25 June 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-
On 7th of June, more than 200 people attended the evangelical banquet held by the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship (FGBMF) at D’Fong Restaurant in Wisma TA.
After an opening prayer by HP Lim, the attendees were led into praise and worship before speakers Datuk Johnny Mun and Tan Koon Swan graced the stage with their testimonies.
Datuk Johnny Mun shared how he only got to know more about Christianity when his girlfriend wanted to get marry in a church at that time, though neither of them knew Christ. Riding on the waves of success, each of them was earning a handsome five-figure salary.
Finally, Johnny and his girlfriend got married in a church. After the wedding, Johnny recalled mocking the pastor but God is not to be mocked. (Gal 6:7) A year after the wedding, Johnny was on the verge of losing his lucrative job and also losing his marriage.
“God intervened in my life when I am at the highest peak of my life because I thought I was smart. If you don’t mean what you say, don’t say it to God,” said Datuk Johnny who thanked God for giving him and his wife a child at the verge of divorce.
“God saved my marriage because my wife and I made a covenant before God and He saw that. That’s why when we were about to divorce; God gave us a child.”
“I asked God, ‘Why is this happening to me? What have I done wrong? Lord, use me in my knowledge and skills. Use me for whatever strengths I have,” said Datuk Johnny.
He would kneel before God every morning in the church altar, where the Lord saw his humbled heart and heard his prayer.
In year 2009, Johnny was conferred as a ‘Datuk.’ In year 2012, he was nominated as the President of the Advertizing Association. And in year 2013, he was invited as a biweekly columnist in The Star Newspaper. Today, Datuk Johnny is a co-owner of an advertizing agency with an intact and joyful family, with his wife and 12-year-old son. Praise the Lord!
Next, a group of men from FGBMF came on-stage with placards to share how God intervened in their life. Their testimonies included the healing of heart attack from worshipping God, saving of a loved one from a deadly accident, the delivery from a gambling bondage, the anointing of writing skills from being a poor student in school, the returning of strength in a dying beloved dog, the returning of peace in a cracking marriage, finding true love in God (the Father) in a parental divorce, and the complete payment of a seven-figure debt.
The highlight of the event was the speech given by a former political figure Tan Koon Swan. In the 1970’s till mid 1980’s, Koon Swan is a self-made millionaire and an influential controller of numerous companies.
But in year 1986, he was sent to a prison in Singapore—a place of gloom and hopelessness—but also a place where he found hope and a new beginning in God.
The moment he was locked behind prison bars, Koon Swan was shocked with the sudden turn of tables but he heard God’s soft voice bidding him to sleep. God said to him, “Son, cast all your care upon Me. Go to sleep. Rest in My Rest.” That sleep was his longest and sweetest one.
But as soon as he woke up from his sweet sleep, reality hit and Koon Swan fell into a deep depression, losing more than 40 pounds in merely four months. His depression continued until one fine day, he realized he had to pull himself together to direct his 16 companies in Malaysia.
“I suddenly realize I got to wake up. This is when I began talking to my Lord. ‘Lord, You promised me that You came so that I can have life, and life abundantly. You asked me not to worry, look at the birds in the sky and the flowers in the field, they did nothing and yet they did not worry,’” said Koon Swan.
The Lord answered him, “Son, you’re still thinking of the past. You still think that you’re the great Tan Koon Swan who can solve problems on your own. You have been so used to taking your own problems and solve it. I want to remind you that you’re in prison. If you trust in Me, just forget the past and resign from all the position you have. Cut all things from the past—no association. And then, through you, I will show the glory of the Lord.”
Hence, Koon Swan obeyed the Lord and resigned from all positions in his companies, associations and political positions. He immediately felt that a large stone has been rolled over from his back. His appetite returned and he could suddenly feel relieved and joyful. He could even start worshipping God.
“In that spirit, I started to take a very brave conversation with the Lord. ‘Lord, I have now obeyed you and resigned from everything. I now see a new hope and a new beginning,” said Koon Swan.
Having resigned, he asked God what he should do with his life. God replied him, “Do not fear anymore. I will restore to you the years that the locusts have eaten.” (Joel 2:25) Two pastors confirmed this message as well.
Koon Swan enquired the Lord further and The Lord told him that restoration would happen through acquiring a land. So, Koon Swan spent his imprisonment days reading books about lands sent by his wife. His pastor also encouraged him to study the Bible, where he sat many Bible examinations from the Bible College during his imprisonment.
When he was finally released from the prison in Singapore, Koon Swan returned to Malaysia to spend another year in prison. Upon release, he declared bankruptcy. He recalled a newspaper wittily reported that he would need to pay his debt for 36,000 years (if he were to only pay RM1000 per month).
But the Lord was good.
In less than two years, Koon Swan acquired a land as promised but the Lord that allowed him to pay off his thousand-year debt. With one stroke of the pen, the Lord redeemed him from being bankruptcy to prosperity.
Koon Swan sang with gratitude and thanksgiving to God, bidding the attendees to sing with him, “And because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fears are gone. Because I know, I know, He holds the future. And life is worth the living just because He lives.”
The banquet ended with more than ten people answering the altar call, touched by Datuk Johnny Mun’s and Tan Koon Swan’s sharing of God’s great love.
Indeed, they are mighty men because of a mighty God!
This event was held jointly by organizers HP Lim and Robert Tan.
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By the way, it's "evangelistic" banquet, not "evangelical" banquet. "Evangelistic" means something that has to do with evangelism. Being "evangelical" has to do with a certain set of beliefs.