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I'll [b]gladly[/b] give my testimony.
The Day That Changed My Life Forever
This is my personal testimony of how I found God. One can either dismiss it, or read on. But for me, this represents the best thing I could ever leave anyone, to show my love. This is my personal, true miracle testimony. I hope you like it.
I used to think the same as some of you here. I thought there was a God, but I couldn't find him. I just didn't know how. I sought him out for so many years. I thought [i]surely[/i] there has be something I must do, in order to earn my way to heaven. So in an effort to find Him, I walked down the aisle to the front of that old church, to give my heart to Jesus...at least three times. Nothing happened. Nothing at all. I felt so sad and empty. I thought, "What am I missing?!! Where ARE you, God?!!" I was angry. I felt so alone, but I kept praying to find this God person. Years went by, and the more years that went by, the lonelier and sadder I got, until one day, I just didn't care anymore, and did something that ended me up in a place where there was no hope for me at all, and death was now eminent.
There was no way out this time, and I knew my life had come to an end. As my life slowly slipped away, I felt ashamed I had let my life get this far, but I hadn't wanted anyone else to know how out of control it had gotten, so I kept my mouth shut. I preferred to die, rather than let them know. In my frame of mind BEFORE I reached this point, I knew no other alternative. I felt I had no place to look for help, and no one to turn to, so here I was now, lying in bed in the dark in my little trailer, when finally it occurred to me that I could look in the one place I had never looked before...and that was UP. I wanted to do better. Somehow, I wanted to fix, and make up for all the mistakes I'd ever made. But how could that even be possible? It was too late now, and I was dying.
Before I closed my eyes for what I thought was the last time, it finally dawned on me, that I wasn't at ALL sure, whether I'd wake up in heaven or hell. Let me tell you...that is a VERY sobering thought, when you look at death square in the face! Sadly, I had not even planned out where I'd spend eternity, yet here I was, about to go into it, totally unprepared. I said this: "God? I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I'm about to die here, and I just now realized I'm not sure if I'll wake up in heaven or hell! I hope you'll forgive me and let me be in heaven with you when I die. I'm not even sure you're listening to me, but if you are, I just want to say that I'm really sorry I messed up this life you gave me, and lived it my own selfish way. I see now it was a gift from you, and I wasted all those years, and I'm so sorry. I wish I could make them up to you. I would if I could. I also want you to know that I love you with all my heart, and if you'll let me live, I'll prove it to you. I'll make up for all those years I wasted apart from you. I'll live for you and I'll tell everyone I know about you, your great love, and how much you love them. Please forgive me for all my sins. Thanks for listening to me. Thank you for forgiving my sins. In Jesus' name, Amen."
I didn't think another thing of it. I just knew I had said my peace, and God knew I meant it from my heart. I wasn't afraid to die anymore. God knew I wasn't playing. He knew I meant business. I then closed my eyes to die.
To my great surprise, I didn't die!! I woke up in the morning, so happy to be alive, I got up, and was jumping around on my bed! I wasn't even sick anymore!! Instead of dying, God had unbelievably heard my prayer!!! I still can't believe it!! He actually heard MY prayer, and let me live! What had woke me up that morning, was the bright sunshine streaming from the window, into my eyes. I still feel overwhelmed by it, to this day! I threw back the tiny curtains and what I saw next, I'll never forget. All the colors outside were like something you'd see in a cartoon or fairytale. So bright, bold, and twice as colorful as I had EVER seen them! I couldn't stop laughing, as the tears rolled down my cheeks. I really was ALIVE!!
Who am "I" that God would be mindful of me?!! Nobody. But he was. Who am I that he would hear ME, allll the way from heaven?!!! Nobody. But he did and I'm here to tell it. He didn't have to do that...but he did. He knew in my heart I meant business. Now, I know I'm not supposed to make a bargain with God, but you know what? I had no earthly idea, God would really hear me, nor save me. I was simply saying my peace. And the truth of the matter is, it wasn't my bargain that saved me at all. It was my faith that he forgave me of my sins, and accepted my whole-hearted commitment to live for him. And I found out that's exactly why I never found him all those years. Our salvation isn't about feelings at all. It's about commitment. God doesn't want half a commitment...half our heart...nor to serve him on OUR terms. No. He wants our WHOLE heart! That's what tells him we truly love him. So the key to salvation is total commitment. Would you want someone to love you half-heartedly? Of course not. That's not love. It's total commitment that counts. There is NO substitute for Jesus in this life.
I've kept my commitment to God ever since that day He heard me on July 21, 1973, and I've never been sorry. My birthday may be on December 17th, but it's not nearly as important as my spiritual birth on July 21, 1973. Thats why they call it being "born again". That's the birthday I celebrate most, when I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior, for if it wasn't for Him, I wouldn't be alive to tell my story today. I am so grateful for that chance. I feel this way...if God could give me his personal best, how could I dare give Him less? So if I seem "fanatical", it's because of my personal encounter with the Living God of this universe. A TRUE miracle, and one anyone can have. I think anyone would feel the same, had they experienced what I did. Unbelievable? Oh, absolutely!! Yet at the same time...so true!! A real miracle! And God is in the miracle business.
Yes, only I can know that. Each has to find Him in their own way, but I can give you a head start if you're interested. It has to do with 100% commitment with all your heart, or not at all. When you love someone, you don't give them only half your heart. All I can say is, He's definitely worth it, and I'll serve Him until He calls me home. Gladly!! Now I shout "He saved me completely, and now I am truly free!!" I wonder how many here, are.
