Voice - Life in the fast lane - but how? - Sharing true life New stories Life Stories - FGB UK
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Voice
Inspiring
Sharing
true
Newlife
MAGAZINE
MAGAZINE
stories
Life
Stories
‘Why we
are a very
grateful
family’
Page 6
Life in the fast lane - but how?
More about your
Voice magazine The best
For more than 50 years, this
pocket-sized magazine has
news of
been distributed around the
world in many languages.
In each issue, we share
my life
inspirational stories of Clive Addison, right,
ordinary people who share a former Chief Officer in
their own story in their own
Local Government and an
words.
international expert in
Each story tells how the
writer came to a living faith
horticulture, shares his
in Jesus Christ, who uplifting story
promised an abundant life to
all who would trust in Him.
Jesus asked his followers:
I was surprised, even
shocked, during a
discussion group at the home
“Are you tired? Worn out? of my neighbour, Peter, when
Burned out on religion? a senior Local Government
Come to me. Get away with official shared his story – and
me and you’ll recover your mentioned that he had a
life. heartfelt personal relationship
with Jesus Christ.
“I’ll show you how to take a
real rest. Walk with me and The speaker, Don Latham, said
work with me - watch how I he ‘involved Jesus in every
do it . . .I won’t lay anything business decision.’ But what on
earth did he mean? I’d never
heavy or ill-fitting on you.
met anyone who included God
Keep company with me and
in his professional career!
you’ll learn how to live freely
and lightly.” As I recall my childhood at
Lymington, on the South
- An extract from Matthew
11:28 in the Bible, using the Coast, I’d found church
popular ‘Message’ translation. services incredibly boring. On
Sundays, our family also went
2
work and studied hard for
further qualifications – I
wanted to be a Chief Officer in
Local Government. I began
with parks management in
Swindon. Later, I became deputy
parks manager for the city of
Bath. Finally, after 15 years as a
Director in a number of other
Local Authorities, I took early
retirement and became a worker
with the Royal Horticultural
Society as a judge for the ‘Britain
in Bloom’ competition, where
villages, towns and cities
compete for the best environ-
mental and landscape practices.
For six years I represented the
UK as a judge in the European
sailing in the Solent and I much competition called ‘Entente
preferred that. Florale’ – and became chairman
of their international jury as we
When I grew up and left home, I travelled to 12 countries. It
stopped attending church. Yet seemed to me that I’d come a
the strange story of the man in long way from early days as an
the same profession as me, and assistant gardener to reaching
who heard from God, made me the top of my profession.
curious. So I’ll share more later
about the impact of that in a Today, looking back, I vividly
moment. recall that day I first heard Don
Latham tell us how he daily
I’ll mention here that I qualified sought God’s guidance in making
in horticulture and met my wife, important decisions. It set me
Heather, at college. We had two thinking - and with some
children, Lorna and Duncan. My curiosity I accepted an invitation
family attended the local village to attend a dinner evening of a
church, but on Sundays I often Christian businessmen’s
found other things to do around fellowship at a local hotel.
the house and garden, instead!
The speaker was a professional
I was also ambitious in my marketing executive, who also
3
involved Jesus in everything he it’s here now, when the
did! At the end of his talk, he [spiritually] dead will hear my
invited non-Christian visitors to voice - the voice of the Son of
receive Jesus into their lives – God. And those who listen will
to receive ‘new life.’ The Bible live.”
calls this being ‘born again’
Deep down, I knew I was
spiritually, and in that way we
spiritually ‘dead’, but if I ‘heard
also receive eternal life, he said.
His voice’ and accepted Christ
Now I realised I definitely as my Saviour, then this would
didn’t know this Jesus. I made be life-changing. I couldn’t
no response to his appeal, resist this God-given invitation,
perhaps through pride. Yet I and confessed my long time
was aware that this series of indifference to God’s love. Then
‘God-encounters’ were no I asked Jesus to be Lord of my
accident. I remembered that life. A simple step, but it has
discussion group, when some- truly proven to be a
one said, ‘if anyone wants to life-changing decision.
get serious with God, they
should read John’s Gospel in
the Bible.’
