GOD’S PLANS FOR HIS CHILDREN

Pastor Zacchaeus Tran

I was born in 1965 into a family of 12 children and I was the 8^th child. In my hometown of Ky Phu Commune, my parents were the richest people in this community. We lacked nothing and there were servants to do everything for us but my parents did not know God.

When I was 9 months old I became seriously ill. My body was very skinny; my belly was swollen as I had difficulty moving my bowels; my whole body was filled with scabies... My parents took me to the biggest hospital in Da Nang with the hope that doctors would heal me, but as days passed my condition became worse and my parents were told to take me home. The doctors had done all they could but there was no hope. They told my parents that it would be better for me to die in my home surrounded by my family.

My mother was heartbroken to see my ravaged body, lifeless and in pain. She cried out daily, “My God! Please save my son! Please save my son!” She did not know which God she was crying out to but believed there was a God out there who could help her son.

That night, my mother had a dream that she was attending service in church. After the service was over, she saw the deacon of the church by the name of Quang walk up to the podium and introduce a new pastor, Pastor Le Van Tu, who would be taking over the leadership of the church. My mother woke up wondering why she was dreaming of a Christian church when she did not believe in Christianity. Believing it to be a sign she took me to church on Sunday and was shocked to recognize that it was the same church as in her dream. She had never been inside before so how could this be! She was so amazed and excitedly she took me to the pastor to relate her dream to him. The pastor said: “This is the will of God for you to know that He can heal your son. I cannot do any miracles, only God can.” Then the pastor laid his hands on me and prayed for healing as well as for my parents to know the Lord.

After the pastor prayed for me, I went home and the next day I began to feel healing taking place in my body. The scabies gradually dried up; I started having regular bowel movements and this helped make my belly flat. I no longer cried much and could sleep well. One month later, I was completely healed and I could play like other children.

 After God healed me, my parents led all my siblings to church to receive Jesus Christ and made a commitment to worship God alone, and then my mother requested that I be dedicated to the Lord. I lived a happy Christian life filled with joy and peace but there were difficult days ahead with the coming of the Vietnam War in 1973. As the war continued, we had to move to a different province where we found a church which my family and I attended regularly.

However, all this changed in 1975 when the communists won the war and united North and South Vietnam. Christians were told that they were not allowed to worship God and soon the persecution of Christians became violent. Many believers gave up their faith and sadly so did my parents. Going to church, praying to God or reading the bible were all forbidden; eventually Christ faded from our lives.

As time passed, and growing up in a communist culture, Jesus Christ was replaced by Marxist political ideology and I no longer trusted in God and all His works. We were taught that “only man is lord of the universe, anything that took place in the universe is the effort of man not God".

As we drew away from God and relied on ourselves and our own efforts, our lives changed drastically for the worse. Our business failed, our culture and language changed and there was an emptiness inside me that I filled with drinking and gambling. In 1990, desperate and broke, I moved to another town where I lived with a friend who taught me lacquer art.

Living away from home, I was homesick, especially when Christmas came and I heard Christmas songs like "Holy Night”; I remembered my childhood and the times when I used to worship God. I realized how much I missed God! How happy I was then. But I felt ashamed to face God now having abandoned Him a long time ago. I was sure He, too, would reject me now.

On the night of December 23th, 1993, I had a dream that I was walking in the church in my old hometown. As I stood there admiring the decorations, I suddenly heard voices echoing in the church, saying, “Destroy this temple and rebuild.” This statement was repeated three times. I looked around but could see no one. I asked myself, "Why must such a beautiful church be destroyed?”

The next morning, I walked into a church and asked the pastor about my dream. After listening carefully to my dream, the pastor told me that it was the voice of God. He said, “God wants you to destroy your sinful life and rebuild your Christian life.” I suddenly found myself trembling before God. The pastor cried and prayed for me.  I knew God had forgiven me and from that day on, I went to church and rededicated my life to Him.

In 1995 I married an unbeliever. My wife was an ancestor worshiper who would burn incense to worship her ancestors and other gods. I was very sad and prayed to God every night that God would save my wife and her family. My mother-in-law was against Christianity and would always refuse to eat anything I had bought. I was patient and loving towards her, and one day, she asked me to take her to my church so she could see who my God is.

I was overjoyed and brought her to church and on that Sunday she received the Lord. Later on my brother-in-law also received Jesus Christ. Eventually my wife and her whole family gave their lives to Christ. In 1996 after receiving bible training, I gave my life into the service of God as a pastor.

In summary, God knew me when I was a child and He knew the plan He had for my life. Even though I abandoned Him, He never abandoned me. Throughout my life I know now that God never once gave up on me but was waiting patiently for me to return to Him. Like the prodigal son, praise God, I did. I thank the Lord for His mercy and grace!

I want to thank Asian Outreach for their financial support that has enabled me to reach out to so many who are hungering after God.

Matthew 5:6

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."