A Layman's Notebook

By Lester Forrester

The author demonstrates to the layperson how he uses various means to advance his own spiritual growth. The means are available to everyone. It is not exhaustive and includes: systematic Bible study, recording quotes from gifted Christian authors' works, exploring contemporary and theological topics with Christian ministries, and keeping a spiritual journal. The author makes the point that although he had been an ardent churchgoer for years and involved in many religious activities, he had never experienced a genuine conversion until his heart was regenerated by the Holy Spirit. By documenting this turning point of his spiritual journey, he stressed that it is crucial for one to ask God to bring about an authentic change in one's life. Given that he had to juggle supporting a family, keeping a job, and finding time for spiritual devotion, he also shows his readers that by recording his day-to-day experiences one can discover how God works in one's life. He then uses such recordings to measure his spiritual progress""steps as well as "missteps"""and place them in a grid framed by the word of God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644164167

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A Layman's Notebook

Lester J. Forrester

ISBN 978-1-64416-415-0 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64416-416-7 (Digital)

Copyright © 2019 by Lester J. Forrester

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

Section 5

Section 6

Section 7

Section 8

Section 9

Introduction

This narrative is not an autobiography, nor an historical record of my life. It does not have one theme flowing through it. Rather, it is notes of my experiences along the road of life, candidly pointing out my errors, experiences—good and bad—and my encounter with the living God, Creator of heaven and earth, and His Son, Jesus Christ. It contains knowledge gleaned from a wide range of books, sermons I have heard, conversations I have had, and lessons from the day-to-day experiences of living in an imperfect world, among imperfect people. Although it does not have one specific theme, I trust that it strikes the reader as light rays reflecting from my life, not because of any inherent brightness in me but because of the light that comes from the source of all true lights, the Lord Himself. It may arouse in the reader empathy, sympathy, humor, curiosity, but best of all, my hope is that it will help someone avoid the errors I made and help someone find their way into the kingdom. For after all is said and done and the curtain comes down on our life, what really matters is where we will spend eternity. That is why Moses prayed: " Lord teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalm 90 ) . Our Lord Jesus echoed the same theme when He asked the question: " What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? The answer is of course: It profits nothing! My favorite writer, C.S. Lewis, wrote: If we aim for heaven, we may get heaven with earth thrown in, but if we aim for earth alone, we may neither get heaven nor earth. "

Acknowledgments

Thanks to those who have helped to guide me on the path to read the Bible. Among them are Don Freudenberg (deceased), former music director of Grace Lutheran Church, Queens Village, New York; he started me on the series entitled Crossways by H. N. Wendt in 1987 . There is also Rev. Tae Hun Yoon, former pastor of Embury United Methodist Church, Queens Village, New York; he guided me through Through the Bible in a Year by Alan B. Stringfellow, LitD in 1989 . Then there is Moody Bible Institute, 1999 to present, guided by Moody long distance coordinator, Ms. Lanna Marie Enns.

Also to my wife, Carmen Forrester, who gave me her support and loving care during this effort and in my life.

Section 1

My Testimony

Ibegin with the testimony of my spiritual journey.

I grew up in the church and my upbringing was fairly good. My parents weren’t rich but they weren’t poor either. They were God-fearing and were members of the Presbyterian Church. I attended Sunday School there, learned many Bible texts (called the golden texts), and behaved well at home and at school, getting into a little trouble a few times but nothing that was ever serious. I was always aware of the gross sins around me, and although I was not known as a bad person, I lusted after them and even experimented with some; namely, drinking, smoking, and having relationships with girls.

In my late teenage years, I deserted the church, especially during my high school and college years. During those years, I was preoccupied with pursuing my career and being a talented student, I progressed intellectually but not spiritually. My increased knowledge of science and technology even challenged my belief in God at times. Science seemed to me to be much more powerful than religion and had the answers to life’s challenges. I also had some unfortunate experience that taught me that relationships with the opposite sex was a serious matter and I was not born to be a philanderer. I needed to get married, settle, and have a family. I prayed to the Lord for guidance about this and I am convinced he answered my prayer when I met my current wife, Carmen. I confidently asked her to marry me, and after marriage I returned to the church.

My wife and myself became members of the Lyndhurst Methodist Church, Jamaica, West Indies. Going back to church was putting into practice one of the values that I learned from my parents. I continued in the Methodist Church when I migrated to the United States in 1980 and got very involved in many aspects of Church life. However, in spite of all my involvement and the preaching I heard, I was never convicted by any sermon that made me feel that I am a sinner in need of salvation. Most of the preaching pointed to the sins in society, and so I felt fairly smug and comfortable. I got the impression that the sin problem affected those outside of my church and not us sitting in the pews. God was portrayed more as a helper, a protector, or a giver of blessings but not as one who is a judge of my sins and one to whom I will have to give account on Judgment Day. I even developed a sense of self-righteousness. This feeling would vary according to my level of involvement in religious activity at any given time. I was operating on the false premise that one can earn his salvation through works.

I first heard the true gospel on radio. One sermon in particular convinced me that no human effort to live right before God counts for anything. The preacher, Dr. James Boice, gave a clear illustration of human righteousness in which he compared human righteousness to God’s righteousness. Human righteousness, he said, is like faked money (like the fake money in a game of monopoly) and God’s righteousness is the genuine US dollars bills made by the US Treasury. I realized that I was just a sinner like everyone else—my righteousness was faked, and no amount of church involvement could free my conscience of guilt and give me a true sense of forgiveness and peace. I began to read my Bible and found in the scriptures that God made provision for my salvation by sending his Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to pay for my sins. Certain scriptures stuck in my mind. First, Paul writes: He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin; that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Another scripture was: For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8–9). The latter hit me like a brick in my face! I finally understood that Christ’s death on the cross is the sacrifice that God accepts as payment for my sins and nothing else; that there has to be a one-to-one transaction between myself and God so that this sacrifice can become personal for me.

I started praying earnestly on this basis, several times. I acknowledged my sins, confessed them before God and asked him to apply the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to atone for my sins so that I can know that I will not stand before his judgment as a condemned sinner. God responded to my request. I don’t know the exact time but I sensed it in my soul. I told others about the change I experienced. When I told a Christian man we call Brother Thompson in Cane Heap, Jamaica, West Indies, about it, he said, "Yea, something happen to you," and he and his wife prayed with me. I don’t always feel saved but as I gain a clearer understanding of the Bible I realize that my salvation is not based on my feelings but on what Jesus Christ has already done on my behalf. That is a fact that has nothing to do with my feelings.

Bible study is a joy to me; it’s as if I can’t get enough of it. I feel clean in my heart and I feel a strong desire to be at peace with others. My prayer life is always improving and it has become more and more important to me. I have interceded for people I know and God has answered my prayers. I have asked other believers to join me in praying for particular problems: two times my children were