back to index2022-02-06 Beverly Wu Baptism Testimony
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Like many others, I grew up in a Christian household, went to every Sunday service, and 00:00:10.960 |
And during my childhood, I never questioned it. 00:00:13.440 |
I was actually baptized twice in my life prior, once when I was four and my second time at 00:00:19.400 |
Although my childhood church had genuine intentions in asking me if I wanted to get baptized, 00:00:24.280 |
I agreed mostly because it was routine once you reach middle school to do so. 00:00:27.960 |
I said I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, but I didn't understand the gravity of it, 00:00:32.800 |
and there was no indication of true belief in my life. 00:00:35.960 |
This continued up to my junior year of high school when my parents decided to leave the 00:00:42.360 |
This was the first time I started seeing the church in a different light because other 00:00:45.720 |
brothers and sisters started spreading rumors about my family, and I felt so confused and 00:00:50.640 |
I realized I started holding grudges against them, and I thought it would be better for 00:00:55.640 |
I began looking for other churches, but realized I only really went to church for friends, 00:01:00.120 |
so I decided that I would find one when I got to college. 00:01:03.160 |
When God sovereignly brought me to UCI, I started the search again, but without knowing 00:01:09.400 |
In my freshman year, I thought if I chose to go to church on my own, then I must be 00:01:12.920 |
a Christian because it was the first time I was going without parental pressure. 00:01:16.800 |
I found Berean during the first week of school, joined a fellowship in small group, but started 00:01:20.560 |
living a double life whenever I went back to the dorms. 00:01:23.440 |
I wanted that worldly college experience with my non-believing roommates, and I didn't 00:01:29.720 |
Instead of realizing it was about my own heart, I church hopped for two years hoping to find 00:01:35.280 |
It wasn't until the summer before my junior year that I read the gospel according to Jesus 00:01:40.080 |
Through the Holy Spirit working through her and a lot of hard-hitting questions, this 00:01:45.120 |
I can't say that I love the Lord and believe in him without it feeling like a lie. 00:01:49.520 |
That summer, I prayed desperately every night for the Lord to take away the things I was 00:01:53.080 |
holding onto in this world, whether it be school, family, or my health, if it causes 00:01:59.680 |
By God's grace, I was led back to Berean where I was able to get plugged in and join a small 00:02:04.560 |
However, during this whole time, I was still questioning if I was saved. 00:02:08.880 |
Even in my prayers, I was struggling with humbling myself and understanding what it 00:02:13.040 |
Fast forward to the beginning of the pandemic, I started feeling like my life was falling 00:02:18.720 |
There were rumors of the rest of the school year going online. 00:02:21.520 |
I was dealing with some health issues, as were my grandparents. 00:02:24.720 |
I also failed a class that meant I likely would have to take another year or even change 00:02:29.800 |
Amidst all this happening, I was stressfully praying and the Lord reminded me about what 00:02:36.720 |
He was answering that prayer and showing me that all situations he allows in my life are 00:02:42.080 |
It was at this point I came to the word and I read through Psalm 65, 4. 00:02:46.160 |
How blessed is the one whom you choose and bring near to you to dwell on your courts. 00:02:50.320 |
We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple. 00:02:54.120 |
That night on March 7th, 2020, when I read this verse, I felt this heaviness come upon 00:02:58.640 |
me and I remember being like, wow, God chose me to bring near to him. 00:03:02.760 |
I was jumping around in my living room with the realization that I accepted Jesus Christ 00:03:08.520 |
Although at the moment all I felt was pure joy, after coming to salvation, it was then 00:03:12.960 |
that I began to better understand my true nature as a sinner before a holy God. 00:03:17.840 |
Both when looking back at his grace, through these experiences and in my daily life, it 00:03:22.200 |
reminds me of how undeserving I am of anything he has given me, but most importantly, how 00:03:27.240 |
undeserving I am of Christ's death and resurrection. 00:03:30.080 |
For someone that has taken advantage of his love and rejected him so many times, I am 00:03:34.680 |
in awe of his mercy and the true joy I have found in him. 00:03:38.280 |
God has used that time since then to test my faith and show me a lot of the sins in 00:03:42.480 |
And one of them was my fear of man, especially in the fear of getting baptized and therefore 00:03:49.840 |
I was rebuked that delayed obedience is still disobedience. 00:03:53.640 |
There are still so many lessons that I feel like God is teaching me in this weird period 00:03:57.520 |
post-grad, but I'm continually reminded how I can't do anything without depending on him. 00:04:03.360 |
>> If you understand what he wants, the water is in the United Tribes of Bethlehem, but when 00:04:10.360 |
you come out, it's in the United Tribes of Bethlehem.