Radio show presented by Brother John Noel on 29th December 2024,
Special testimonies given by Sister Joanne from London, and Brother Trevor from Hitchin, England.
[00:00:01] Voice in the Wilderness Internet Radio, Enlightening the World Every Week
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[00:00:23] Voice in the Wilderness Internet Radio, Enlightening the World Every Week
[00:00:49] Good evening, welcome to Voice in the Wilderness Internet Radio
[00:00:54] We are streaming live on the internet from London
[00:00:59] This show is dedicated to God through our Lord Jesus Christ
[00:01:06] On tonight's program we will be presenting the second of a two-part series
[00:01:13] This series is called The Testimony Of Jesus
[00:01:18] More about our series after we've had some music
[00:01:21] The Testimony Of Jesus
[00:07:00] We will discuss this subject tonight with answers from the Bible
[00:07:05] Have a pen and paper ready to write down some notes
[00:07:10] Tonight we will be discussing these questions together for part two of this series
[00:07:14] How does the Gospel reveal the Testimony Of Jesus?
[00:07:21] How does the Testimony Of Jesus relate to the universe?
[00:07:26] How does the Testimony Of Jesus relate to science?
[00:07:31] How does the Testimony Of Jesus relate to true love?
[00:07:36] And how far-reaching will be the Testimony Of Jesus?
[00:07:42] Before we continue with our study this evening listeners
[00:07:45] Let us invite God's presence as we have a word of prayer
[00:07:51] Heavenly Father
[00:07:53] Once more Lord we thank you this evening for
[00:07:56] Voice in the Wilderness Internet Radio
[00:07:59] Streaming live down the internet from London
[00:08:03] Lord as we continue to study your word this evening
[00:08:07] As we look at the Testimony Of Jesus
[00:08:09] Which is your testimony
[00:08:13] I ask your Holy Spirit to be with us
[00:08:15] And to lead us and teach us
[00:08:17] As we study your word is our prayer
[00:08:20] In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
[00:08:22] Amen
[00:08:26] Now first of all listeners
[00:08:27] How does the Gospel reveal the Testimony Of Jesus?
[00:08:32] We read in the book of John chapter 5 and verse 39
[00:08:37] The Bible reads
[00:08:38] Search the Scriptures
[00:08:40] For in them you think you have eternal life
[00:08:43] And they are they which testify of me
[00:08:48] We read in the book of 1st Peter chapter 1 and verse 25
[00:08:52] But the word of the Lord in joy forever
[00:08:56] And this is the word by which the Gospel is preached unto you
[00:09:02] Jesus explains to us that the Scriptures testify of him
[00:09:07] He also explains through his Apostle Peter
[00:09:11] That the Scriptures his word in joy forever
[00:09:15] This means that his word is eternal
[00:09:19] The Lord's eternal word is the means by which the Gospel is preached unto us
[00:09:26] Therefore the Gospel of Jesus Christ is everlasting
[00:09:30] The everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ is his testimony
[00:09:36] We read in the book of Ephesians chapter 1 and verses 13 to 14
[00:09:41] In whom you also trusted
[00:09:44] This is Jesus Christ
[00:09:45] After that you heard the word of truth
[00:09:49] The Gospel of your salvation
[00:09:51] In whom also after that you believed
[00:09:55] You were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise
[00:10:00] Which is the earnest which means down payment of our inheritance
[00:10:04] And to the redemption of the purchased possession
[00:10:07] And to the praise of his glory
[00:10:09] We read in the book of Acts chapter 20 and verse 28
[00:10:15] Take heed therefore unto yourselves
[00:10:18] And to all the flock
[00:10:20] Over which the Holy Ghost have made you overseers
[00:10:23] To feed the church of God
[00:10:26] Which he have purchased with his own blood
[00:10:28] We also read in the book of 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 and verses 6
[00:10:35] Verses 4 and 6 to 7
[00:10:39] That's 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verses 4 and 6 to 7
[00:10:44] In whom the God of this world have blinded the minds of them which believe not
[00:10:49] Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
[00:10:53] Who is the image of God should shine unto them
[00:10:55] For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness
[00:10:59] Have shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
[00:11:04] In the face of Jesus Christ
[00:11:06] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels
[00:11:09] That the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us
[00:11:14] The Gospel, the word of truth is the testimony of Jesus
[00:11:19] It is salvation to all those who trust in him
[00:11:23] Note that the Holy Spirit is given to all who believe in Jesus Christ
[00:11:28] as a down payment of their inheritance
[00:11:31] unto the redemption of the purchased possession
[00:11:34] The purchased possession being the church of God
[00:11:37] which he, Jesus, has purchased with his own blood
[00:11:42] This is all unto the praise of God's glory
[00:11:46] The Bible also declares that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
[00:11:51] The light of his testimony is the light of the knowledge of the glory
[00:11:56] or character of God in the face of Jesus Christ
[00:12:01] Therefore, the testimony of Jesus Christ
[00:12:04] His word, his everlasting gospel
[00:12:07] reveals to us the character of who God is
[00:12:13] God, through Jesus Christ, brought back his church with his own blood
[00:12:17] with his own life
[00:12:19] And he gives to his church his spirit
