Testimony
I can't include every detail about my expreriences with Jesus to describe to you the impact he can have on your life. So, I've selected a topic in my testimony that lends itself to our modern day dilemma of alcoholism with legal and illegal substance abuse. Those things impact our daily living to our destruction. But with Jesus, there is hope. So, please read below.
To find Jesus is to change your everything. To not find Jesus is to lose the opportunity of a lifetime.
The Bible says in Isaiah 55:6-7,
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
I went to St. Edward’s Elementary School in Mackville, WI. I completed Jr. High and High School in Freedom WI. And then started college at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee to finish the equivalent of an Art Minor and then transferred to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana to get a bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education. I have interests in art, photography, music, physical activity but in many ways though had lived a very ungodly life into adulthood even though I thought I was a Christian. My greatest interest though did not originate with me but led by the Holy Spirit, began with Jesus Christ, the Messiah and this interest, is now actually an incredible relationship I have.
I was unconfirmed in the Catholic Church. But after receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord as an adult by the grace of God through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10), I was not the same anymore. It’s because something important happened. Though thinking I was a Christian before 2018, it was not until 2018 that I understood God’s grace and became truly regenerate as a born-again believer. I used to be one way, but I was not that way anymore. Spiritually, I used to be captured and dominated by sin and the devil, but that became untrue of me. I passed from one spiritual state of being to another altogether. I had passed from the sinful spiritual state to a new and better spiritual state. It came about like I was the blind man being healed by Jesus at Bethsaida, but it wasn't physical healing I received but spiritual.
Mark 8:22-26 reads about the blind man:
They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
He looked up and said, "I see people, they look like trees walking around."
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, don't even go into the village.
But with my need being spiritual, like the blind man's physical healing came in two parts, I came to faith in two parts. As a child, I found out God is a merciful LORD (one to obey), but it wasn't until as an adult, I came to know him as gracious through the Savior Jesus. To understand God's grace (unmerited favor) toward sinners, you need to know Jesus's death on the cross is the only means for forgiveness of sin. I didn't know this. I had been raised to think I needed to too earn my way to heaven by doing good works, also known as good deeds, in addition to believing Jesus died for my sins. I now know Christians do good work or good deeds because we are saved by the grace of God (which is not earned by any man or woman according to scripture) through faith in Jesus, who atoned for sin through shedding his blood on the cross.
Too, after receiving Jesus by faith while living, I died (Galatians 2:20-21). It’s like there was an old me that used to live, but that didn’t live anymore. When I received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the old me was crucified with Him on the cross. I didn’t die bodily on the cross, of course; but spiritually I died with Christ. The old sinful spiritual state of being was crucified with Christ, and it no longer characterizes who I am and what I am about. Spiritually, I became someone completely different. Spiritually, I became indwelt by the Spirit of Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit Himself (Romans 8:9).
I could not possibly do this on my own; I could not possibly overcome sin and the devil. They were simply too powerful for me. After receiving Jesus in 2018, I could do it because Christ lives in me. The Spirit of Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, empowers and enables me to overcome. Once I was weak, but now I am “strong in the Lord and the strength of his might.” And I am “able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11). No longer am I the pathetic creature that was dominated by passions and desires inspired by the devil.
While living the “abundant life” in Christ, Christ lives in me – and I will never be a lost soul again. What joy! I hope you share this same joy already or receive Jesus as Savior and Lord and learn what is in the Bible to live it out.
All of mankind has sinned and falls short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) but can be forgiven of their trespasses and sins as a free gift of God (Romans 6:23) to receive eternal life free from sin, death, sorrow and pain (Revelation 21:4). As Jesus rose from the dead (Romans 10:9-10) so can you! All of mankind stands guilty of sin before a holy God who is perfectly divine in nature and eternal power. If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus but want to be resurrected you must (1) recognize you are a sinner who needs a saving relationship with Jesus Christ (2) agree with God by confessing sins to Him (3) repent of your unbelief (turn from the sin of unbelief to faith in Jesus) (4) ask Jesus to save you by God’s grace (5) turn over the rule of your life to Him, letting Jesus be your Lord. Anyone who does not receive Jesus by faith is destined to burn in hell because God is just and unforgiven sin is punishable by eternal fire (Is. 66:24).
People without a relationship with Jesus don’t have to have it all together to receive Jesus. He came for sinners, just like he came for me while I was under the curse of sin and death. Once anyone receives Him by calling out to Him in faith in repentance, they are permanently in God the Father’s grip (John 10:28-30). Believers in Jesus should be baptized. Afterward, on a go-forward basis, anyone can confess sins to Jesus, and He will forgive them their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness in that permanent relationship they have with Him (1 John 1:9-2:2). If you receive Jesus, why don’t you tell another person of the Christian faith so they can help you in your journey of faith in Him?
Though experiencing adversity in life, I live a very good life. I hope to see you in heaven. Only because of Jesus, I’ll be there! Thank the Lord! God bless your life in Jesus!
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3)
James Gerarden