Jim Shilton

I am privileged to worship at Wootton Bassett Community Church, at the Civic Centre, Station Road, at 10:00am Sunday mornings. We have wonderful fellowship there with one another, and with Jesus, by the Holy Spirit's guidance from within, to the glory of our Heavenly Father.

Each Tuesday we meet at 8:00pm to talk to our Heavenly Father in prayer except the first Tuesday of each month when we meet for warm fellowship. The Ladies Group meet on Wednesday mornings at 10:00am.

I have a very short verse from God's Word, which is also my testimony. Hebrews 13:8 'Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever'.

YESTERDAY

I have been 21 quite a few times and so I go back to 1948. I had just returned home from nearly 4 years overseas serving in the Armed Forces, when I was invited to a Gospel meeting one Sunday evening. About halfway through the meeting, I found that I was standing up and shouting out "God be merciful to me a sinner!" I wondered what on earth I was doing and saying, but I came out of that meeting a different person than when I went in. I know now that it was the Holy Spirit of God who had entered my life - the Holy Spirit of Jesus. That was 'yesterday'.

TODAY

Many years on, I find myself in this Fellowship in Wootton Bassett. Some years ago, I started to get pains in my left knee that became worse each day. My doctor put me on pain-killing tablets, but I could only walk slowly with a walking stick. The pain became worse and the doctor sent me to the hospital for a X-ray. The hospital gave me 3 X-rays in all. When the results came through, I had to go and see my doctor. He showed me a picture of my knee and said to me, "We can do no more for your knee because of your age. You now have osteoarthritis, which is wear and tear on the bones. Your cartilage is also hardened beyond repair because of your age." Then he added, "I will put you on extreme painkillers and book you in for physiotherapy once a fortnight, which should help you."

Two weeks later I went forward for prayer at one of our Healing Meetings. I can now walk anywhere without any pain, play football with my grandson and go swimming. I have no pain even at night and don't take any painkillers.

The healing touch of Jesus is still the same 'today'.

FOREVER

I am looking forward to 'forever', when Jesus comes again - are you?