[00:12:22] Notice, listeners, that all that God is doing is given
[00:12:29] As we studied last week, listeners
[00:12:32] Christ gives the Holy Spirit to all those in his church who trust in him
[00:12:36] This is to give his followers the assurance of his promise and power to save us from our sins
[00:12:42] The divine presence is not experienced just in the future
[00:12:46] by all the true believers of Christ's word
[00:12:50] The Holy Spirit is given now to all who truly believe in Christ
[00:12:54] as a present experience in him
[00:12:58] They receive this treasure
[00:12:59] The treasure of the divine presence
[00:13:02] Of Christ living in the heart today
[00:13:04] That the excellency of the power may be of God and not of them
[00:13:10] We read in the book of Romans chapter 1 and verses 16 to 17
[00:13:15] For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ
[00:13:19] For it is the power of God unto salvation
[00:13:21] To everyone that believeth
[00:13:24] To the Jew first and also to the Greek
[00:13:27] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith
[00:13:32] As it is written, the just shall live by faith
[00:13:36] We read in the book of Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 24
[00:13:41] And that you put on the new man which after God
[00:13:44] is created in righteousness and true holiness
[00:13:49] We read in the book of 1st John chapter 4 and verse 16
[00:13:54] And we have known and believed the love that God has to us
[00:13:59] God is love
[00:14:01] And he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him
[00:14:08] The gospel of Jesus Christ
[00:14:10] The testimony that Jesus gives through his word
[00:14:14] reveals practically what he has promised
[00:14:17] It reveals the power of God unto salvation
[00:14:20] to everyone that believes
[00:14:23] It reveals the righteousness of God from faith to faith
[00:14:29] Righteousness is holiness
[00:14:32] likeness to God and God is love
[00:14:35] Righteousness is love
[00:14:37] The righteousness of God is embodied in Christ
[00:14:41] We receive righteousness by receiving him
[00:14:45] Thus we see that the testimony of Jesus
[00:14:48] Jesus Christ
[00:14:49] The gospel of his power to save his church from their sins
[00:14:52] declares his righteousness
[00:14:55] his love from faith to faith
[00:14:58] The gospel reveals the love of God in an ever-increasing measure
[00:15:03] to the Christian believer
[00:15:06] So listeners, I have shared these Bible texts in order that we can begin to see the magnitude of the work
[00:15:12] and the expanse of the plan of salvation that God has set in motion through Jesus Christ
[00:15:18] All that God offers to us is because of his infinite love toward us
[00:15:24] Can we now begin to see what is involved with the testimony of Jesus?
[00:15:31] Now, how does the testimony of Jesus relate to the universe?
[00:15:35] We read in the book of Ephesians chapter 3 verses 8 to 11
[00:15:40] This is the apostle Paul writing
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[00:19:01] grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and
[00:19:08] depth and height and to know the love of christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled
[00:19:15] of all the fullness of god now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we
[00:19:22] ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the church by christ
[00:19:29] jesus throughout all ages world without end amen christ testifies that when we are strengthened
[00:19:39] with might by his spirit in the inner man which is the mind then he will dwell in our hearts by faith
[00:19:47] it is the spirit of god that generates faith in our hearts and minds listeners
[00:19:53] christ testifies that when he dwells in our hearts by faith we will be rooted and grounded in his love
[00:20:00] and be able to understand the expanse of his love christ testifies that he is able to do more than
[00:20:07] we can ask or think he makes it non-playly plainly that what he can do is far greater than what any
[00:20:16] human attainments can reach thus we see that the greatest achievements in life are attained by those
[00:20:23] who are filled with the fullness of god filled with his spirit and love and power
[00:20:31] christ testifies that in order to understand the universe that he has made we need to experience his
[00:20:37] love of which the universe is a reflection of
[00:20:42] the more that we receive of the spirit of god it's a better that we will be able to understand christ
[00:20:48] and the things that he has created in the universe thus the testimony of jesus declares that a scientific
[00:20:56] study of the universe can only be understood by those who have the spirit of god who created the
[00:21:02] universe living in them the testimony of jesus puts man back in his place that is that man is a dependent
[00:21:13] created being and needs the spirit of god in order to truly understand his surroundings now we read
[00:21:22] from the review and herald july 18th 1899 here is what the lord's servant has written there are many
[00:21:32] who are too exalted in their own opinion to receive this mystery there is a science that the most high
[00:21:38] would have these great men understand but they cannot see the truth the life the light of the world
[00:21:46] human science is not divine enlightenment divine science is the demonstration of the spirit of god
[00:21:53] inspiring implicit faith in him the men of the world suppose this faith to be beneath the notice
[00:22:01] of their great and intelligent minds something too low to give attention to but here they make
[00:22:08] they make a great mistake it is altogether too high for their human intelligence to reach