N ow, years later, that
precious moment is still
fresh in my mind. My new life
So, back home, I found a Bible as a believer in Jesus has been
which opened at that very spot. so much better than anything I
As my eyes flew across the could have dreamt. It was the
pages of John’s Gospel, the best news ever – even my
words at the top of the page professional career ‘took off’ in
stood out: ‘Jesus said: “I tell a miraculous way. For
you the truth, those who hear example, I didn’t have the right
my message and believe in qualifications but I was
God who sent me, have eternal accepted for a MSc university
life. They will never be course. Within two years, at the
condemned for their sins, but age of only 36, I gained my first
they have already passed from position as a Chief Officer of a
death to life.” ’ (John 5:24). large multi-disciplined
department in Local
I was amazed as I re-read those
Government.
words – I felt God was speaking
directly to my heart. The next I found fellowship with other
verse promised: “I assure you believers and was involved in
that the time is coming, indeed exciting challenges – I’ve
4
always loved foreign
travel. So in my new
joy as a Christian I was
involved in
smuggling Bibles into
‘closed’ countries.
We saw miraculous
answers to prayer as
we trusted the Holy
Spirit to guide us.
Life can of course be
tough for all of us, but
Jesus promises never,
ever to leave us. This
is true, even in
devastating times. Heather and
Jesus our Lord.’ (Romans 8).
I were heartbroken when our
Despite our tears, there was joy
16-year-old son, Duncan, who
ahead: six months later, our
was once so wonderfully full of
daughter, Lorna, now married
life, became seriously ill with
to Stephen, told us they were
leukaemia. He died, aged 19. expecting their first baby - and
We faced agonising questions – our first grandson arrived
why hadn’t God healed safely. Today, Heather and I
Duncan? Yet in our confusion have five healthy and active
we knew many people were grandsons, pictured above.
praying for our family, and we The family lives and works in
were strengthened by the Holy Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and
Spirit who is also called ‘the we regularly visit them.
Comforter’. We don’t know what the future
We know that death is not the holds, but God will see us
end of the story – and Duncan through. There’s a little verse
is in Heaven right now, because that says, “taste and see that the
the Bible promises us that Lord is good, blessed are those
‘nothing can ever separate us who take refuge in
from God’s love . . . neither Him.” (Psalm 34:8).
death nor life . . . no power in
That has been our experience –
the sky above or in the earth
why don’t you make it yours?
below will ever be able to
separate us from the love of Clive’s email address is:
God that is revealed in Christ cliveheather7@gmail.com
5
Why we’re
a very
grateful
family
Our cover story:
Aubrey Morris,
teacher, musician, singer
and author, shares a
journey of faith that has
taken him from South
Africa to Ireland
I grew up among a family of 12 awarded to me and I went to
children in South Africa – we university - I felt it must be ‘a
were hardworking but gift from God’ although I
desperately poor. In our wasn’t a Christian. “Someone up
two-room home, it was difficult there must be looking after me,”
to even find a place to ‘put your I thought.
head down’ at night. At 17, I was drawn with other
As children, we made our own young people into drink, drugs
toys and sometimes went and discos - despite the advice
hungry, yet despite abject of my dear Granny who was the
poverty, I remained quite only Christian in our family.
optimistic that life would one She loved me a lot and we were
day get better. Then, at very close. But if you had said
secondary school, the very kind ‘Jesus’ to me, I wouldn’t have
secretary, Mrs Goss, asked me known much about him.
what I was going to do next – One of my younger brothers,
and advised me to apply for a still at secondary school,
study grant. Amazingly, this was attended a Christian fellowship,
6
led by my former maths teacher, music industry - as well as
Mr Wayne Thring. Some of the writing plays. This continued
members of this ‘strange’ but even when I was a teacher, as I
happy group visited our home ran a children’s choir and
and I had to admit that there launched a Christian club in a
was something genuine and secular school where hundreds
magnetic about them – they of kids came to faith in Jesus
were happy - and I wanted what Christ. They would share their
they had. But how? joy with their families, so that
T hree months later, I went some parents got linked up with
back to that school, met my the local church, too. It was
former maths teacher in the such a buzz – I really enjoyed it.
foyer, and said: “I want Jesus in I met my future wife, Auriol, in
my life.” And right there, as 1998, and we were married two
Wayne prayed for me with his years later. In due course we
hand on my shoulder, I was had two sons, Dillon and Levi.
