Updated : 21/09/2007

Jehovah Jireh, My Provider
By Lim Lian Hong

When I returned home from England as an architect, plans of the future floated through my mind. I wanted a happy life. To achieve it, I set about working to get all the money I needed so that I could buy all the things I wanted, build my dream home and live the life I planned to. It all seemed so simple I never looked back. I saw my dream being realized as I gradually pressed on. The things I desired materialized; house, family, security, circle of friends, influential acquaintances and all the comforts of life.

Along the way, my life-style became similar to that of my friends and acquaintances. Whatever they did, I learnt to enjoy. Many a time excelled – in drinking, smoking, gambling and whatever else was intended as pleasures of life. At the same time I led an active sporting life in golf and scuba diving which took me too many different parts of the world.

My father was a devout Buddhist and had all his life sought the truth. He knew what he was looking for but I never knew if he ever found it. Because of his disciplined life, he did not fully agree with the things I did. He once asked me, “Why do you need to do them?” I couldn’t tell him that it was enjoyable. I knew in my conscience that some times I did not wholeheartedly enjoy the things I had been doing. But because I was with the “in” crowd, I just went along. I had to lie to my father that I did not indulge in such things often; or that it was only to entertain clients and that I would promise to stop. As he lived in Singapore and I in Kuala Lumpur, it suited me fine because I did not have to give account to him too often.

It was not until I was forty-five years old that one night I begin to look back and reminisce. I was addicted to the T.V.. One night after a midnight show and not feeling sleepy, I spoke aloud my thoughts to my wife, “I am forty-five now…. I have achieved most of my goals and ought to be happy. Somehow I feel that something is still missing in my life and I do not even know what it is. I just know that there is a void in my heart that I haven’t filled.” After a few moments, I continued, “Maybe I should seek God. What is the way to God? I can be a Buddhist, a Christian, a Muslim or Hindu.” Strange that I should remark this way. At that time, I was Taoist and worshipping two idols in my house – Buddha and the Goddess of Mercy. It was left at that and we went to bed.

Coincidentally, the next day a friend visited me and started to tell me about Jesus Christ. I was not interested but politely listened. At the end of it I asked, “Why did you come by today?” His casual reply was, “Oh, I happened to pass by!” This friend had never called at my house for a chat before. Each time he did come by was to pick me up so that we could go to a private club or a ‘mess’ and it was there that I introduced him to poker and less successfully to smoking and drinking. That was the reason why I wanted to know why he had really come.

Three days later, a doctor friend invited me to his home fellowship. I knew it would be a about Jesus Christ again and I was decidedly not interested. But curiosity ultimately got the better of me and I decided to find out what they did at such meetings. My mother was visiting me at the time. In order not to show too much interest, I used my mother as the excuse to go. She had a pain in the leg and I suggested that she should go for prayer to heal it. She agreed to go.

At the start of the meeting I noticed nothing unusual. It was very much like a shortened church service; with some singing, Bible sharing by a professor and then some more singing at the end. I had been through this before in church during my secondary school days. I had followed my sisters for a while to church but decided that swimming and fishing were decidedly more interesting.

While they were singing the last song, and I was watching the faces of the people present, something caught my attention. I saw the joy in their faces as they sang. The children, I dismissed as being always cheerful in any event. But when I looked at those who were about my age – lawyers, doctors, architects, etc… They too had the same joy and peace and were also clapping their hands! What really touched me was seeing an elderly lady with snow white hair also joyfully clapping her hands. I too used to sing with my friends but only when we had had too much drink! But if you had seen them the next morning, some of the faces would be long as papayas. However, here the joy was spontaneous and came form the heart! I knew that this joy and peace was missing in my life. That was why, inspite of acquiring all the material wealth which I had, there was still no contentment in my heart. So, when someone approached me and asked me if I would like to know Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour, I readily accepted. That night I asked Jesus Christ to be my Lord and to forgive me of all my sins. I acknowledged that He had died at the cross for the sins of the world and had been resurrected on the third day overcoming death. I went home feeling good inside.

With my new found joy, I made God my equal partner. I went to church two Sundays a month and the other two Sundays, I went to play golf. After a while, the friend whom I had taught to play poker, left his own church and came on Sundays to accompany me to the church which I attended. As he kept coming every Sunday, I had no choice but to follow him. Then he asked me if I had a Bible. I said “Yes, I have one but it’s back home in Singapore.” The following Sunday, he gave me a Bible which he reminded me each Sunday to bring along. This continued for a period of six months!

Then during a sermon in church one day I learnt that God doesn’t allow the worship of idols. This put me in a fix – I still had my two idols at home and for three months now I had been having three different gods in my life! I dared not touch the idols or remove them myself believing that they were gods. Finally one day I decided to commit the matter to Jesus Christ. In my heart I wanted to obey God in not worshipping idols.

Looking at the idols I said this prayer, “Jesus, you are Spirit and these idols are spirit too. I am nothing but a mere mortal. So if there is any such thing as spiritual warfare, you walk ahead of me and I will follow.” Immediately, a great peace came upon me and I knew my prayer had been answered. I rang up my pastor and said that I was ready to remove the idols. The idols and worship implements including the ornate altar table were carried away and burned.