[00:22:15] the gospel message is far from being opposed to true knowledge and intellectual attainments
[00:22:22] it is itself true science true intellectual knowledge true wisdom is infinitely above the comprehension of the
[00:22:34] the wisdom of the worldly wives the hidden wisdom which is christ's form within the hope of glory
[00:22:40] is a wisdom high as heaven the deep principles of godliness are sublime and eternal a christian experience
[00:22:51] alone can help us to understand this problem and obtain the treasures of knowledge which have been hidden in
[00:22:59] the counsels of god but are now made known to all who will have a vital connection with christ
[00:23:06] all who will may know of the doctrine that's the new view and herald july the 18th 1899 by lng white
[00:23:16] so listeners at this point let's just have a break for some music and continue with our study afterwards
[00:23:22] well i'm tired and so weary but i must toil on till the lord comes and calls me away
[00:23:59] oh yes and the morning is bright and the lamp is the light and the night is as fair as the day
[00:24:23] in the valley for me there will be peace in the valley for me there'll be no sadness and no sorrow no
[00:24:59] there will be peace in the valley there will be gentle and the wool will be tame
[00:25:26] and the lion shall lay down right by the lamb and the beast from the wild will be led by a child
[00:25:50] and i'll be changed changed from the creature that i am in the valley there will be peace
[00:26:39] there will be peace how does the testimony of jesus relate to true love we read in the book of john
[00:27:06] chapter 10 and verses 15 to 17 jesus says speaking he states as the father knoweth me even so know i the father
[00:27:21] and i lay down my life for the sheep and other sheep i have which are not of this fold them also i must bring
[00:27:32] and they shall hear my voice and they shall be one fold and one shepherd therefore of my father love me
[00:27:42] because i lay down my life that i might take it again we read in the book of psalms chapter 100 and
[00:27:50] verse 3 know ye that the lord he is god it is he that have made us and not we ourselves
[00:28:00] we are his people and the sheep of his pasture we read in the book of first john chapter 3 and verses 15 to 16
[00:28:12] whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer have eternal life abiding in him
[00:28:20] hereby perceive we the love of god because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives
[00:28:27] to the brethren we read in the book of first john chapter 4 and verse 8 he that love if not know if not god
[00:28:37] for god is love and we read in the book of first john chapter 5 and verse 20 and we know that the son of
[00:28:47] god is come and have given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is
[00:28:56] true even in his son jesus christ this is the true god and eternal life the bible records how christ
[00:29:09] laid down his life for his sheep his sheep are his people the bible records that god is love and that god
[00:29:18] is true jesus therefore testifies that true love is perceived by self-sacrifice in nature jesus testifies
[00:29:31] that when a person has true love the love that he possesses then they are willing to die in order to save
[00:29:39] others this true love comes from him he contrasts this with the spirit of the devil who hates and murders
[00:29:49] his people and seeks to destroy them listeners all of us created beings in the universe the sinless beings
[00:30:00] outside of the earth and the sinful beings on this earth we are all given these lessons through the
[00:30:07] testimony of jesus christ's word is surely seen to be true daily in the great controversy between christ and
[00:30:15] the love of god is satan the love of god saves life whilst his counterfeit the lust of the flesh destroys life
[00:30:26] men cannot truly love one another when their actions are not directed by god and so how far
[00:30:35] reaching will the testimony of jesus be we read in the book of daniel chapter 7 and verses 15 to 18
[00:30:45] i daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body and the visions of my head troubled me
[00:30:54] i came near unto one of them that stood by and asked him the truth of all this so he told me
[00:31:02] and made me know the interpretation of the things these great beasts which are four are four kings
[00:31:12] we shall arise out of the earth but the saints of the most high shall take the kingdom and possess the
[00:31:19] kingdom forever even forever and ever the prophet daniel was initially troubled when he saw how the
[00:31:30] satanic kingdoms on this earth symbolized by beasts of prey had become so powerful but he was reassured
[00:31:38] that the saints of the most high would possess christ's kingdom forever daniel was told that this earth
[00:31:45] would once again be ruled by the god that he served we read in the book of revelation chapter 21 and
[00:31:53] verses 1 to 7 and i saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away
[00:32:04] as there was no more sea and i john saw the holy city new jerusalem coming down from god out of heaven
[00:32:14] prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and i heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the
[00:32:21] tabernacle of god is with men and he would dwell with them and they shall be his people and god himself
[00:32:29] shall be with them and be their god and god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be
[00:32:37] no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are
