Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.
My Testimony by Erwin Gilmore
When you come to give a personal word of testimony it is vital that the Lord Jesus Christ gets all the glory.
I hope that these words will uplift and magnify the blessed name of Jesus.
Up and until 25 June 1981 my sole aim in life was to win, win, win.
I got hooked on the gambling machines.
Every penny that I had l earned was put into these machines, hoping that I would win the jackpot, also I bet quite l heavily on horses.
Most weekends I would come home to my wife without any money and having to tell her that I had gambled all my wages.
I worked in Michelin Tyre Factory and one day while walking to work I decided I had enough and was about to step on to the bridge over the motorway when a voice which came from nowhere said "Don't do it, Erwin".
A few days later I was having a sleep on the sofa before heading off to night shift and as I awoke out of my sleep I went to go to the bathroom to get ready to go out and instead of going in I ended up in my bedroom down on my knees beside the bed calling, with tears streaming down my cheeks, "If there is a God in heaven please help me",
I arose from off my knees and went into the bedroom of one of my children and took a small Bible that she had for Sunday School and put it in my pocket and went on my way to work.
It was around midnight when I took the Bible out of my pocket and started to read.
I began at the beginning and read how God said "Let there be light and there was light“, then I turned to the book of Psalms and read these words, - Psalm 63 v 1, "O God thou art my God, early willl seek thee, My soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.“
This book from that night became a living word to my soul.
I smoked 60 cigarettes a day and during the night I went to take a cigarette from the packet and a voice said "You don't need them, Erwin“.
Praise God I haven't had a cigarette since.
Praise God I haven't had a bet since.
Praise God I haven‘t been in a public house since.
My God is able to save to the uttermost.
As you read these words I pray that the Holy Spirit will use them to bring you to Jesus Christ.
He is able to save to the uttermost.
Praise His Wonderful Name.
There are other things that I could tell you of how the Lord has brought us through trials and temptations, but l you know the Lord says "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee".
I was given a promise and with this I finish - Proverbs 3 vs 5-6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths.
I have a Shepherd, One I love so well,
How He has blessed me, Tongue can never tell,
On the cross He suffered, Shed His blood and died,
That I might ever In His love confide.
Ballymena Branch.