God loves the world. Each of us is chosen by God, and we all have different experiences and stories behind our faith in God. Here are 40 stories and experiences behind people's faiths that I have heard and seen. Maybe the story behind your faith might be here.
While part 1 contains the stories of six Christians, part 2 concerns five believers who encountered God in their hard times, and part 3 tells four stories of people who believed in the Lord as a result of love and family influence, the fourth episode recounts five testimonies of ordinary people.
18. He found a Bible and got attracted.
Living on the fourth floor, he went out for morning exercise and saw a thick book on the windowsill of the third-floor corridor and felt it looked unique. Curious, he picked it up and saw that it was a book wrapped in newspaper. While opening it, he was astonished to see a brown print Bible. As a lover of books, he knew about the Bible, but he had never read it. So he carefully put the Bible in his study at home.
When he came back from the morning exercise, the first thing he did was to open the Bible. He inadvertently and randomly opened the Bible and saw the Scriptures in Proverbs 15:4. Therefore, when he had time, he read the Bible diligently and read the book of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes once. But when he read 1 Chronicles and other volumes, he was confused about the content. With a desire for knowledge, he thought that since it was a Christian book, he had to go to the church to find the answer.
So he went to the church. The sister and pastor in charge of reception answered his questions, including the basics of Christianity, and welcomed him to come back the next Sunday. He came to church the following Sunday and became a Christian.
He said, "This is amazing grace! That Bible might have been God's gift to me. Without that Bible, I would never have become a believer. I previously sought knowledge, but I found the true knowledge of life in Christ".
19. Songs of praise led her to become a believer.
She is now a believer and the head of a church choir. "It was the church's song of praise that led me to become a believer," she said.
Fond of singing, she studied Bel canto since childhood, she sang very well. She had participated in singing competitions at school and work units, and also won awards. One day, she walked by a church and heard the singing inside the church through the church radio. She felt it sounded very warm and pleasant, so she could not help herself from walking into the church; she sat at the back, listened to the songs, and enjoyed the praise of the congregation and the choir. She found the Christian hymns melodious and easier to listen to and learn, so she joined the congregation and the choir in praise. She seemed to be hooked, and every Sunday night she attended the evening worship. After singing the hymn, she went away. Because she was not a believer, she did not listen to the sermon, she just wanted to sing. As time went by, she went to church every Sunday to praise (or sing, as she called it) and began to listen to the sermon. She learned to pray and read the Bible.
In the end, of course, she was baptized, then she signed up to join the choir. After examination, she became a member of the choir. Not only that, after some time, because she was good at singing and had music theory knowledge, she became the head of the church choir.
20. He became a Christian through his job.
He was in charge of a company and in the course of business operations, he maintained contact with a Taiwanese businessman for years. Because they were both trustworthy people, they had a very good impression of each other and became friends.
In a chat, he asked this Taiwanese business friend why everyone was willing to associate with him who was very trustworthy. The businessman replied with a smile, it was because he was a Christian. His father was a well-known pastor in Taiwan and his mother was also a pastor of the church. His son was also a believer and three generations of his family were Christians. He saw the power of faith in this Christian Taiwanese businessman, so he asked him for a Bible, and often listened to the man tell him about Christianity. He even went with this friend to a church in his city.
After he was baptized and returned to the Lord, God arranged a Christian friend for him. He also thanked this friend for leading him to the church and becoming a believer.
He said, "Everything that happens to me is God's will. They are a result of God's grace and I will believe in them all my life."
In his own business, he did not forget that he was a believer and adhered to faith and business ethics. He preached the gospel to his colleagues and friends in his company consciously and unconsciously. He also imitated Christ's example, to influence the people around him. His business got better because his business partners said he was "benevolent and trustworthy". He also attended evening church meetings and never went with the company vehicle but sat quietly in an inconspicuous place; no one knew he was "the boss". He also consistently paid his tithe. Whenever he heard the church had to do social charity work, he would actively participate in it, with dedication.