[00:32:46] passed away and he that sat upon the throne said behold i make all things new and he said unto me right
[00:32:57] for these words are true and faithful and he said unto me it is done i am alpha and omega the beginning and
[00:33:07] the end i will give unto him that is the first of the fountain of the water of life freely he that
[00:33:15] overcometh shall inherit all things and i will be his god and he shall be my son we read in the book of
[00:33:24] revelation chapter 22 and verses 18 to 21 for i testify unto every man that heareth the words of the
[00:33:32] prophecy of this book if any man shall add unto these things god shall add unto him the plagues that are
[00:33:39] written in this book and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy
[00:33:45] god shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which
[00:33:52] are written in this book he which testifies these things say if surely i come quickly amen
[00:34:01] even so come lord jesus the grace of our lord jesus christ be with you all amen so listeners time and
[00:34:13] time again jesus testifies that those who overcome sin as he overcame sin will rule with him in the
[00:34:21] universe forever the testimony of jesus will stand forever no man is to add or take away from his words
[00:34:33] jesus's testimony is eternal because he is eternal he is he which was and is and is to come
[00:34:43] your mighty god no one and nothing can defeat him this is a wonderful assurance to us that if we follow
[00:34:54] jesus we cannot lose we are assured of life love happiness peace and victory over evil forever
[00:35:08] listeners god is true so now as we continue to hear people's personal testimonies
[00:35:16] let us hear what sister joanne has to share with us about the testimony of jesus in her life this evening
[00:35:23] my testimony today is about how i came to know god and i would say i came from antichrist
[00:35:38] i was brought up in a methodist home but my parents they never went to church they were very good people
[00:35:50] in the world's terms of being good but they were party people they taught us to go to parties we went to
[00:36:01] church at christmas on the occasional sundays and easter and the traditional holidays but regular no um
[00:36:12] we also we didn't read the bible really the the psalms the odd psalm especially psalms 23
[00:36:21] but not much else i didn't know much about god but we thought we did because we mentioned his name from
[00:36:33] from time to time or we said the our father prior and we said our grace when we had our food thanking god
[00:36:41] for our food things like that but nothing as deep as i know now i remember a friend of mine we were
[00:36:51] reading the book of revelation and we thought the mark of the beast was to do with the labels on the
[00:36:58] soap powder box and basically procter and gamble stuff we we thought that was it and i remember
[00:37:07] trying to avoid buying their things and getting on and we never understood what i understand today
[00:37:14] and i praise god for it but how did i come to know jesus how did i come to be a member of the seventh day
[00:37:24] adventist church it was because of my son my son was born at seven months and i really got messed up i tell you
[00:37:39] the obstetricians they really messed me up in the hospital with that child and they had him in an
[00:37:47] incubator and they did also if it was now they would not have been able to do those things because of
[00:37:54] the health message that i know now from jesus christ god's health message has taught me many things
[00:38:02] that if i go to a doctor now he can't just say to me i'm doing this and that no i ask questions to
[00:38:10] make sure because of that health message and i praise god for it well he lived for five weeks and he died
[00:38:21] and while he was alive we as i said before we didn't go to church too tough we went to the dance hall
[00:38:28] night and day this party that party this dance that dance yeah and we thought we were enjoying life but
[00:38:36] now i know that we really wasn't and while he was in the incubator with praying you know pray to god
[00:38:44] save him then i started making promises i'll go to church if he lives and this and that but he didn't live
[00:38:50] he died and went back to the old life then when i had my daughter i thought you know what i promised
[00:39:00] god that i would take my son to church but he died so i better take this child to church and i started
[00:39:08] praying and asking the lord which is the right church because there were so many and i'm thinking in my
[00:39:15] mind and it must have been god that was putting that in my mind which is the right church and i started
[00:39:20] praying and asking the lord and the jehovah witnesses came and i started going to church with them but then
[00:39:28] i realized that on sundays i wasn't getting much sundays to go with them anymore i seem to be more
[00:39:39] free on saturdays and then a lady who was not a christian she was not a christian she came to me
[00:39:46] and she said to me my daughter was about a few months old but maybe nine months around about that
[00:39:55] age she said to me why don't you send your daughter to the adventist schools i thought send my daughter
[00:40:01] to the adventist school and then i said to her well i can't it's too expensive and she said oh but if
[00:40:06] you go and join the church it will be cheaper and i said okay i'll do that and it's only recently i was
[00:40:13] thinking why would we be discussing school at that age and i went and i went to my cousin because he was