‘born again.’ It was that simple In my work, I knew God was
- suddenly the awful emptiness calling me to minister into the
left me and God’s love filled my lives of young people, and for
life for the first time. four years I headed up the
As the bad things fell away from Sports Department at a
my life, sceptical friends Christian school.
thought it a was joke that I had
become a Christian, but I had
flushed away all the drugs,
declaring “no more!” It was a
B y then, three of my brothers
were living in Ireland – and
I woke up one morning with a
day of release and deliverance. strong impression that Auriol
and I would be moving there,
I’ve always loved sport,
too. Four months later it
especially football and athletics.
happened! And for nine years I
At University, talent scouts
worked at a Christian School in
came to the Freshman’s Ball,
Dundalk, the county town of
looking for people who they felt
County Louth, Ireland – about
‘had the edge’ to work in TV ads,
half way between Dublin and
catalogue and fashion model-
Belfast!
ling. They invited me to a free
modelling course and soon I was I graduated from Bible School at
working with producers and Grace Fellowship church. We
making money. It was a thrill also felt led to serve with Newry
for me, because I’ve always been Christian Centre, where I was
fascinated by the media, the Youth Pastor for two years.
7
Newry, in Northern Ireland, is was a mess. I remember driving
an historic town on the border away from home in tears,
of Counties Down and Armagh. feeling far away from God.
I now teach at Newry Christian Then, at my lowest moment, I
Centre Bible School. I also heard God whisper in my heart:
assist with the worship team “I can fix your marriage.”
and preach occasionally. In I turned the car around and
2011, I took a mission team to drove back home. With God’s
South Africa. help, Auriol and I rebuilt our
marriage, as I learned to sort
I discovered early on as
Christian that life isn’t
always ‘a bed of roses’. I have
out my priorities as a husband.
God has truly blessed us as a
also known great sadness – family - we have so much to be
having lost four members of my grateful for! I know first-hand
family, including my dear the freedom that is ours
brother Leon, who was a because of the restorative love
Christian, too. However, I of God. Whatever challenges
know from the Bible that he is you may face, please don’t give
‘with the Lord’ and one day I’ll up – because God does not give
see him again. up on you.
I’ve also learned that even as a
believer, our lives are very
much ‘a work in progress’. God
I ’ve discovered, too, that the
Holy Spirit enables us to
discover our God-given destiny
is so merciful – when we turn to bring hope and blessing to
back to him there is always a others. For example, I’ve always
fresh start with the help of the dreamed of becoming an
Holy Spirit. author, so with my wife’s
In my early years of poverty, I encouragement, I’ve written
often felt I was ‘fighting to catch two books to help people to
up’ – I was overly competitive, ‘dream again’ - to seek those
always busy with this and that - things that God has for them as
and for years I struggled with they pursue their goals and
frustration and anger issues. visions.
Sadly, I brought this problem My first book is called
into my marriage. Ten years “Wisdom for Life 101 –
ago, despite much counselling, Life-changing Principles.”
we faced the prospect of our ………………………………………………………………………………….
marriage breaking down. Aubrey’s email address is:
Frankly, at that point, my life morrisaubs@yahoo.ie
8
Staying
strong in
tough
times
Businessman Gordon
Bambridge, right,
shares a story 0f
recovery in the face of
great loss successful as a salesman with
managerial positions, and
O ne simple family event on well-regarded in my company.
a Sunday morning in May After the guests left the
was a life-changer for my wife, christening party, Jacqui and I
Jacqueline and I. talked beyond midnight about
Like many families, we had the impact of the service – and
decided to have our two young eventually we both joined the
daughters christened in the local church! As we steadily
local Church of England – not grew in our new faith, we led
so much for faith reasons, but Bible studies, taught in Sunday
really as an excuse for a big school and I even became a lay
preacher in various denomina-
family party – which we did!
tions.
