Co-Workers
Jerome Paul Noronha
Roman 4:29-30 "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified".
As is the commission for each and every individual in this world, God has a plan and a purpose for each of us, as it is recorded in the bible in John 15:16 "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit".
I do not know where to begin my testimony but first let me give my background. I was born in a catholic family in India. I am the eldest of the three siblings, my childhood was not that I can recall as good one but I thank God that all the way he was working out a purpose for me. In 1998 I got an opportunity to come back to UAE (Ras Al Khaimah) to work. It was through my cousin and her family who was instrumental for me not only to come to UAE but also to know the Lord. Even before 1998 I was working for another concern. During those years I used go to my cousin's house where she not only gave me a good home cooked food but also a dose of God's word which did not appeal to me at that time, as I used to see lot of arguments/fights or complete silence during those visits and I was comfortable with what I was believing, going to church, confess my sins for Easter and attend the Christmas Mass. That was it, then God started to speak to me through them as I could see, that God was working in their lives and I saw a change taking place in their relationship and the arguments/fights ceased. I saw a zeal in them to reach out to others, as the bible says that we need to be a living testimony, It is our lives in Christ that attracts others to Him. It is only then did I start connecting to the word of God. I did not consider my self bad but good since everybody called me good and I did not have any bad habits in the worldly sense (doing drugs/immorality etc). It was just smoking and drinking according to me which was normal but as I began to feed myself with the word of God, the bible (this was the time I owned a Bible the first time) It began to get clearer to me as it says in Isaiah 64:6 - All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. That it was not the outside but the inside, our heart, which required the change, that I was a sinner and I needed God to cleanse me.
It was in 1998 December 28th that I committed my life to the Lord Jesus and received him into my life as my personal Savior and received the free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:7-8 for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God) From then onwards it has been a process and through my cousin again that I was connected to the Church of Antioch held in a house where Pastor Elyas used to minister and gradually I started liking what was happening in my life. God began to change every area of my life and He brought into my life a life partner, my wife whose life God transformed after joining me in the UAE. Since then, together we have been through many a trials and challenges in life. To this day we can confidently say that, if it was not for the Lord and His Grace that abounds in our lives we would not have been what we are and where we are today.
I thank the Lord Jesus for my cousin and her family that it was they who sowed the seed of the Word of God into my life and it is growing.I thank and praise God for connecting me with the right ministry where I am fed with the uncompromised Word of God and filling me with His Holy Spirit. God in his own way is using me and my family to be a blessing to the people around our lives. The more we humble and submit to God and to His will, the more He exalts us. Yes, I do agree that a true Christian walk is not a bed of roses, but when God who sees our hearts provides us sufficient grace to overcome all the difficulties and the works of the evil, to be victorious and as it says in 2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
Serving the Lord in whatever capacity he calls us to do is a joy and a privilege. To be in the Father's business and to do His will which please him rather than acheiving our selfish goals in life.
At present God is using me at Antioch Church to exalt and pray in the fellowship and hold home cell prayers and to share the Word of God. I believe that God is still at work in my life and there are still many more souls to reach.
Praise, Glory and Honor be to the matchless Name of our Lord Jesus Christ – Who was, Who is and Who is to come forevermore. Amen