Royal Australian Engineers

Captain A G Heffron RAE.


Australian Army Photographs


Royal Australian Engineers, Qld.
1981 to 1985

Royal Australian Engineers

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Here is my testimony on "not" knowing God at 42 years of age in Qld:


Testimony of AGH

On not knowing God:

How can one reach 41 years of age and not know God in a personal way? 


How could it be in all that time of:

Methodist chapel at age 5 to 13 years of age,


C of E parish church at age 16 to 22 years of age,


C of E parish church youth group at age 16 to 19 years of age,


. . . that in all that coming and going of churchianity, that not one person witnessed,
or perhaps that not one person in those places actually even knew the Christ, the Son of the Living God?

How can one attend C of E confirmation classes and not be brought to know Jesus, the Christ?

What then is the point of confirmation classes by church clerics that "know not" God?

Where, then and now are the preachers?  For the Bible (KJV) says:

Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?

and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Romans 10:15
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written:

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!




Testimony of AGH

In church back row:

In 1981, in Brisbane, Queensland.  "God alone knew why".

With our son to look after, my wife Barbara was at the school tuck shop, doing what Mum’s need to do at school tuck shops. There Barbara met a quiet saintly lady by the name of Beth, the two were working together one day when Barbara was invited by Beth to a ‘Know your Bible group’ at the nearby Anglican church, St. Barnabas, a high, but not too high, Anglican church.

Eventually, I was attending church on a Sunday, sitting right at the back row, in the corner, as far as possible from the front. I remember at about the same time, saying to army colleagues at RHQ, "God gave me these arms to get as much of this world as is possible". Why I said that and the reason, I do not know, for to the best of my knowledge, I certainly did not know God then, in any shape or form.

In men’s fellowship:

In 1982, I was invited to a men’s dinner meeting at the Anglican church, it was held once a month, a no big deal, get together have a beer and a meal and that sounded OK. I remember questioning one of the chaps at the dinner on my first occasion of attendance, about the beer, as I thought in my naivety about God, that Church goers or Christians did not drink, but whatever.

I soon became a regular attendant at the monthly meetings as the folk were on the whole fairly friendly types and as I had been ‘confirmed C of E’ as a young person, that I guess I could consider myself an Anglican, and I still do.

Invite to minister at men’s dinner:

One night, Peter the secretary for the men’s fellowship, asked if I would conduct the service for the following month of March, this meant choosing a favourite hymn and favourite bible verse. I immediately said to him "Sorry I do not have the faith, to do such a thing".  Peter replied "Neither do I, but someone has to do it"
.
So I very quickly got out of that embarrassing task.



Testimony of AGH

Calling on God at Mt. Mee:

I had in the mean time bought a piece of land on top of a mountain called Mt. Mee. This was about an hour to the North of Brisbane, a bit more tropical and rather high up overlooking the Glass House mountains near to Caboolture.

On our many visits there, we did our normal thing, bush walking, and we had found a great open rock nearby in the forest. The rock was on an over hanging ledge or cliff, that offered a great view down into the valley. Queensland of course is noted in the travel brochure as being "beautiful one day, perfect the next"!

What they do not tell you is that at Mt. Mee and similar places outside of the city, are deadly poisonous snakes (taipans and similar) and millions of ticks that get in your skin and can poison a person and kill a 7 year old child without a bother. On one occasion, Barbara took about 40 ticks off neck of our collie dog as we travelled home one night. Not all is perfect in Queensland.

But, standing on the rock one day, with Barbara and our son David, at about mid-day, I had the sensation that "all around me lit up", the whole country side suddenly had became quite spectacular. In front of Barbara and David, I suddenly said, "For this to be as beautiful as this, God must exist".

Then without an hesitation I 'shouted' up at the heavens "God, if you are there, show yourself to me"!


When one calls on God like that, God really answers.



Testimony of AGH

The Call of God:

What happened next, is a bit of a mystery. But I remember only one speaker ever at these men’s fellowship meetings, the man’s name was Paul, a visitor from out of state.   Paul came to the dinner with a friend of his, also from out of state. I guess I did not hear the first speaker, Paul’s friend, but I must have heard something about the words of the second speaker, Paul.  He spoke about a number of issues that must have included typical men’s issues and about "knowing Jesus Christ".

Then Paul asked a number of questions of the attending men, who were asked to respond by putting up their hands, in response to the questions, and in silence.

I cannot remember all of the other questions, but Paul asked ‘who of us would like to know more about Jesus Christ’, to which I responded with a quick hand in the air.

Knowing God:

Very shortly afterwards I spoke at length with one of the men, from the men’s fellowship, John, who explained from the scripture, perhaps more accurately than I understood at that stage, t
hat:

Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that
He was buried, and that
He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.


Then, some how, with out my real and knowledgeable understanding, I became alive in Christ, or Christ Jesus came into my life. Jesus the Christ had called me to Him, the lost sheep of the fold was now found. What a turn around for the system, I was immediately preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified, to all that I came across.

Suddenly I was saved, I was a believer, I was a Christian, I had received God’s gift of 'Eternal Life', and I knew it.


God had called me to Himself, through the Christ, the Son of the Living God.



Testimony of AGH

Request to minister at the men’s dinner:

I immediately called Peter, the secretary for the men’s fellowship and asked if I could minister at the next fellowship dinner. Peter said yes immediately, very few men volunteered like that.

At the dinner I chose ‘Amazing Grace’ has my salvation hymn,

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.


’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.


Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.


When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.


Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.


The hymnal did not have this fifth verse. I had the men sing the first verse again at the end.
Such was my joy that God in Christ had seen fit to "save a wretch like me"!

And as my salvation scripture verse, I chose:

Philippians Chapter 3:14 -

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (KJV).

What a wonderful thing, to go from not believing to believing. What a wonderful thing for the men in that simple Christian fellowship group, that laboured patiently with folk like myself, to bring us to a saving knowledge of the Christ.

However, all is not joy.

That night at the men’s fellowship as I gave out my simple but wonderful testimony, my salvation hymn and my salvation scripture verse, across the table sitting and scowling with the blackest of looks, sat Satan, or at least one of "his workers".

The ‘cleric’ at St. Barnabas, had a deacon who also wore a back to front collar.   Well this deacon, was at the dinner and he gave me the 'darkest and blackest look' I ever have seen.  I suddenly knew the Christ, and across the table from me, hearing my testimony was a paid church worker, a church minister, that did not know the Christ!



Testimony of AGH

Later with my army colleagues:

Some short time later, my talk with army colleagues at RHQ, was continually of God and Christ and Salvation,

the same army mates to whom I said "God gave me these arms to get as much of this world as is possible".

One of them, in front of all, said "Where and when where you converted"?

What a statement of confirmation of my new life in the Christ, the Son of the Living God.


A.G.Heffron
Captain, Royal Australian Engineers (retired)
9 Hiscock Court, Benalla, Victoria, Australia.


(Not perfect, a sinner saved by grace, but safe with God, in the Christ Jesus).



The Gospel of Jesus Christ:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that which the Apostle Paul states in
1st Corinthians Chapter 15, Verses 3 & 4:

That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
and that He was buried,
and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

To find God's very simple answer for you just click here to seek information on God in truth.



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Royal Australian Engineers

Captain A G Heffron RAE.


Australian Army Photographs


Royal Australian Engineers, Qld.
1981 to 1985

Royal Australian Engineers