However, we hadn’t reckoned
on a ‘God-encounter’ in that More surprises were in store for
service because, through it, we us: our church life was rocked
both became aware of our by some members who claimed
they had been ‘filled with the
need for personal salvation.
Holy Spirit’ and even spoke in a
Up to that point I’d say I was a new prayer language, called
normal chap with no real faith, ‘speaking in tongues.’
but with a general belief in God.
In my work I was reasonably Well, I ‘knew better’ ! So I
9
took it upon
myself to call on
them, and ‘set
them straight’
about what the
Bible says about
this phenomenon.
The outcome was
quite different,
as I too was soon
baptised in the
Holy Spirit in a
church meeting in After their visit to a Royal Garden Party at
a neighbouring Buckingham Palace: Councillor Gordon
village. Bambridge and his wfe, Jacqueline
I, too, spoke in
tongues - an experience I had Norwich, part of a worldwide
once struggled to ignore. I fellowship of Christian laymen.
realised that God is very good
to his reluctant followers. I had even distributed their
‘Voice’ magazines, like the
This experience of knowing the one you are reading now.
presence and power of the
Holy Spirit led us to a much Up to then I thought that this
closer walk with God – we fellowship was mainly in
started seeing miracles in so America, without realising they
many areas of our lives. For had a local Chapter a mile from
example, trusting God to meet my home in Norfolk!
our material needs, even in the I was really too ill to attend,
midst of a sudden business due to a slipped disc in my
disaster when we lost lower back. During the early
everything through fraud. part of the evening, whilst
There were healings, too – we people were singing a worship
prayed for a friend who faced a song, my back was totally
cancer operation but who was healed, although no-one was
fully healed. praying for me. I shared my
story after the meeting and
Around that time I was invited became an instant FGB
to a dinner of the Full Gospel member.
Businessmen (FGB) in
Since I was filled with the Holy
10Spirit 37 years ago, it has been we never drew benefits.
my privilege to speak at church Eventually we won permission
and FGB events all over the to build our small home on this
UK, as well as in Europe and field, thanks to low rates
North America. I’ve seen provided by builders.
hundreds respond to the
message of Jesus, but I’ve also Amazingly, I also paid all my
learned that being a Christian trade creditors without falling
can bring testing and trials. out with any of them. My
biggest creditor, when he was
As our wholesale business told of my bankruptcy, said: “I
prospered, we were able to also know you are a man of honour,
promote the Gospel - I was so place my account on the
able to take time out to travel bottom of the pile and forget it
and share the message of till you can pay.”
Jesus at home and abroad.
In due time, I was discharged
T hen, in the 1990s, whilst from bankruptcy and I remain
visiting friends, FGB self-employed. I was also
chapters and local churches in elected to a District Council in
America, my business suffered 2003, serving in many
a large fraud. Deals collapsed capacities, and being re-elected
and we lost most of our stock, three times with an increased
leaving us with massive debts majority each time.
– we also lost our savings, our I know that my story of
home and pension rights. “trusting in God” is truly the
In sharing my story, I had way He has led us. We have
always emphasised our “trust learned that God really is the
in God for all things, including Great Restorer, who heals the
our substance.” Now we had a broken hearted. I also know
new baby - but had lost our that whatever trials I face, I
home and everything else, can remain strong because of
except for about £11 in cash. the victory that Christ has won
for us on the Cross. If you are
Somehow we managed to keep facing tough times, remember
our faith in Jesus to see us that Jesus is only a prayer
through, even as we moved away. He longs to help you - all
into a 70-year-old wooden we need to do is ask.
caravan on a field we owned.
