back to index2021-02-07 Baptism Flora Chen
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My name is Flora and I'm currently a second year at UCI and this is my testimony. 00:00:12.120 |
I was first introduced to church at age four, just a couple months after my father passed 00:00:18.320 |
This is when my mom, sister and I began to attend a church back home in San Francisco. 00:00:23.080 |
I remember being a difficult child at church and in life. 00:00:26.960 |
When I was put in the nursery, that meant I was apart from my sister who was two years 00:00:33.240 |
I cried and caused so much trouble that the teachers just let me be with the older class 00:00:38.520 |
This self-serving attitude didn't stop there but continued on into Sunday school classes 00:00:43.280 |
where I would bring books to read so I could avoid talking to people. 00:00:46.840 |
In learning of the many Bible stories, my heart and heart stopped me from understanding 00:00:50.680 |
anything past the point of gaining head knowledge. 00:00:53.440 |
I couldn't dwell on the implications of God's love and mercy because I didn't see how his 00:01:01.400 |
At this time, I was realizing how different my life was from my friends in terms of family. 00:01:05.400 |
They had both their parents while I only had one. 00:01:08.560 |
And while I can say this now that my mother is one of the greatest blessings in my life, 00:01:13.600 |
as a clueless child, I didn't see this as enough. 00:01:16.360 |
I saw the happiness in my classmates' faces when they saw their fathers pick them up from 00:01:22.800 |
They would go on and on about how they had fun times with their parents, how they learned 00:01:26.520 |
things about their dad and from their dads and the general exuberance that came with 00:01:32.120 |
But I saw how my mom struggled every day to raise two young daughters on her own. 00:01:36.960 |
It came to a point where I was not just missing my father but I missed having a father in 00:01:41.560 |
I continued to be a difficult child, stealing my sister's things and disobeying my mother. 00:01:46.320 |
I even snuck out of the house sometimes because I didn't want to be there. 00:01:49.960 |
My self-serving attitude blinded me and this also led to overall anger towards God. 00:01:54.760 |
I was learning how God was good, loving and merciful but how could a God with those attributes 00:02:01.560 |
As I entered middle school, my mom forced me to attend youth fellowship and although 00:02:05.240 |
I reluctantly obeyed, I began to develop relationships with people that showed joy in learning about 00:02:11.000 |
Their joy in spending time with me and showing love to me was what confused me the most. 00:02:15.120 |
I didn't understand why everyone was being so kind and friendly to a person that all 00:02:18.960 |
throughout elementary school wanted nothing to do with them. 00:02:23.480 |
One of my advisors explained to me that the love displayed towards me comes solely from 00:02:27.120 |
Christ because Jesus Christ loved the very people who hated him so much that he died 00:02:31.720 |
and was resurrected for the forgiveness of their sins. 00:02:34.840 |
My sins meant that I was destined for hell but Christ and his loving kindness saved me 00:02:38.600 |
from eternal destruction and in this I desired for forgiveness of my sins and reconciliation 00:02:44.760 |
Ephesians 2, 1 to 3 says, "And you are dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formerly 00:02:50.600 |
walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the 00:02:55.040 |
air of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 00:02:59.080 |
Among them, we too all formerly lived in the lust of our flesh, indulging the desires of 00:03:03.880 |
the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest. 00:03:09.300 |
By nature I'm so sinful but and it is only by God's grace and because of his rich mercy 00:03:14.440 |
that he softened my heart to be able to see the depths of my sins. 00:03:18.480 |
I began to understand that my actions towards my family and everyone else was sinful, that 00:03:22.600 |
my angry heart against God was wrong and that I was ultimately disobeying him. 00:03:27.280 |
I prayed to God for forgiveness and mercy in my transgressions against him and I put 00:03:30.920 |
my full faith and trust in the death and resurrection of Christ. 00:03:34.200 |
The greatness of God's goodness and mercy and love became clear to me. 00:03:38.040 |
Just because my father was gone does not mean that God does not love or care for me. 00:03:41.760 |
In fact, it shows his love for me even more because it allowed me to come to know him 00:03:48.120 |
Knowing that God ordained every moment in my life brought immense comfort because losing 00:03:52.120 |
my dad as a little girl only brought me closer to God. 00:03:55.240 |
I was no longer angry or bitter because I know his plan for me is greater than anything 00:04:01.280 |
I don't have a physical father here but God is my father in heaven and because of this 00:04:05.560 |
I can have full faith, trust, and joy through all circumstances. 00:04:09.160 |
I no longer yearn to live for my own selfish desires but to glorify him in all that I do. 00:04:15.040 |
My eyes were opened and I sought to obey Jesus as Lord over all aspects of my life and I 00:04:21.880 |
So I was sprinkled at my home church four years ago as an outward expression of my faith 00:04:27.600 |
Since then I've grown immensely in my love for God and in my desire to live by his commands, 00:04:31.800 |
especially throughout my first year of college. 00:04:34.080 |
I was reminded of the necessity of reading and wrestling with scripture so that I may 00:04:37.440 |
correctly practice my faith and live according to the word. 00:04:40.860 |
Because of this, today I'm choosing to be baptized by immersion in response to what 00:04:44.480 |
the Lord has made known to me in scripture and to fulfill all obedience to his command 00:04:49.640 |
Psalm 73, 25 to 28 says, "Whom have I in heaven but you? 00:04:57.040 |
My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 00:05:03.000 |
For behold, those who are far from you will perish. 00:05:05.520 |
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you. 00:05:07.800 |
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good. 00:05:10.520 |
I have made the Lord God my refuge that I may tell of all your works." 00:05:14.200 |
Ultimately it's my desire for my faith to be biblical and backed by scripture, to live 00:05:18.160 |
a life completely obedient to God's word and to be used for his glory and works.