21. While working for the church, he turned to the Lord.
He was the owner of a construction company before he was baptized. That year, he bid for a church construction project for a church. The duration of this project was about ten months. To ensure the progress and quality of the project, he supervised the construction site of the church almost every day.
During this period, he also had daily contact with Christians and was influenced to "passively" receive the Christian faith. By communicating with the preachers and fellow workers of the church, he gradually got a preliminary understanding of Christianity. He also had a good impression of the pastor and fellow workers of the church who were in charge of construction and did not ask for "unwritten rules", but only wanted to work more quickly and economically. Sometimes, on Sundays, he would sit in church and listen to the sermon, which was very beneficial to him. The preachers of the church, seeing his love for Christ, also took advantage of the situation, imperceptibly preached the Gospel to him, and they became good friends. One day he answered the call and became a devotee.
When the project was coming to an end and the settlement was to be made, he waived the cost of 200,000 yuan and donated a piano, a large oil painting of Jesus Christ, and the pastor's office chair to the church. After that, not only was he baptized to the Lord, but his wife was also baptized as a Christian. Today, he still attends church meetings, dedicates, and maintains a good relationship with the church.
22. After believing in the Lord, he forgave his father for marrying his stepmother.
His father did business at the mall, and after he got rich, he had an affair. When his mother found out, she took him away from his father. Unfortunately, due to worry and a chronic illness, his mother passed away when he was in college.
During this period his father did not give him any money and got married to his "stepmother". He was utterly despondent and hated his heartless father. He once wanted to kill his father and die with him.
In his despair, a classmate came to see him and led him to the church. The head pastor of the church received them and counselled him about his situation and mental state. He came to the church on Sunday to listen to sermons, read scriptures, praise, and gradually got better.
Later, he became a believer, served in the Youth fellowship, became a leader, found his partner, and got married.
On the road of faith, his inner hatred for his father gradually disappeared with the passage of time and faith in God.
A few years later, he decided to "break the ice" between father and son and took the initiative to go home to visit his father. He bought something and called his father. The father, who was more than sixty years old, held his son and cried bitterly.
