Growing up my brother, Ryan, and I visited my dad who was remarried and had become a Christian. I remember many times him sitting down with us, Bible in hand, explaining the “basics” of the gospel and taking us to church on the Sundays he had us. I began going to church with my grandma at her Baptist church until my teen years. My dad had given my brother and me King James Version Bibles one Christmas. I knew that I needed to read the Bible and always tried to start in Genesis but it was hard with all the “thee”s and “thous” so I never read very much. I always felt guilt for not reading though. Romans 1:19-21 says, “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because , although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God. Nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” I held fast to my sin. My junior year a friendly youth pastor from a Christian church reached my brother when doing ministry at our High School. My brother was very influential and got my mom, step-dad, little brother, many friends from school, and me to go when the church put on a play, “Heavens Gates, Hell’s Flames.” It was very touching to many people. Shortly after we saw it my older brother, little brother, and I got baptized. Still, I did not read my Bible or continue going to church. I went on to college and continued living more and more in sin. At age 21, my eyes were opened. Sometime before then my older brother left his old lifestyle and devoted his life to Christ. I had never seen a change in someone more dramatic. He desperately wanted us to know God. I guess I perceived him to be “stiff” but I understand now that God had given him a new heart and a sensitivity to sin that gave him little tolerance to the sin around him. One day he was bold and gave me a New International Version Bible and some of Billy Graham’s “Decision” magazines. I thought it was nice of him but just took them home and left them sitting around. Finally, one day out of boredom I opened up one of the evangelism magazines and began to read. Something struck me and curiously I opened up the Bible to see what it had to say. This was the time I began to hear Jesus’ voice as it says in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me.” This Bible didn’t have the “thee”s and “thous” and it was a study Bible that explained more about what it said and I could actually understand it. I also was reading in the New Testament which I found very applicable to my every day life although I now learn a lot from the Old Testament as well. I knew I was a sinner and felt strong conviction for the way I was living. John 16:8, to describe what the Holy Spirit was doing says, ”And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment of sin.” I strongly desired forgiveness and was overjoyed that God would actually forgive all my sins. Romans 4:7-8 says, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” I developed a strong hunger and thirst for God’s word and had a strong desire to be obedient even if I failed at times like it says in 1Peter 2:2, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” I went out & rented, The Greatest Story Ever Told which gave me a visual about Jesus’ time here on earth, began reading the Bible regularly, and going to church. I have found little by little God has been working in my life to conform me to the image of His Son as it says in Romans 8:29, “For who H e foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Something that was so incredibly freeing is that I was able to let go of old hurts, things I had held against people for years. It was so humbling when I realized how much I had been forgiven. Who was I not to forgive others? Luke 6:37 says, ”Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you-good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” It was not until my husband and I came to Tulsa Bible Church that God began doing an awesome work in our marriage through some very precious people. I’m excited about what God is doing in our lives and what He has in store for the future! I know I can be sure of my salvation because John 10:28-30 says, “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” My walk with God began with a new heart toward sin- what God promises to those who will believe in His Son, that He died on the cross to save us from sin. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” I think it’s so important to plant the word in someone’s life with words, a tract, a Bible and pray for God to prepare their hearts. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” Christ spoke in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.”
Hallelujah – Psalm 116
7 years ago