We had no electricity, no Gordon’s email address is:
phone, no mains water – and sgbjays@aol.com
11My journey days, it seemed that God was
looking after me, though I had
no idea why. I wasn’t religious,
from conflict although our family was
nominally Methodist. You
might say I was a ‘gentle
to peace sinner’ – perhaps rather self-
righteous because I didn’t live
Civil engineer Daniel an excessive life-style.
Nquot shares his In 1988, two friends invited me
remarkable story to a New Generation Church
where the speaker clearly
M ore than a million people
died in the three-year
Civil War in Nigeria. I was a
presented the radical message
that ‘God loved the world so
much that he gave his one and
child when my family fled from only Son, so that everyone –
our remote village and we including me - who believes in
became refugees. Jesus will not perish but have
eternal life,’ (John 3: 16).
Up to that point I was a
happy-go-lucky 10-year-old The speaker said that Jesus
who loved playing football in had opened the way for me to
our village of Mbiabong in have an exchanged life – a new
south-east Nigeria. My father life, lovingly empowered by my
died of sickness during the Father in Heaven, in exchange
conflict. for my old self-centred,
self-righteous life.
After the war, we moved back
I
to our village. I was so realized that this was my
fortunate to prosper after the moment of decision, but I
terrible war: I was a keen had an academic mindset,
student and became the only always trying to analyse
one in my immediate family everything. Now God was
who eventually went to speaking to my heart – so in
University where I studied civil simple trust I responded to the
engineering and also gained a ‘altar call’ to go forward as an
master’s degree in structural outward sign that I truly
engineering. I later became accepted the salvation offered
Chief Engineer with the by Jesus, who had paid a great
Highways Department. price for me by dying publicly
Looking back to those early on a cruel Cross.
12neighbour, a lawyer,
who collapsed at home
after an epileptic fit. I
heard shouts and
rushed in to find him
on the floor. A doctor
said it was a ‘hopeless’
situation.
Suddenly, I felt the urge
to pray for the lawyer. I
put my hands on his
head, and as I prayed,
Daniel and his wife, Kate his eyes opened.
People were shocked,
As I stepped out in faith that then the family broke
day, I was ‘born again’ – and I into celebration as the lawyer,
became spiritually alive. It was now alive, was taken to hospital
a landmark moment as a for a confirmation check-up.
Christian counsellor led me in a Two years later, when Kate, my
simple prayer to accept Christ English-born wife and I were
as my personal Saviour. I also visiting relatives, we heard a
welcomed the Holy Spirit into tremendous commotion as a
my life as my Helper, Guide six-year-old boy lay still after
and Friend, just as Jesus choking on something. His
promised, (see John 14:16). family were crying helplessly,
as others ran around in a panic.
T his was all very new to me,
but as the months passed
by I experienced a new freedom
So my wife and I laid hands on
the boy and, as we prayed, he
suddenly sneezed and opened
as the ‘gentle craving for sin’ his eyes! I was amazed.
subsided. Prayer became real,
Many times we have seen God
the Bible came alive – and I
answer a prayer for healing.
was living a daily spiritual
For example, an older relative
adventure. I discovered I could
of mine who was very highly
even pray with people and see
regarded - he worked in the
their lives changed, too. Some
Diplomatic Service – became ill
who were sick were healed!
with a serious allergy. His face
On two occasions, we appeared had swollen up, but when we
to see the dead return to life. prayed for him he rapidly
The first instance was a recovered.
13In Nigeria, I became a member groups set up at Liverpool
of FGB – the Full Gospel University and in the city,
Businessmen’s Fellowship – where Kate and I and our three
where I became president of a children were happily settled
local FGB ‘chapter.’ We have for 14 years.
more than 3,100 of these
I loved reaching out to our
chapters across Nigeria, where
neighbours with the Gospel
our national conventions can
message, and gave away
attract over 20,000 people.
thousands of Voice magazines,
I n my journey of faith, I have
been inspired by many
Christians, especially the life of
like the one you are reading
today. Nowadays I teach civil
engineering at a college in
Mary Slessor, (1848- 1915). Welwyn Garden City in
She was a hard working Hertfordshire; my wife Kate is
Scottish mill girl and an a health visitor.
unorthodox Sunday School
We attend an FGB Fellowship
teacher, who, inspired by David
in the city of St Alban’s and we
Livingstone, became a mission-
are setting up a new FGB
ary in Calabar, Nigeria, an area
chapter in the London Borough
where no European had set foot
of Enfield.
before.
