J.C. in Directing J.D.

November 7 2012, by Adeline Lum CM-

Jayarajan D. met his beloved wife, Sugirtha, at high school. A staunch believer of another faith, he would ring the bells before daybreak everyday, to wake his gods up. Both of them are pastors now. J.D. never thought that he would believe in Jesus Christ. But Sugir faithfully prayed and believed that her husband would accept Christ one day.

 

 

“I am the result of fasting and prayer!” exclaimed J.D.

 

Over my Dead Body will I Accept Christ

During their university days, Sugir’s sister brought her and J.D. to her church– Grace Assembly of God. Pastor Henry Ramaiah was heavily preaching about idol worshipping in that particular service, which offended J.D. Leaving the service, he stood outside of the church building with Sugir. There, he met Pastor Bruno who prayed and prophesied over him.

“It was prophesied that J.D. would carry the gospel to all over the world!” said Sugir wide-eyed, akin to telling the news for the first time.

“I just laughed at the prophesy and said over my dead body would I accept Christ,” chirped in J.D. In fact, he told Sugir that none of his children are allowed to accept Christ as long as he was alive.

 

 

The Lord Determines his Steps

But 17 years after the prophecy, J.D. accepted Christ at the age of 39 years old when he hit rock bottom in his family, health and business.

J.D. has been operating his business in palm oil and derivatives, the normal worldly way with two other non-Christian partners. However, when his two partners left, J.D. was left alone to manage the mounting business himself.  When recession hit in year 1997, the fort proved too much to hold. Thinking who could save him this time, J.D. also wondered why his gods need to be awaken, served food and carried around. He decided to pray to Jesus.

 

 

“I still remember while drinking beer, I said: God, if you are the true God, come into my heart, Jesus Christ,” said J.D. He encountered God that night and naturally quit all of his bad habits cold turkey since that moment.

 

The Prophecy Became Reality!

Not only God answered Sugir’s prayer, God also used J.D. to introduce Christ to Sugir’s family. One of J.D. first pastoral experiences was sharing the gospel to Sugir’s family who only wanted J.D. to minister to them. Every week, ten families from Sugir’s family would converge and listen to him sharing about Christ. Many of them accepted Jesus, in which five family members were doctors.

In 1997, after much prayer, J.D. and his sister-in-law, Dr Victoria Nathan, envisioned giving medical care to the ppor and marginalized in the community.  Hence, “Gethsemane Medical Care” was officially birthed in 2001 to offer free medical care to the poor and marginalized all over Malaysia. And now, “Gethsamane Medical International” is carried to other countries, fulfilling the prophecy.

 

 

Once, J.D. also had a vision, in a dream, of 18 windows occupied by an angel in each window. He interpreted this vision, as God giving him 18 ministries to establish. Now, as a pastor at the International Ambassadors Church, J.D. had ministries in English, Tamil, Chinese, Sabahan-Malay, African, Burmese and Nepalese. Again, he is fulfilling the prophecy by carrying the gospel beyond Malaysians to foreigners and immigrants.

 

 

When asked how he funded his ministries, J.D. contributed the earnings of his business to the ministries. When J.D. accepted Christ, he began an immediate work to clean up his business. Some staffs were removed and unholy practices were stopped. Because of him cutting the fanfare of music and wine that comes with getting a business, J.D.’s business took a dip to a “small account”. But God was faithful and sustained J.D. by only bringing him customers who have integrity and ethics. J.D. also instilled God’s values in the company by regularly having prayer meetings with his staffs.

 

A Joyous Heart in Serving the Lord

J.D. is a joyous man, whose tagline was “What a move, what a joy!” Like a little child enthralled by the wonders of his Heavenly Father, J.D. is willing to be transformed into Christ’s likeness and used by God.

 

 

“Like a surgery to cut off the bad parts from me, I am willing to let God mold me into the person He wants me to be,” said J.D.

 

What an encouraging story!

Indeed, a wise man is a humble man.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)

One of the few things I learned from this story is Sugir’s faithful prayer for her husband. Note that the prophecy took 17 years to be fulfilled. That means 17 years of prayer! Some of us have family members who have not known the Lord. And after years and years of praying, we start to wonder if God heard our prayers at all. This story shows that God hears our prayer and His timing is perfect.

 

 

I also remember that Sugir mentioned that no age is too late to come to Christ. J.D. was 39 years old when he accepted Christ. In fact, an 80-year-old man can accept Christ and be used mightily for God’s kingdom. I used to “plan” to become a “devoted” Christian only when I turn 50 years old. During my college days, I thought becoming a Christian is far too limiting for me. I desire to see and experience the world! But now looking back (without a long wise beard to stroke), I am thankful knowing Christ. When you are chasing after the world, you wait for the external world to fill you in. But when you follow Christ, He fills you in from within. You no longer need the world to feel satisfied.

Thirdly, as young working adults, I am often perplexed with achieving at work and honoring God at the same time, especially when cutting corners illegitimately is acceptable to achieve a goal. J.D. mentioned that without God, his business was impossible to sustain. He is the living testimony that ethical business is possible and God will open a way for you if you are willing.

 

 

Fourthly, J.D. exudes immense joy and satisfaction in serving God. He is like the person in Jeremiah 17:8:

He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17:8)

I thought that following God meant giving up things that I love. That is true, but more precisely put is giving up things that I love but unbeneficial to me. Like J.D. who quit his bad habits naturally, I also quit mine naturally as well. No longer I desire for those habits to satisfy my longings, because God has already filled my cup.

 

 

Lastly, for a prophecy to work, note that you are the person taking “the steps” to walk in God’s prophesy. That is the beautiful thing about God’s plan, you and God work together to fulfill a plan He has in mind. J.D. would not have fulfilled the prophecy if he did not take the step to accept Christ and follow Him.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

Of course, we must also remember that God is sovereign and His plan will unfold whether one partakes or not.

So, based on two truths, if God is sovereign and good, are you willing to follow Him?

 

 

 

Note: Pastor J.D. is also the leader of the Taman Desa Full Gospel Businessmen (FGB) Fellowship. He and his wife, Pastor Sugirtha, are pastors of a fast growing and vibrant church called The Ambassadors International Churchlocated in Petaling Jaya. They have a son, Andrew (25 years old) and a daughter, Deborah (20 years old).

For more information for Taman Desa FGB Fellowship, please go tohttp://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/recharged-taman-desa-full-gospel-businessman-fellowship/

For more information for The Ambassadors International Church located in Petaling Jaya, please go to http://www.thegospelgroove.org/about-us/our-pastors/jayarajan-durairaju-(jd)-and-sugir-jd.html

For more information for the Gethsemane Medical International, please go to http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/gmi-reaching-marginalized-poor-sick/