[00:40:23] adventist and he brought me to church my daughter was a year old and when i heard the things that were being
[00:40:34] preached i thought well i've been in the methodist church jehovah witness roman catholic i used to go to the
[00:40:43] roman catholic church i used to go to the baptist church i never heard those things at all and i decided
[00:40:53] to join and that was in 1989 and i have never looked back not once because god is real
[00:41:07] and he's able to save us he's able to change us from what we are to what he wants us to be if we allow him
[00:41:20] i cannot tell how much my life is enjoyable because of jesus christ every day i wake up i am happy to be alive
[00:41:35] and yes i have trials as everyone does but the difference is jesus christ he loves us he created us
[00:41:46] when we went wrong he gave his life to redeem us and he is all things that are beautiful all things that are
[00:41:58] peaceful all things that are lovely and i just want to thank him i want to thank you lord for what you've done
[00:42:07] for me in my life and father i pray that you will use this testimony to encourage somebody else to come to
[00:42:16] you because when i look back on my original life i realize that if i had known you in the first place
[00:42:28] many things that i went through i would not have gone through it because every day your hand is open wide
[00:42:36] unto us psalms 50 you said that you call the earth from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof
[00:42:45] and so lord we need when you're calling us we need to answer you thank you lord praise you and bless you
[00:42:53] for your love and your kindness towards me and to every human being that is alive on this earth in the name of jesus
[00:43:01] amen amen amen let us now hear what brother trevor has to say about the testimony of jesus
[00:43:10] experienced in his life this evening so i guess um i guess i started university when i was at university
[00:43:21] in london um i was studying business and chinese and so in the third year i had to spend a year abroad so
[00:43:31] half the year was spent the academic year was spent in china and then the second half was spent in america and
[00:43:40] god used the time in china for detoxification spiritually so when i arrived in china i had not prepared properly to
[00:43:52] make that move to china for the semester i was going to be out there and i did not prepare myself properly
[00:44:00] i did not um
[00:44:03] like get acclimatized with what i was to expect so when i arrived i experienced a massive culture shock
[00:44:11] and part of that was because my preparation was just watching kung fu movies and when i was actually packing
[00:44:19] i thought that the best things to bring in addition to my clothes was um my worldly music
[00:44:30] and as i was packing i went to waiter scales i mean waiter suitcase and the suitcase was excessively
[00:44:40] overweight and as soon as i took out all the music and that i was planning to bring which in the grand
[00:44:48] schemes of things wasn't too much there was room enough in terms of weight to bring to put in my
[00:44:56] suitcase my bible and the spirit of prophecy book the great controversy and if i tried to add in any
[00:45:07] additional music or any additional music or any music the suitcase was overweight so i had to leave all of that behind
[00:45:18] and when i arrived in china it was about i think it was about five o'clock in the morning and it was a
[00:45:28] great gloomy day and um i didn't realize how hot it was until i actually got out of the airport but
[00:45:39] i was i wasn't really um that didn't really what's the word i'm looking for it didn't it didn't quite
[00:45:49] register because i was trying to figure out where i was supposed to be going and how to get where i was
[00:45:55] going and at the same time there's a few other bits and pieces that i needed to sort out before i could
[00:46:04] make my way to the city that i was staying in so i arrived in shanghai and as i arrived i needed to
[00:46:11] book my return ticket with the airline and so i had to go and find the airline office which was not in
[00:46:18] the airport it was somewhere else that i needed to go and i actually got to where the airline office was
[00:46:28] before they actually opened so i had to hang around there for a couple of hours and then i explained to
[00:46:36] the lady um that i needed to book my return ticket back to the back to the uk on such and such a date
[00:46:46] i can't remember why i had to do it this way but that's what i had to do and then after that i got a
[00:46:52] taxi to where to the train station to where i needed to catch the train to the city that i was going to be
[00:47:00] studying in and the taxi man dropped me off at this uh at the train station but this train station had
[00:47:08] a few um entrances and the entrance that he had dropped me off was the incorrect one that that one
[00:47:14] just took me to um to the tube station for the subway for shanghai and so now i had this big suitcase
[00:47:23] and just come off i can't remember how many hours of flight was but it could have been
[00:47:29] 14 hours of flight or maybe maybe a bit more and i was dragging the suitcase the suitcase had two wheels
[00:47:39] in it and i was wheeling it across this um this massive square that was partially looked like it was
[00:47:47] what i can remember was being reconstructed and i was walking across something and it had
[00:47:55] the the the paving wasn't um smooth or flat and the wheels broke and so now i had to drag i had to
[00:48:04] carry this heavy suitcase maybe 23 or 25 kilos of suitcase across this square that took about
