Story of Ga Hang

Picture 1: Sunday school

Picture 2: Pastor Ricky, Ga Hang, Lok

On July 25, Sunday:

We had our first Sunday service in Spanish and Cantonese. The songs are in combination of the two languages. Christina and I shared our testimony with Spanish translation. Pastor Ricky preached on a message of "Walk the path of Faith." It was a message on how we each search for a good home in life. But the eternal home with God is what we really look for.

After Sunday service we had Sunday school. Initially, Christina and I were to lead two individual classes. Because of some confusion, we ended up having a combined class led by Pastor Ricky. After the class, Ricky asked for feedback from brothers and sisters regarding the mission team. Christina started distributing different books such as "The Four Spiritual Laws" to the students.

I walked to the side where the youth sat and asked them their feedback, since it is usually harder for them to speak up in front of large group. A person named Ga Hang asked me why didn't we advertise about the church more because he thought it was really good. Then he shared how little he heard of Christianity and other religions in China. Ga Hang was very excited as he talked. Actually, he was very joyful and excited right after the service and wanted to take pictures with us.

As Ga Hang was sharing, I sensed the Holy Spirit said to share Christ with him. He was holding "The Four Spiritual Laws" in his hands, it was the one distributed from Christina earlier. I asked if he had read the book before. He had not. Then I went through the book with him:

1. The first Spiritual law said that God loves us. We were made by God and created to have relationship with him at the beginning. I have him to read John 3:16 which said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." He read is rather slow but able to finish reading. I asked if he agreed and he did.

2. The second law said: We have sinned against God, which means we disobeyed God by choosing our own way of living, which resulted in many bad things we do in life, such as murder, lust, evil thought, greed..etc. Because God is the Holy God and He cannot allow any sins in His presence, Man are separated from God. Man tried to use different ways to reconnect with God, such as doing good works, devoting in different religions and others, but none of them can get us back to be with God. I have him to read Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death." and Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" I asked if he agreed and he did.

3. The third law said: Jesus is the Son of God and he was sent by God to the world to die for our sins, so that we can reconnect with God. I shared an example of someone paid for our fine when we got in jailed so we can be free. Jesus was the one who pay for our fine by being nailed on the cross, so that we can be free from God's punishment resulting from the sins we committed against God. In Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

4. Finally, it come to the forth law. We need to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. By having Jesus as Lord means we surrender our life to him, have Jesus to be in charge of everything in our life: works, school, relationships, money...everything that belongs to us. By having Jesus as Savior means we acknowledge his action of saving us from our sins, which we often called that Salvation. This Salvation is completely free and did not require any money or needing us to do any good works in order to have it. Like before, I have Ga Hang to read the following verse: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

Ga Hang agreed to accept all four spiritual laws. I asked him to pray with me to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. After the prayer, I told Ga Hang that now he was a Christian, a child of God. He was very happy and even more excited than before. We took another picture together. During dinner time, I shared with him that even though he had become a Christian, it doesn't mean he will not sin any more. There is God and also the Devil. The Devil will try to steer us away from God by telling us we are bad and cannot be with God. It was especially strong when we sinned: the Devil will persuade us to believe that God will not forgive us. I encouraged him to always remember this verse, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9). That means if we truly repent from our sins, and confess to God and ask for His forgiveness, God will forgive us and cleanse us.

I was in awe that he would actually receive Christ in such short time. This is the second time he visited a church and actually first time hearing the Gospel. I often expect a person will ask many questions or have doubts as he hears the Gospel. But it was like what Jesus said, "Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." It is true there are many who are ready to receive, and all we need to do is to share the good news. The experience taught me that everything is in God's control and he prepares the hearts of the people to receive Him. There are many restless souls who are seeking freedom from the darkness. The only way to free a restless soul is by the power of the Gospel - Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossian 1:13-14)
"他 救 了 我 們 脫 離 黑 暗 的 權 勢 ， 把 我 們 遷 到 他 愛 子 的 國 裡 ； 我 們 在 愛 子 裡 得 蒙 救 贖 ， 罪 過 得 以 赦 免 。 "(歌 羅 西 書 1:13-14)