many years Edna had prayed for Christians in Romania, so when the country opened up and a Christian mission which had been supporting those suffering for their faith in Communist countries, including Romania, offered UK Christians the opportunity to go to Romania to meet with those they had been praying for, Edna jumped at the chance. The leaders of the trip were approached and asked about taking someone who was so frail and would need help with everyday tasks and even transport to and from home.

How could the leaders say “no” to someone like Edna! So they prayed that God would sort out the practical arrangements – and he did! A lovely, single, nurse befriended Edna and willingly took care of all her needs. The group leaders personally transported Edna to and from the airport, and on arriving home after the trip, Edna offered them a cup of tea before they returned to their home. As soon as they all entered the house, before taking off her coat, hat or gloves, Edna turned and said, ”Excuse me a minute, I must say thank you first” at which point, struggling greatly, she lay face-down on the floor and prayed: “thank you Jesus for a wonderful trip, for safety for all the group and for bringing me home again”. She then struggled to her feet and again without taking off her coat, and refusing to let anyone else make the tea, she turned to thank the leaders for accepting her on the trip. The truth is that Edna was a great blessing to all, including the believers in Romania, who were challenged by her love for Jesus and for everyone.

The following are two of many messages subsequently received from Edna:

“A little love note praising my beloved JESUS. How wonderful He is. I am now totally blind. He never leaves me!” Love Edna W.

Two years after this note was sent, all her friends received a letter, prepared by Edna herself in advance, to notify us of her death. It read:

”Edna gave a happy look back and with a wave of her hand and a shout of joy ascended into Heaven in the arms of her Beloved”

PJH telling the story of Edna W (Sheffield)

A Former Plasterer and Air-Frame Mechanic, Now A Pastor From Doncaster

“Hi I’m Andy. I’m a Christian, I was brought up in a Christian home and I used to love to go to church as a young child, growing up in the church, I used to love it. I used to love hearing people preach the gospel every Sunday night, I used to go to Sunday School every Sunday morning, Sunday afternoon, Sunday night. You could say I was brainwashed!”

“But then other people are brainwashed in many different ways. They don’t go to church, they don’t believe, their parents don’t believe, and they’re brainwashed. But I’ve been washed clean because I heard the good news of Jesus Christ and I believe the truth of Jesus Christ.”

“I believe that Jesus died to save me from my sins, and I know that Jesus has made me a better person than I was before. I messed up my life big-time. I had a good wife and unfortunately I lost her because I messed my life up.”

“But since I’ve become a Christian, it’s not been easy, I haven’t had it easy but I know this much: I would never want to go back to how I was before and I thank God for saving me. And I just hope that you realise and believe that God is real, that Jesus is real, and that he is the Saviour. The Bible says ‘Salvation is found in no other name for there is no other name found under heaven given to man by which we must be saved.’ There is no other religion in the World, not one single religion in the World, that’s got a Saviour.

So I want to encourage you to trust in the Lord Jesus. God bless you”.

Andy W (Doncaster)

From The Army To The Police And Then…

I attended a church of England School, so I was always aware of the Bible and what it represented.

At the age of 15yrs I left school and joined the army where I served nine years in the Royal Engineers. During that time, I served in various locations and saw active service in Northern Ireland.

While in the army I married my first wife Mavis, and we have had three children. On leaving the army I eventually joined the Police as a Constable.

We discovered our new neighbours were both Christians. They invited Mavis to a Gospel concert at the local Baptist Church where she became a Christian. I attended with her and six weeks later I too became a Christian.

My walk with the Lord in those early days wasn’t easy and for a time, I turned my back on Him. The turning point was, after I caught Hepatitis B through being involved with arresting a criminal who had Hepatitis and who violently resisted arrest so that his blood mixed with my blood. However, I was healed through prayer. This caused me to renew my walk with God and I formed a local branch of the Christian Police Association (CPA)

After I retired from the Police, I took up a role with the CPA as the Northern Regional Coordinator. Sadly, Mavis was diagnosed with cancer and went through chemotherapy which caused her great suffering. We thought she had recovered but tragically secondary cancer returned after about a year, and she was called to Glory on our 47th wedding anniversary.

It was a struggle to keep going. But Mavis and I had a very dear friend called Liz. She told me, “You are a professional, get back into the driving seat”. I took her advice and threw myself into church work and my role within the CPA.

Liz who gave that advice had lost her husband 10 years previously to cancer and we had a lot in common. We had worked together for several years on various church projects including Alpha and she was a close friend of Mavis.

Eventually, the Lord opened our eyes to each other beyond the bonds of friendship and we came together, and we married on a very hot day on 7th July 2018. We were looking forward to sharing our twilight years together, but after only a month of marriage, Liz was diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer. Sadly the day after my birthday, after only 5 months of our marriage, she was called to Glory. So, we never got to enjoy our new lives together

People have asked me how I keep going, where was God in all this and how could He be so hurtful as to take both my first love Mavis after a long marriage, then my new wife Liz less than six months after being married. I have often asked that question “WHY?”. The answer that I feel that God keeps saying is that I was there for both of them and gave them strength and support at a time when it was most needed. If I hadn’t met Liz she would have had to face cancer and the treatment on her own, as her adult family all lived in different parts of the country. I felt it was a privilege to be there for her during those difficult times. I believe God was there in the situation.

I have to put my trust in God, that daily He walks with me and gives me the strength to carry on. I admit it is not always easy but keeping focus on God gives me the strength, I also gain strength from the bible, especially through two passages:

Psalm 121: 1-2

I will raise my eyes to the mountains

From where will my help come?

My help comes from the LORD

Who made heaven and earth

Isaiah 41:13

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand.

Who says to you: "Do not fear, I will help you"

Mike Q (Teesside)

Psalm 121:1-2

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A Lecturer and A Fool!