[00:48:12] five ten minutes to walk and then what i didn't realize or what i forgot was that chinese people don't
[00:48:19] tend to queue queueing is a european thing particularly an english thing so here i am trying to wait orderly
[00:48:29] in line and to buy my ticket and all these chinese people are just crowding around crowding around me
[00:48:35] and pushing and getting their ticket and going and getting i'm not i must have been there for about 15
[00:48:41] minutes thinking how come i'm not getting any closer to the to the ticket office and so i thought all right
[00:48:47] i'm gonna have to i'm gonna have to do likewise so i eventually got to the ticket bought my ticket
[00:48:53] and again when i was studying at university we were told that trains in china are they have hard seats
[00:49:03] and they have soft seats and hard seat is the second class would be the equivalent of our second class
[00:49:12] and soft seat would be the equivalent of our first class but i assumed that first class and second
[00:49:20] class were all on one train i did not realize that the whole train was first class and the whole train was
[00:49:26] second class so i didn't specify when what type of train i wanted to catch i just said then i just asked
[00:49:36] for the next train to nanjing um and i got a ticket so now it's probably about 10 o'clock and that train
[00:49:43] doesn't and that train wasn't scheduled to leave until or wasn't arriving at the train station until
[00:49:50] it was one o'clock in the afternoon so i had a long long long long wait
[00:49:58] um when i eventually got on the train god was gracious enough to um from to cross for me to cross
[00:50:08] paths with a um another foreign student she was from america and we it so happened to be that we were
[00:50:16] sitting on this in the same carriage and opposite each other so it's only when we both got off at the
[00:50:24] train station at nanjing that um that i that that we realized that we were going to the same place
[00:50:30] but prior to that you know um got into the train arrives i get onto the train and the train slowly
[00:50:38] begins to fill up first of all i get on the train i realized hang on this ain't quite what i was expecting
[00:50:45] it was like it was like um it was like our trains back in the 1980s um where they were just
[00:50:56] you had the door one door two doors to the um to get into the carriage and then you just had like
[00:51:06] benches to um for seats it wasn't those individual seats and it was a hard seat train that i had managed
[00:51:13] to book without realizing it and what i didn't realize about the hard seat trains is that they
[00:51:20] stop at every stop it's like the market it's like the train that picks up the the people that are going
[00:51:27] to and from market so everybody is getting onto the train and as they get on they're getting on with
[00:51:34] all manner of things everything you can think of and the train is packed there's no standing room
[00:51:41] there's no sitting room there's nothing it is just literally packed and then it takes off and i'm
[00:51:48] thinking okay it it's not going to take long to get to where we're going this is going to be a fast
[00:51:53] train and it just crawled along the journey i didn't we didn't i didn't arrive in nanjing until
[00:52:01] maybe 8 30 in the evening so the whole probably for most of the journey i was cursing god and just
[00:52:10] upset and angry with god about why he allowed me to choose chinese as a foreign language and
[00:52:18] why couldn't i have done spanish and i could have just gone to spain and not be far from home and have
[00:52:24] to go through so after eight hours of cursing god and experience a lot of culture shock um i arrived
[00:52:38] in at nanjing got off the train and me and this other student we found a taxi and told the taxi where
[00:52:50] we went to go the taxi man agreed to take us but then we realized that he didn't actually know where
[00:52:56] he was going and eventually it could have been an hour later he actually got us to where we were going
[00:53:07] and then um yeah i remember finally getting get into my room and just crashing out just breaking down in
[00:53:16] tears and the funny thing is the only thing i could remember or the only thing that gave me comfort was
[00:53:24] when i was in the shower there was verses of songs that would come to my mind songs from
[00:53:31] family worship right which would be morning or evening or friday sabbath worship not the whole song
[00:53:38] just a specific verse that would give comfort at that time or maybe the chorus because for the life of me
[00:53:48] i couldn't remember any of the songs any songs or anything when when i was there it was just
[00:53:56] it's like god just put into my mind the specific song or verse for that moment if i tried to remember it
[00:54:06] yeah some of it after it gave me comfort i couldn't remember and then so it took it took a lot it
[00:54:15] took a good couple of weeks to actually get over the initial culture shock um and then after after
[00:54:25] settling into the routine of school school and everything out there um it was towards the end of
[00:54:32] this summer that i arrived and i remember going to the university and joining a group of other students
[00:54:39] and playing football with them and for some reason i don't think i had drunk sufficient amounts of water
[00:54:45] that day and i was playing football and we finished playing and i felt very didn't feel too good
[00:54:54] and i was making my way back to the student accommodation and i just thought no i just need to