The Day That Changed My Life Forever
This is my personal testimony of how I found God. One can either dismiss it, or read on. But for me, this represents the best thing I could ever leave anyone, to show my love. This is my personal, true miracle testimony. I hope you like it.
I used to think the same as some of you here. I thought there was a God, but I couldn't find him. I just didn't know how. I sought him out for so many years. I thought [i]surely[/i] there has be something I must do, in order to earn my way to heaven. So in an effort to find Him, I walked down the aisle to the front of that old church, to give my heart to Jesus...at least three times. Nothing happened. Nothing at all. I felt so sad and empty. I thought, "What am I missing?!! Where ARE you, God?!!" I was angry. I felt so alone, but I kept praying to find this God person. Years went by, and the more years that went by, the lonelier and sadder I got, until one day, I just didn't care anymore, and did something that ended me up in a place where there was no hope for me at all, and death was now eminent.
There was no way out this time, and I knew my life had come to an end. As my life slowly slipped away, I felt ashamed I had let my life get this far, but I hadn't wanted anyone else to know how out of control it had gotten, so I kept my mouth shut. I preferred to die, rather than let them know. In my frame of mind BEFORE I reached this point, I knew no other alternative. I felt I had no place to look for help, and no one to turn to, so here I was now, lying in bed in the dark in my little trailer, when finally it occurred to me that I could look in the one place I had never looked before...and that was UP. I wanted to do better. Somehow, I wanted to fix, and make up for all the mistakes I'd ever made. But how could that even be possible? It was too late now, and I was dying.
Before I closed my eyes for what I thought was the last time, it finally dawned on me, that I wasn't at ALL sure, whether I'd wake up in heaven or hell. Let me tell you...that is a VERY sobering thought, when you look at death square in the face! Sadly, I had not even planned out where I'd spend eternity, yet here I was, about to go into it, totally unprepared. I said this: "God? I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I'm about to die here, and I just now realized I'm not sure if I'll wake up in heaven or hell! I hope you'll forgive me and let me be in heaven with you when I die. I'm not even sure you're listening to me, but if you are, I just want to say that I'm really sorry I messed up this life you gave me, and lived it my own selfish way. I see now it was a gift from you, and I wasted all those years, and I'm so sorry. I wish I could make them up to you. I would if I could. I also want you to know that I love you with all my heart, and if you'll let me live, I'll prove it to you. I'll make up for all those years I wasted apart from you. I'll live for you and I'll tell everyone I know about you, your great love, and how much you love them. Please forgive me for all my sins. Thanks for listening to me. Thank you for forgiving my sins. In Jesus' name, Amen."
I didn't think another thing of it. I just knew I had said my peace, and God knew I meant it from my heart. I wasn't afraid to die anymore. God knew I wasn't playing. He knew I meant business. I then closed my eyes to die.
To my great surprise, I didn't die!! I woke up in the morning, so happy to be alive, I got up, and was jumping around on my bed! I wasn't even sick anymore!! Instead of dying, God had unbelievably heard my prayer!!! I still can't believe it!! He actually heard MY prayer, and let me live! What had woke me up that morning, was the bright sunshine streaming from the window, into my eyes. I still feel overwhelmed by it, to this day! I threw back the tiny curtains and what I saw next, I'll never forget. All the colors outside were like something you'd see in a cartoon or fairytale. So bright, bold, and twice as colorful as I had EVER seen them! I couldn't stop laughing, as the tears rolled down my cheeks. I really was ALIVE!!
Who am "I" that God would be mindful of me?!! Nobody. But he was. Who am I that he would hear ME, allll the way from heaven?!!! Nobody. But he did and I'm here to tell it. He didn't have to do that...but he did. He knew in my heart I meant business. Now, I know I'm not supposed to make a bargain with God, but you know what? I had no earthly idea, God would really hear me, nor save me. I was simply saying my peace. And the truth of the matter is, it wasn't my bargain that saved me at all. It was my faith that he forgave me of my sins, and accepted my whole-hearted commitment to live for him. And I found out that's exactly why I never found him all those years. Our salvation isn't about feelings at all. It's about commitment. God doesn't want half a commitment...half our heart...nor to serve him on OUR terms. No. He wants our WHOLE heart! That's what tells him we truly love him. So the key to salvation is total commitment. Would you want someone to love you half-heartedly? Of course not. That's not love. It's total commitment that counts. There is NO substitute for Jesus in this life.
I've kept my commitment to God ever since that day He heard me on July 21, 1973, and I've never been sorry. My birthday may be on December 17th, but it's not nearly as important as my spiritual birth on July 21, 1973. Thats why they call it being "born again". That's the birthday I celebrate most, when I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior, for if it wasn't for Him, I wouldn't be alive to tell my story today. I am so grateful for that chance. I feel this way...if God could give me his personal best, how could I dare give Him less? So if I seem "fanatical", it's because of my personal encounter with the Living God of this universe. A TRUE miracle, and one anyone can have. I think anyone would feel the same, had they experienced what I did. Unbelievable? Oh, absolutely!! Yet at the same time...so true!! A real miracle! And God is in the miracle business.
Yes, only I can know that. Each has to find Him in their own way, but I can give you a head start if you're interested. It has to do with 100% commitment with all your heart, or not at all. When you love someone, you don't give them only half your heart. All I can say is, He's definitely worth it, and I'll serve Him until He calls me home. Gladly!! Now I shout "He saved me completely, and now I am truly free!!" I wonder how many here, are.
