Story about this Christian Businessman
This business is not only the result of a passionate enthusiasm for fresh roasted coffee but also part of my testimony as a Christian. My name is Simon Forth and if you would like to read my story, read on…
After about twelve years living in Japan in the 1990s (I am originally from Australia), I wanted to have qualifications in Japanese and so left Japan and came to Sheffield University to study. Two of the girls I was studying with asked me if I wanted to go to a local Baptist church with them that night because the pastor was worth listening to and that he had the ability to explain the Bible in a way that was both up to date and personally meaningful. Having nothing to do that night and being a bit intrigued, I went along. The pastor said that those people who live their life without God was like a man stumbling along in a desert with no clear direction or purpose and with howling winds opposing him. The pastor went on to say that when you accept Jesus into your life, you come out of that desert, away from the winds and into the calm oasis of the presence of God. Those words didn’t just tickle my ears but went down to a much deeper place and I came out of that church that night thinking that I’ve never had anything like that happen before. Later that night, I had the strongest feeling that; (1) God is with me right now and, (2) He used the pastor to speak into my life and somehow I knew that He had planned that sermon with me in mind, knowing that I would attend that particular service.
Since He seemed to be inviting me to get to know Him better, I thought I would accept His invitation and just run with this and see where it takes me!
I was 43 years old at the time.
To explain some background, I grew up in a typical middle class family but my father died when I was five years old and that had a bad effect. If boys don’t grow up in their father’s love, it can cause mental and behavioural troubles that can be very hard to overcome later. I tried counselling, hypnotherapy and Buddhism but nothing made any difference. In fact, 25 years later, I was still beset by some strife (including inferiority) that had its origins back in boyhood.
At the Baptist church in Sheffield, I joined their Bible study class and it felt like God kept bringing one piece of scripture to me; ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things you need will be added on to you’ (Matthew 6:33). So this is what I set about to do (find more details in my testimony below) and I was amazed that within a few months, the symptoms of inferiority started to lift. Over time, I grew stronger and stronger and although I could not see Jesus Christ, yet He had to be there as the healing started at the same time as I started to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. That the two happened as a mere coincidence after 25 years is too much to believe (indeed, unscientific!). I can now say:
(1) Jesus exists and He was healing me;
(2 The Bible is God’s Word and is all true;
(3) A head knowledge about God or religious behaviour is NOT enough, God requires that we must know Him personally and this is only possible through Jesus Christ.
After a few years, I could see that the Christian gospel was all good, I went the extra step and decided to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Saviour to forgive all my sins. I then had the feeling of being intensely loved by God, I knew I was safe, I knew my sin was completely forgiven and I knew I was connected to God by an everlasting bond that would last through all the ages. This is what being born again meant. New life in Christ for all eternity.
But—, where will you be spending eternity??
If you want to read more about my testimony in detail, download it below.
Click English Version to download this file: My Walk with Jesus Christ (in English)
Click here to download this file (Simplified Chinese):耶稣基督与我同行(簡体字)
Click here to download this file (Traditional Chinese):耶穌基督與我同行(繁體字)
Click here to download this file (Japanese) イエス様との歩み
Click here to download this file (French): Ma promenade avec Jesus
Click here to download this file (Spanish): Mi Camino Con Jesu Christo
Click here to download this file (Italian): Il mio cammino con Gesu Cristo
Click here to download this file (Turkish):Türkçe
I am a Christian and have good testimonies to tell. One of the best is the blessing the Lord brought to me on the Christmas Eve of 2009. Click Christmas Eve, 2009 to download this pdf file: God’s Blessing to Me on the Christmas Eve of 2009, A true story