[00:55:00] sit down and i was praying and talking to god and asking him to just give me enough strength to get
[00:55:07] back to the get back to student accommodation and then all of a sudden from nowhere as i'm sitting
[00:55:13] under these pine trees on a bench this cold breeze just blew past me
[00:55:22] and it was just enough to revive me and help me make that journey give me enough strength to make that
[00:55:29] journey back home yes for the student accommodation and that evening when i was having my little personal
[00:55:36] time with god my worship of god i was just reflecting on that and thinking there was not a single
[00:55:44] it the city that i've gone to is called nanjing and nanjing is one of the five fire cities in china
[00:55:50] has a reputation and i've been extremely hot and it was no exception that day had been extremely hot
[00:55:59] and there wasn't any cool breeze in the air so it's as if when i was sitting down god heard my prayer and he
[00:56:07] actually blew on it's like he blew on me just to cool me down just to resuscitate me to revive me to
[00:56:14] so that i could get home yes and that was one instance where i thought wow i mean god actually
[00:56:22] just cooled me down because there was no there was no um there was no breeze there was nothing there was
[00:56:29] no water nearby or anything and then another time because like i was saying that i didn't prepare
[00:56:36] and my preparation was very inadequate god had um used the whole experience in china to detoxify me
[00:56:46] detoxify me from the lifestyle that i was living back in the uk right and um i remember one particular
[00:56:57] morning i think it was a sub of money and i think after this after this dream or experience i think
[00:57:07] that's when she kind of felt like home because i'd been reading great controversy and my bible um from
[00:57:18] the time i got out there because i didn't really have i didn't have any other um i didn't really have
[00:57:28] anything else to occupy myself with and so i was reading those things on a regular basis and
[00:57:35] one morning i woke up or i became conscious of a dream i was having and it was like i pitched myself
[00:57:43] on a beach and i was right out far far far out from the shore on the beach but the water was still
[00:57:51] further out and as i was as i as that pitch was in my mind the first that came to my mind was psalms 18
[00:58:01] verse 19 and at the time in the dream i think i can remember it but when i woke up all i could remember
[00:58:10] was psalms 18 verse 19 and so i i looked up what that verse was and it said he brought me forth into
[00:58:20] a large land into a large place who delivered me because he delighted me and i think in the new king
[00:58:26] james version that i had at that time it said he brought me into a barren place and that's exactly
[00:58:32] what china felt like the whole experience that god had brought me out of this out to this barren land
[00:58:39] to actually deliver me to detoxify me from the things that had intoxified me whilst growing up in the uk
[00:58:52] so that's when um my relationship with god took a turn for the better yeah so that's that's that's
[00:59:00] the testimony i'd like to share with you amen and amen well listeners after hearing these powerful
[00:59:10] testimonies we'll have another break with some music and come back with our closing thoughts
[00:59:15] we care to know the savior
[00:59:38] his word
[00:59:41] we hear him confide that he's on our side
[00:59:46] he tells us that there is
[00:59:50] there is a way
[00:59:56] when we see a friend in trouble
[01:00:03] when we lend a helping hand
[01:00:08] when hungry are fed
[01:00:10] when blind men are led
[01:00:14] we're showing that there is a way
[01:00:23] there's a reason for living
[01:00:27] there is meaning in giving
[01:00:35] life comes not when you take it
[01:00:43] lose it you gain it
[01:00:48] when our freedom is forsaken
[01:00:51] when there's nothing left to say
[01:00:57] our troubles may pour
[01:01:02] he's seen them before
[01:01:05] he's been there and he knows the way
[01:01:15] there's a reason for living
[01:01:19] there is
[01:01:27] Life comes not when you take it
[01:01:39] When our freedom is forsaken
[01:01:45] When there's nothing left to say
[01:01:50] Our troubles may pour
[01:01:54] He's seen them before
[01:01:57] He's been there and He knows the way
[01:02:05] The sunset may come
[01:02:10] But He's not yet done
[01:02:14] He whispers that He's the way
[01:02:55] For our closing thoughts this evening
[01:02:58] I will read from the Review and Herald
[01:03:01] January 29, 1895
[01:03:05] From paragraphs 7-8
[01:03:09] This article reads as follows
[01:03:10] From the testimony of Christ
[01:03:14] We can see that we are regarded by the Lord
[01:03:18] According to the kind of fruit we bring forth
[01:03:23] The kind of works we perform
[01:03:26] For they are an index of the way
[01:03:28] In which we regard Christ
[01:03:32] If any man love me
[01:03:33] Jesus says he will keep my words
[01:03:36] And my Father will love him
[01:03:39] And we will come unto him
[01:03:41] And make our abode with him
[01:03:44] He that loveth me
[01:03:46] Not
[01:03:47] Keepeth not my sayings
[01:03:49] And the word which you hear is not mine
[01:03:52] But the Father's which sent me
[01:03:56] These are Christ's words
[01:03:58] During the last interviews
[01:03:59] He had with His disciples
[01:04:01] Before His death
[01:04:03] The fruits of the life
[01:04:05] Testify to the state of the heart
[01:04:08] Jesus said
[01:04:09] You shall know them by their fruits
[01:04:12] Do men gather grapes or thorns
[01:04:14] Or figs or thistles?