Despite illness and constant
danger, she lived with the
I thank God for the day I first
heard the Good News about
an amazing New Life with
tribes, learned their language,
Jesus. I’d like to leave you with
and traditions, earning their
the words of the Apostle Paul,
respect and putting an end to
in the New Testament, who
some barbaric practises, such
said: “I’m glad in God . . . I am
as the killing of twins. She
just as happy with as little as
adopted many Nigerian
much . . . whatever I have,
children (particularly twins)
wherever I am, I can make it
who had been left to die.
through anything in the power
Mary died in 1915, aged 67, of Jesus who makes me who I
with great mourning among the am,” (extract from Philippians
tribes to whom she had chapter four, in ‘The Message’
dedicated her whole life. translation).
In 2002 I came to the UK to do
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
a doctorate degree in Civil Daniel Nquot is on email
Engineering, and also saw FGB at: dperfecter@yahoo.co.uk
14make. Here is a prayer you can
Your response? pray - if you can find a quiet
A s you have read the
true-life stories in this
magazine, you may also
place to quietly pray this aloud:
“Lord Jesus, I believe you are
the Son of God. I believe you
want to ask God into your
died on the Cross for me. I am
life. There are three simple sorry for my sins and I truly
steps to do this: want to turn away from them.
A real Christian is someone who I ask you to forgive me and
has a personal relationship with cleanse my heart.” (Pause here
God by inviting Jesus to become to mention anything on your
their Lord and personal Saviour. conscience. Then continue . . .)
STEP 1: Admit that you have “I want to trust you with my
sinned by falling short of God’s life, starting right now. Please
standard - admit that you need be my Lord and Saviour. I invite
a Saviour to deal with your past you into my life. Please help me
and assure your future. to live by the power of the Holy
STEP 2: Believe that Jesus is Spirit, to guide and to teach me.
the Son of God who died on the “I now believe your promise in
Cross to pay the penalty for the Bible that I am born again. I
your sins. am a true child of God. Help me
STEP 3: Receive Jesus as to trust you with all my heart.
Saviour and Lord of your life by Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.”
personal invitation and ask His
forgiveness for your sins. Contact us: post off the
coupon below, right away, and
Your decision to receive Christ
we will send you a free guide
as Saviour and Lord is the most
on how to grow as a Christian.
important decision you will ever
An opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour
Tick here to request a free booklet ‘Finding God’
Today I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour
Please send me details about FGB
My name_________________________________________________
Address__________________________________________________
________________________________ Post code______________
Post to: FGB Voice, PO Box 11, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QPTrue stories in this issue . . .
Clive Addison Aubrey Morris Gordon Daniel Nquot
The best news Why I am so Bambridge From conflict
of my life grateful to God A story of hope to peace
T his magazine is produced
by the Full Gospel
Businessmen in the UK and
Men of all backgrounds are
welcome, whether working,
retired or unemployed, no-one
Ireland — or FGB for short. is excluded. FGB is an ‘arm of
This fellowship began through the church’ endorsed by many
the vision of a Christian Christian leaders, including the
businessman. Today, there are Archbishop of York, Dr John
thousands of Local Chapters Sentamu who says, “We need
meeting in more than 100 more men like them!”
countries. FGB is in many towns To contact us, email:
and cities across the UK and we office@fgbuk.org
welcome newcomers to our Tel. 01565 632 667
regular events, usually dinner See our website for more true
evenings with a guest speaker. life stories: www.fgbuk.org
For your local contact:
Check our website for events in your region - see www.fgbuk.orgYou can also read