Now, for the sake of his father's happiness in his later years, he did not want money. Instead, he gives red envelopes to his stepmother whenever there is a festival. The father and son are not in the same city, thousands of kilometers apart, but they still keep close contact through WeChat.
To be continued…
(The article is originally published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Nonye Nancy
十八、捡到了一本圣经他被吸引。
他的家住在四楼。一天早晨，他出去晨练，在三楼的楼道窗台上，看到一本厚厚的书，而且他感觉有些与众不同。好奇的他拿起来，看到是一本用报纸包着的书，打开一看：棕色的书面，赫然印着《圣经》。他平日就爱读书，知道圣经，但是没有读过。于是，他小心翼翼的把这本圣经放到了自己家里的书房。
晨练回来之后，他做的第一件事就是打开了圣经，而且是不经意、随意翻开圣经，看到了箴言15章4节的经文，于是，他有时间就手不释卷的在读圣经，把诗篇、箴言、传道书读了一遍。但是当他再读《历代志上》等卷的时候就有些迷茫、不懂了。有着求知欲望的他想到了，这既然是基督教的书，那就要到教会去找答案。
于是他来到了教会。负责接待的姊妹和牧师对他的疑问，包括对基督教的基本常识给予了解答，并且欢迎他主日再来。这样，他在礼拜天来到了教堂聚会，最后成为了基督徒。
他说：“这是奇异恩典！那本圣经也许就是上帝赐给我的。没有那本圣经，我不会成为信徒。我本想寻求知识，却在基督里找到了人生真正的知识。”
十九、 赞美的歌声引领她成为信徒。
她是一位信徒，也是一个教会诗班的负责人。她说：“是教会赞美的歌声，引领我成为信徒的。”
她自小就喜欢唱歌、学过美声，而且歌唱的还不错，在学校、在单位都参加过歌咏的大赛，也拿过奖。一天，她路过一间教堂，通过教堂的播音听到了教会里的歌声。她感觉到非常温馨和悦耳，于是就不由自主的走进了教堂，坐在后排听歌，欣赏会众和诗班的赞美。她感觉基督教的赞美诗旋律优美，而且也比较好听和容易学会。她就跟着会众和诗班在一起赞美。就这样她好像入了迷，每到礼拜日晚上的时候都参加晚场的敬拜赞美。唱完赞美诗之后，她就走了，因为她不是信徒，也不听道，她就是想在这里唱歌。随着时间的流逝，随着她每个主日必定到教堂来赞美（用她的话来说就是唱歌），之后开始听道了，她学会了祷告、开始读经。
当然，她最后是受洗归主了。然后她报名参加诗班。经过考核成为诗班的一员。不仅如此，经过一段时间，由于她歌唱的好，又有乐理知识，大家也很喜欢她，于是就成为教会一个诗班的负责人。
二十、因为工作的接触，他成为了信徒。
他是一个公司的负责人。在业务经营中和一位台商有着多年的交往，接触比较多，因为都是讲信用的人，所以彼此印象都非常好，成为了朋友。
在一次聊天中，他就问这位台商朋友，为什么大家都愿意和很守信用的他交往？那位台商笑笑回答他，因为他是基督徒。这位台商的父亲，也是在台湾比较有名气的一位牧师，他的母亲也是一位教会的牧长。他的儿子也信仰基督教，一家三代都是基督徒。他从这位基督徒台商的身上看到了信仰的力量。于是，他就和这位台商要了一本圣经，也会经常听这位台商给他讲基督教的一些事情，并且和这位朋友来到了所在城市的一个教堂。
他受洗归主后，上帝安排了一位有信仰的基督徒朋友，也感谢这位朋友引领他到教堂来，成为了信徒。
他说：“我所遇到的人和事，都是上帝的旨意，这都是上帝的恩典，我要信一辈子。”
他在自己的经营当中，不忘自己是信徒，持守信仰和商场道德。他在自己的公司有意无意当中和自己的同事和自己的朋友传福音。而且也以自己效仿基督的榜样，来影响周围的人。他的生意做的比较好，因为生意伙伴都说他“仁义”、守信。他到教堂来聚会也是在晚场，从来不用公司的车接送，而是安静的在不起眼的地方坐好，没有人知道他是“老板”。他也坚持自己交十一。要是遇到教会做社会慈善事工，他每次听说之后都积极的参加，并且奉献。
二十一、 为教会施工，他归向了主。
他在受洗前是一家建筑施工公司的老板。那年，他通过投标的方式承揽了一个教会的教堂施工建设项目。这个项目的工期是十个月左右。他本身就是一个敬业和重视企业信誉的人，为了确保工程进度和质量，他几乎每天都在教堂的施工现场监督。
在此期间，他也是每天都和教会的人打交道，也是耳濡目染的“被动”接受基督教信仰。这样一来二去，他通过和教会的传道人、同工交流，逐渐的对基督教有了初步的了解，也对教会负责施工的牧长和同工不求“潜规则”，只求工程多快好省的品行有了好感。有的时候，赶上礼拜天聚会，他也坐在教堂里面听道，感觉对他很有益。教会的传道人看到他对基督的热爱也因势利导，在潜移默化中给他传福音，他们成为了好朋友。这样终于有一天他响应呼召，成为慕道友。
当工程即将结束后，结算的时候，他毅然的减免了费用20万元，并且给教会捐献了一台钢琴、一幅主耶稣的大油画和牧师的办公桌椅。之后不仅是他受洗归主，而且他的夫人也受洗成为了基督徒。现在，他仍然去教堂聚会，并且不断的奉献，和教会保持良好的关系。
二十二、 信主后，他饶恕了娶后妈的爸爸。
他的爸爸在商场做生意，有了钱以后也有了外遇。母亲知道后就带着他离开了他的爸爸。不幸的是，由于忧虑和积劳成病，在他读大学的时候母亲撒手而去。
而他的爸爸在此期间不给他一分钱费用不说，还娶了一个“后妈”。他万念俱灰，并且恨死了那无情无义的爸爸，曾经一度想要杀了爸爸，与他同归于尽。
绝望之中一位同学来看望他，并且在他的引领下去了教堂。教堂的主任牧师接待了他们，并且针对他的情况和心理状态进行了疏导。他就在礼拜天到教会来听道、读经、赞美，渐渐地心态好多了。
后来，他成为了一个信徒，在青年团契服侍，成为负责人，并且找到了自己的伴侣，结为夫妻。
在信仰的路上，他的内心对爸爸的恨随着信主和时间的推移也在逐渐的消失。
几年后，他决定打破这个父子之间的“坚冰”，主动回家去看望他的爸爸。他买了东西，并且喊爸爸，已经六十多岁的爸爸抱着儿子痛哭流涕。
现在，这位弟兄为了爸爸晚年的幸福，不要钱，反而在逢年过节还给继母发红包。他们父子由于不在同一个城市，相差几千公里，但是通过微信还保持着密切的联系。
（本文作者为福音时报特约撰稿人，未完待续。）
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/portal/article/index/id/56491
信仰背后的40个故事（四）
God loves the world. Each of us is chosen by God, and we all have different experiences and stories behind our faith in God. Here are 40 stories and experiences behind people's faiths that I have heard and seen. Maybe the story behind your faith might be here.