At this time, I had been suffering from a number of illnesses. I had gout, piles, stomach problems, back problems and even a sprained shoulder. The gout had come four years earlier, the piles twenty years, the stomach problem had been due to excessive alcohol while the back problem was due to a fall eighteen years ago and still gave me a lot of pain. Finally I had the sprained shoulder for three years and had not been to lift the right had above shoulder level and it ached one hour before each rainstorm occurred.

Meanwhile, a significant event took place. I had prayed for and had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. A great hunger to read the Bible also came with it. I discovered that Jesus by His suffering on the cross had also taken sicknesses and diseases from believers and that in His name these sickness and diseases could be removed. At a crusade in the church, I went to the altar for prayer. The evangelist prayed for me and a warmth permeated my whole being starting from the stomach area. I knew Jesus Christ was healing me. With closed eyes and tears streaming down, I kept repeating “Thank you Jesus…”

I went home healed of all illness except gout because I had forgotten to mention it. Each morning I continued to take the tablets. After two weeks, as I was about to take the tablets as usual, I had a voice said, “Don’t you trust Jesus to heal your gout as well?” I knew it must be God. Putting the tablets back in the bottle, I prayed. Having not prayed for healing before, I copied what the evangelist had said, “In Jesus’ name, I bind you spirit of gout and I cast you out! Amen” I waited and waited. After six months, I couldn’t wait any longer, I went to my doctor and asked him to check if I still had gout. He took a blood sample for testing and the result was negative. Praise God!

Today, the things I used to enjoy, like smoking, drinking and gambling, I no longer have the desire to do. I give Jesus Christ all the praise and the glory. He touched my life and made me whole.

Mr Lee Gee Koon is an architect and worships at Calvary Church. He is the National President of FGBMF Malaysia.

I came from a poor family of nine children. My father who was a fishmonger earned just enough for us to merely survive month to month. Life was difficult in those days. Being poor was no disgrace but it was terribly inconvenient.

We had never heard the gospel. It was only later during my school days, when I went to stay with my aunt in Batu Pahat, Johore, that I came to know and accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Years later members of my family gradually came to know Jesus too.

After completing my Form Six, I went straight to work as a valuation assistant. I wanted to continue with further education but it was just not financially possible. After working seven years, I still felt the desire to go for further studies but each time the thought of finance put me off the whole idea.

One day in 1985, I attended a Christian meeting and a man of God prophesied over me. He said, "Do not fear to leave your job. God will supply all your needs. He will grant you favour with people and people whom you do not know will come to your help."

Faith started to rise. Deep within and a voice urged me to take the opportunity if it came. A few weeks later, I began to apply for entrance into universities and I was eventually offered a place in the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, to study land economics.

I left my job, sold off my second-hand car and, with a little help from relatives and friends, managed to raise a total of RM13,000 (or £4,000 at that time). I bought a plane ticket costing only RM720 and in October 1985, I left Malaysia for Scotland.

The preparation for the trip was smooth and there was no fear whatsoever. This included how I was going to survive on £4,000. All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue and trust God with all our needs.

On the plane, I was observed reading a Christian book by a group of Scots and they asked whether I was a Christian. I told them I was and also the purpose of my trip. They were homeward bound after a mission trip to Sabah and Sarawak. I told them that I did not even know where Aberdeen was, let alone how to get there from London. They were from Edinburgh and invited me to join their group. So when I landed in London, I joined them on the coach and reached Edinburgh safely and for free! From there they put me on the train to Aberdeen.

When I reached Aberdeen train station, two Asian students were on hand to welcome me. They brought me straight to the hostel. God is faithful and He granted me favour with people. As prophesied, people whom I did not know came to my help. This was amazing!

Throughout the 1985-86 semesters, I received a lot of encouragement from various people, both in Aberdeen, as well as those back home in Batu Pahat. The grace of God and their encouragement pulled me through.

I completed my first year in 1986 and because I felt I had to source my financing for my second and third years, I went back to Malaysia to work during the semester holidays. I found a job in Kuala Lumpur but looking for financing was difficult during the recession of I986.

One day, a Christian lady whom I knew in Batu Pahat called to ask about my financial situation and plans. At this point in time, I had not obtained finance for my next semester and there was about one month to go before the university reopened. That weekend I met her and she handed me a package. I didn’t realise there was so much money inside (approximately RM4,000) and a note saying that it was a loan to help me through. (Thanks to God, the loan was repaid in 1995.)

For the next two years, I continued to be blessed with loans and gifts, both from fellow Christian students (especially those from Hong Kong) and also anonymous givers. I was also blessed with a study loan from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RCIS), which was later repaid, and a study grant from a professional surveyor firm. I had found favour in the eyes of men.

I graduated in 1988 and returned to Malaysia. God continued to supply all my needs and grant me favour with people. In 1988, the Malaysian economy and the property market started to pick up and there was no problem getting a job as a new graduate. In fact, I was offered two jobs at one time. I chose to work in KL and was given further training. Several years later, I sat and passed the professional examination and was issued a license to practice as a Valuer and Estate Agent.

What a faithful God, I have! I thank God for His provision, sustenance and guidance. God’s grace was sufficient for me and He supplied all my needs according to His riches in glory and He cares for me! My Jesus, my Jehovah Jireh and my Provider.

Lim Lian Hong is a FGB Field Representative. He is married to Chia Mai and they have 4 children. They worship at Full Gospel Assembly, Kuala Lumpur.