[01:04:17] Even so
[01:04:18] Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit
[01:04:21] But a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit
[01:04:25] A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit
[01:04:28] Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit
[01:04:32] Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit
[01:04:35] Is hewn down and cast into the fire
[01:04:39] Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them
[01:04:43] And they that be wise
[01:04:45] Shall shine as the brightness of the firmament
[01:04:49] And they that turn many to righteousness
[01:04:51] As the stars forever and ever
[01:04:56] Brethren
[01:04:56] If any of you do err from the truth
[01:04:59] And one convert him
[01:05:01] Let him know
[01:05:03] That he which converteth a sinner
[01:05:05] From the error of his way
[01:05:07] Shall save a soul from death
[01:05:09] And shall hide a multitude of sins
[01:05:14] Christians are to be indeed
[01:05:16] Representatives of Jesus Christ
[01:05:19] They are not to be pretenders
[01:05:23] Shall the world form its conception of God
[01:05:25] By the course of those
[01:05:27] Who only take the name of Christ
[01:05:28] And do not his works
[01:05:32] Shall they point to those
[01:05:33] Who claim to be believers
[01:05:35] But who are not believers at heart
[01:05:38] Who betray sacred trusts
[01:05:40] And work the works of the enemy
[01:05:42] And say
[01:05:43] Oh these are Christians
[01:05:46] And they will cheat and lie
[01:05:48] And they cannot be trusted
[01:05:51] These are not the ones
[01:05:52] Who truly represent God
[01:05:55] But God will not leave the world
[01:05:57] To be deceived
[01:05:59] The Lord has a peculiar people
[01:06:01] On the earth
[01:06:02] And he is not ashamed
[01:06:04] To call them brethren
[01:06:05] For they do the works of Christ
[01:06:08] They make it manifest
[01:06:10] That they love God
[01:06:11] Because they keep his commandments
[01:06:14] They bear the divine image
[01:06:16] They are a spectacle
[01:06:18] Unto the world
[01:06:19] To angels and to men
[01:06:21] They cooperate
[01:06:22] With heavenly intelligences
[01:06:24] And the Lord is most honoured
[01:06:27] And glorified
[01:06:28] By those who do the most good works
[01:06:32] So listeners
[01:06:34] With all this in mind
[01:06:35] Let us now pray
[01:06:37] To close our study this evening
[01:06:42] Heavenly Father
[01:06:44] Lord
[01:06:44] I thank you for these radio broadcasts
[01:06:47] On the testimony of Jesus
[01:06:48] We've had four individual Christians
[01:06:54] Four people from different walks of life
[01:06:57] Who have had different experiences
[01:07:01] Who have declared that your testimony is true
[01:07:03] I pray for each and everyone listening
[01:07:07] To this radio broadcast
[01:07:11] Lord
[01:07:11] That each and everyone would realise
[01:07:15] That each and every one of us
[01:07:17] Would realise
[01:07:18] That your testimony is true
[01:07:22] You are the Alpha
[01:07:23] And the Omega
[01:07:24] The beginning
[01:07:25] And the ending
[01:07:27] He which was
[01:07:29] And which is
[01:07:30] And which is to come
[01:07:31] You're mighty
[01:07:34] Lord
[01:07:35] Your love is eternal
[01:07:37] And I do pray
[01:07:39] Lord
[01:07:39] That
[01:07:40] Knowing this
[01:07:42] It will give us assurance
[01:07:44] And hope
[01:07:44] And faith
[01:07:45] In you
[01:07:46] Lord
[01:07:47] That no matter what you ask us to do
[01:07:50] Lord
[01:07:51] It's because of your love
[01:07:53] And I do pray
[01:07:54] For all those listening
[01:07:56] Who are Christians
[01:07:57] Lord
[01:07:57] That
[01:07:58] Each and every one
[01:08:00] Would give their hearts to you
[01:08:03] I pray for those listening
[01:08:04] Who are not Christians
[01:08:06] But who desire to be
[01:08:07] That again
[01:08:08] They would give their hearts to you
[01:08:11] Time is short
[01:08:12] Lord
[01:08:12] We're now
[01:08:13] At the end
[01:08:15] Lord
[01:08:15] Of 2024
[01:08:17] Coming to the beginning
[01:08:18] Of 2025
[01:08:21] Some of us listening
[01:08:22] May not even make it
[01:08:23] To 2025
[01:08:25] Let us
[01:08:26] Take each day
[01:08:27] In you
[01:08:29] And I thank you
[01:08:30] Lord
[01:08:30] For all the radio broadcasts
[01:08:31] That you've helped us to
[01:08:33] Present
[01:08:34] Over this past year
[01:08:36] And we pray
[01:08:37] And look forward
[01:08:37] To those
[01:08:38] That are yet to come
[01:08:40] So bless us
[01:08:41] And keep us
[01:08:41] And we thank you
[01:08:42] For all things
[01:08:43] In the name of our Lord
[01:08:44] Jesus Christ
[01:08:45] Amen
[01:08:49] Listeners
[01:08:50] If you have any questions
[01:08:51] Or if you would like
[01:08:53] More information
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