While part 1 contains the stories of six Christians, part 2 concerns five believers who encountered God in their hard times, and part 3 tells four stories of people who believed in the Lord as a result of love and family influence, the fourth episode recounts five testimonies of ordinary people.
18. He found a Bible and got attracted.
Living on the fourth floor, he went out for morning exercise and saw a thick book on the windowsill of the third-floor corridor and felt it looked unique. Curious, he picked it up and saw that it was a book wrapped in newspaper. While opening it, he was astonished to see a brown print Bible. As a lover of books, he knew about the Bible, but he had never read it. So he carefully put the Bible in his study at home.
When he came back from the morning exercise, the first thing he did was to open the Bible. He inadvertently and randomly opened the Bible and saw the Scriptures in Proverbs 15:4. Therefore, when he had time, he read the Bible diligently and read the book of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes once. But when he read 1 Chronicles and other volumes, he was confused about the content. With a desire for knowledge, he thought that since it was a Christian book, he had to go to the church to find the answer.
So he went to the church. The sister and pastor in charge of reception answered his questions, including the basics of Christianity, and welcomed him to come back the next Sunday. He came to church the following Sunday and became a Christian.
He said, "This is amazing grace! That Bible might have been God's gift to me. Without that Bible, I would never have become a believer. I previously sought knowledge, but I found the true knowledge of life in Christ".
19. Songs of praise led her to become a believer.
She is now a believer and the head of a church choir. "It was the church's song of praise that led me to become a believer," she said.
Fond of singing, she studied Bel canto since childhood, she sang very well. She had participated in singing competitions at school and work units, and also won awards. One day, she walked by a church and heard the singing inside the church through the church radio. She felt it sounded very warm and pleasant, so she could not help herself from walking into the church; she sat at the back, listened to the songs, and enjoyed the praise of the congregation and the choir. She found the Christian hymns melodious and easier to listen to and learn, so she joined the congregation and the choir in praise. She seemed to be hooked, and every Sunday night she attended the evening worship. After singing the hymn, she went away. Because she was not a believer, she did not listen to the sermon, she just wanted to sing. As time went by, she went to church every Sunday to praise (or sing, as she called it) and began to listen to the sermon. She learned to pray and read the Bible.
