My Discovery of True Hope
By Awiti Gordon
I grew up in the Apostolic Church along with my seven siblings. My father was a district Evangelist and the final authority in our household, so what he believed, we believed. From my youth I always participated in church events, rallies and camps. I wanted to be close to God.
When I started studying in the university, however, I found it hard to go to church. It seemed more normal to just pray in the house without necessarily going to church. Unfortunately, with this idea in mind, I sometimes found myself going a day, a week or maybe a whole month without praying or reading the Bible. I justified things by telling myself that it would be fine because I knew my parents were praying for me.
By my third year of university, I was behind in my school tuition. Since my father was sick at the time, there was no way to pay my school fees. I felt helpless, and didn’t know what to do or where to turn. I thought about deferring a semester and not attending school. God intervened through an elder, who told me not to worry about the fees and shared of God’s love for me. He told me that God longed to have a deep personal relationship with me. The elder reminded me that through God all things were possible and that my school fees would be taken care of. God did pull through and my school fees were paid.
In response to God’s faithfulness, I said a short prayer out loud: “Jesus, thank you so much.” The words were not important – it was my thanksgiving for what God had done for me. I also began attending church every Sunday, and several changes took place in my life. I gathered my roommates to pray together before we went to bed and we had some simple Bible studies. Through this act, I found myself becoming less prejudiced and less judgmental. More and more I found that my heart’s desire was to read the words of Jesus and experience His transforming power.
Over the next school term, I started to enjoy gospel songs, sermons and presentations. Most of my free time was spent on the school WiFi watching sermons. One day while watching TV, I came across a sermon presented by Taj Pacleb from Revelation of Hope Ministries. The sermon was at its end and I didn’t grasp too much, but it was a message on the Secret Rapture.
My curiosity was aroused, and I was convicted as the topic touched my heart. I had never heard this before. As a result, the sermon lingered in my mind and the next time I was on the school WiFi, I looked up Pastor Taj on YouTube. That is when my life took a great turn. I began to discover the Seventh-day Adventist truths found in the Bible. I found the true hope my heart had been yearning for. A lot of my questions were answered. I watched all the Revelation of Hope presentations and studied my Bible. I began to realize that all my life Satan had blinded me and I was deep in deception. I was not following all the commandments of God.
Not long after this, despite knowing that my father and family might reject me, I made my stand for Jesus and was baptized into the Adventist faith at Kisumu South church in Central Nyanza Conference, Kisumu City, Kenya.
I am now fully in the faith and I was able to share with my brother who has also made his decision for Jesus and is now an Adventist. I am determined not to go back. I have found great peace of mind; my questions have been answered. And I no longer worry about pleasing others. My goal is to please God. Truly God heard the cry of my heart, even when I could not pray.
Awiti Gordon writes from Kisumu City, Kenya. We use this story with permission of Revelation of Hope Ministries.
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World Church Prayer Requests
From the Desk of Ted N.C. Wilson
December 1 - 8, 2019
• PRAYER REQUEST: Pray that every member feels a burden for soul winning and realizes that heaven asks everyone to follow in Christ’s steps in sharing their personal faith through God’s guidance.
• PRAYER REQUEST: Pray for greater support and interest by all Church members and administrators in maintaining Seventh-day Adventist education as truly Seventh-day Adventist in content and emphasis since it is vital to the church’s future work force and mission perspective.
• PRAYER REQUEST: Pray for increasing emphasis on the wonderful doctrine of Biblical creation with our earth being created in six, literal, consecutive days by the word of the Lord. This is foundational to so many Seventh-day Adventist beliefs and the Sabbath, the memorial of God’s creative power and authority that will be the sign/seal of God’s people at the end of time.
• PRAYER REQUEST: Pray for united evangelistic and witnessing activities of every Seventh-day Adventist man, woman, and child around the world, empowered by the Holy Spirit’s power as we submit to His leading in our lives. Total engagement and active participation of every church member around the world is key to the final proclamation of the loud cry. This will keep us active in God's service, combating apathy and complacency through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each life.
• PRAYER REQUEST: Pray for increased participation and commitment in evangelistic outreach by all Church institutions as they support the ongoing mission of the Church. As we submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit, this will allow Christ to make us one, thus fulfilling Christ’s prayer of John 17 as we understand our role in this world as a prophetic movement and face the end of the great controversy leading to Christ’s soon return.