In the end, of course, she was baptized, then she signed up to join the choir. After examination, she became a member of the choir. Not only that, after some time, because she was good at singing and had music theory knowledge, she became the head of the church choir.
20. He became a Christian through his job.
He was in charge of a company and in the course of business operations, he maintained contact with a Taiwanese businessman for years. Because they were both trustworthy people, they had a very good impression of each other and became friends.
In a chat, he asked this Taiwanese business friend why everyone was willing to associate with him who was very trustworthy. The businessman replied with a smile, it was because he was a Christian. His father was a well-known pastor in Taiwan and his mother was also a pastor of the church. His son was also a believer and three generations of his family were Christians. He saw the power of faith in this Christian Taiwanese businessman, so he asked him for a Bible, and often listened to the man tell him about Christianity. He even went with this friend to a church in his city.
After he was baptized and returned to the Lord, God arranged a Christian friend for him. He also thanked this friend for leading him to the church and becoming a believer.
He said, "Everything that happens to me is God's will. They are a result of God's grace and I will believe in them all my life."
In his own business, he did not forget that he was a believer and adhered to faith and business ethics. He preached the gospel to his colleagues and friends in his company consciously and unconsciously. He also imitated Christ's example, to influence the people around him. His business got better because his business partners said he was "benevolent and trustworthy". He also attended evening church meetings and never went with the company vehicle but sat quietly in an inconspicuous place; no one knew he was "the boss". He also consistently paid his tithe. Whenever he heard the church had to do social charity work, he would actively participate in it, with dedication.
21. While working for the church, he turned to the Lord.
He was the owner of a construction company before he was baptized. That year, he bid for a church construction project for a church. The duration of this project was about ten months. To ensure the progress and quality of the project, he supervised the construction site of the church almost every day.
During this period, he also had daily contact with Christians and was influenced to "passively" receive the Christian faith. By communicating with the preachers and fellow workers of the church, he gradually got a preliminary understanding of Christianity. He also had a good impression of the pastor and fellow workers of the church who were in charge of construction and did not ask for "unwritten rules", but only wanted to work more quickly and economically. Sometimes, on Sundays, he would sit in church and listen to the sermon, which was very beneficial to him. The preachers of the church, seeing his love for Christ, also took advantage of the situation, imperceptibly preached the Gospel to him, and they became good friends. One day he answered the call and became a devotee.
When the project was coming to an end and the settlement was to be made, he waived the cost of 200,000 yuan and donated a piano, a large oil painting of Jesus Christ, and the pastor's office chair to the church. After that, not only was he baptized to the Lord, but his wife was also baptized as a Christian. Today, he still attends church meetings, dedicates, and maintains a good relationship with the church.
22. After believing in the Lord, he forgave his father for marrying his stepmother.
His father did business at the mall, and after he got rich, he had an affair. When his mother found out, she took him away from his father. Unfortunately, due to worry and a chronic illness, his mother passed away when he was in college.
During this period his father did not give him any money and got married to his "stepmother". He was utterly despondent and hated his heartless father. He once wanted to kill his father and die with him.
In his despair, a classmate came to see him and led him to the church. The head pastor of the church received them and counselled him about his situation and mental state. He came to the church on Sunday to listen to sermons, read scriptures, praise, and gradually got better.
Later, he became a believer, served in the Youth fellowship, became a leader, found his partner, and got married.
On the road of faith, his inner hatred for his father gradually disappeared with the passage of time and faith in God.
A few years later, he decided to "break the ice" between father and son and took the initiative to go home to visit his father. He bought something and called his father. The father, who was more than sixty years old, held his son and cried bitterly.
Now, for the sake of his father's happiness in his later years, he did not want money. Instead, he gives red envelopes to his stepmother whenever there is a festival. The father and son are not in the same city, thousands of kilometers apart, but they still keep close contact through WeChat.
To be continued…
(The article is originally published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Nonye Nancy
40 Christian Faith Stories (Part 4)
