My Own Story, And Advice For You

I was almost tempted to call this post How To Save The World And Yourself. For this is what most of us want, isn’t it? We want the world to be a better place. We want there to be peace all over the earth. We want to be happy, carefree and safe.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), the world will not be ’safe’ until Christ Jesus returns and removes the wicked one and those who follow him. That’s how the world some time from now will be saved, but what about you? Can you be saved/freed from the atrocities of this turbulent world today, right now?

My Story

I grew up in a Christian household, with a mother who was especially passionate for the LORD (she credits Him with literally saving her life many, many times). We had always gone to church (although I hated getting up in the morning for it) and I generally had a good attitude towards GOD and “all that stuff.” I had no cares as a kid, even though before I became a teenager my parents divorced and my family (minus my father) migrated to a new state, a new school, etc. In general, I had adjusted OK and everything was fine.

Then one night, when I was about 12 years old, I lied down in bed after turning in for the night. I think I might have said a brief prayer (one from the Holy Bible) and then relaxed to get some sleep. As soon as I did this, though, I experienced an overwhelming discomfort — like I was drowning or being smothered. There was a great pressure on my chest. I sat up, wondering what this strange, uncomfortable sensation was. It was nothing I had felt before and couldn’t figure it out, so I just lied back down and closed my eyes. The sensation grew and I sat back up. I wasn’t frightened or anything, just really curious about this uncomfortable sensation. Then I heard it.

I heard that ’still, small voice.’ It said, “You have to choose.” There was no question as to whom this voice belonged and what HE was telling me I had to do. In the same instant I said inside, “It’s you LORD. I accept YOU.” I leaned back, closed my eyes and said a real prayer (one from the heart and not ’scripted’) to my Savior. I don’t remember what happened after that, as I’m pretty sure I had one of the most restful nights ever. The next day, I told my mother I wanted to get baptized, and a few months later it was done.

After that, I never sinned again and am to this day one of the most perfect Christians you’ll ever find.

That’s a joke, of course.

I wish I could say it was all roses after I committed my life to the LORD and that I was an exemplary servant, but I wasn’t. I can’t remember all I did wrong, but I was a kid, so imagine some of the things teenagers may do or say or how they may behave — I didn’t do them all! But I was still counted with the unrighteous (yes, even after I was baptized).

It was in college that everything went off track. I got comfortable and didn’t question the moral actions or attitudes of those I met. I soon started to share those attitudes, which eventually led me down the path of sexual immorality. I started drinking beer, smoking cigarettes, cursing like a sailor. I still had my Bible, though, and I still said a prayer once in a while, but I did not know GOD. It wasn’t until almost 10 years after starting college, that the LORD finally shook me up and spoke to me again. I ignored HIM the first time, literally shrugging off HIS words.

But then I had a moment of distress and I was feeling awfully bad. I had no one to talk to but GOD, and no one who would not only listen, but who would also know EXACTLY how I was feeling and what was bothering me. Long story short, I stopped being stubborn and accepted HIS will. I acknowledged that I had been living a wretched life and that no matter how much I thought I loved Jesus Christ, if I didn’t start lining up with HIS will, then I was forever going to be counted with the sinners. I soon started praying differently, reading my Bible more (every day now) and started attending church again (one full of praise and love for the LORD). In short, I started walking the walk and no longer just talked the talked — oh yeah, while I was living like the heathen, I had the audacity to still claim that I was a Christian.

My Advice For You

Thanks to the persistence of GOD and HIS Holy Spirit, who opened up my eyes and my heart, I learned that it’s not enough to love the LORD. And believe me, many sinners do love GOD with all their heart. But some of us make concessions and excuses for the world and let ourselves get polluted with temptations. You can’t do that. If you love the LORD, follow HIS statutes. If you love the LORD, lay your will before HIS. As it is written, in all your ways acknowledge HIM and HE will direct your path (Proverbs 3:5-7). But that’s not going to happen if your remain stubborn and continue to believe you can lead yourself in everything.

You can’t do whatever you want, go to church and pray and expect that everything is all right. You can’t have sex out of marriage, drink or do drugs or party like the heathen do and think that just because ‘GOD knows your heart’ HE’ll let it all slide. But GOD does know your heart, and judges it as being divided partly with HIM and partly with the world. A Christian cannot have it both ways (Matthew 6:24). It’s the LORD or the world. It’s Christ Jesus or it’s Satan. If you’re not of the LORD, then you are of the Devil (1 John 3:4-9). There is no gray area, no middle road when it comes to salvation. With salvation it is black and white. There is only the narrow road or the wide road (Matthew 7:13-20).

According to the LORD, the wide road leads to destruction, as many Christians will attest to. Before I truly came back to the LORD, I was frustrated all the time, had a short temper and found myself unhappy a lot. As cheesy as it sounds, I now have a peace I have never known before. I kid you not. I have not been made perfect, but I tell you this, the Holy Spirit is working in me and I have a new heart, a new mind and a new love for the LORD. I truly feel free. As King David wrote in Psalms 40:2-4, “He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God;”

I am not saying everything will become perfect when you get right with GOD, but you won’t care about the supposed ‘imperfect’ things in your life or environment, because the world won’t be your focus anymore. The things of the Kingdom of GOD will be what you care about and the LORD our GOD will be the only one you ultimately care about pleasing.

This is good news so I have to let you know about it. I have to let you know what peace the LORD wants to give you. I have to let you know that you do not need to love this world, but to love the One who makes all things new. I am not selling you anything or trying to persuade you to do or believe anything. I am simply telling you the truth. I love you and must share this with you because I don’t want you to be lost.

I know you have so much company on the wide road and that it seems like so much fun. But when you’re alone and you look in the mirror, don’t you feel wretched? Don’t you feel a pain that can’t even be articulated to the ones closest to you? GOD wants to heal you, to make you whole. To trade your pain for an everlasting peace. As Jesus the Christ says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

You have to put your ego aside. You have to stop lying about and denying the Truth. You know someone gave you a heart to pump blood throughout your body. You know someone gave you lungs so that the breath of life could be in you. You know someone put the sun there to rise and set when it does, and the moon there to rise and set when it does. You know it is no accident. You know that nothing so perfect and harmonious as what we call nature and the human body came from ‘primordial ooze.’ You know someone designed and created it all, you know someone designed and created you, too.

I would like to introduce you to the CREATOR. HIS name is GOD ALMIGHTY, and HE once introduced himself to a group that did not know HIM as: I AM WHO I AM.

Let me tell you who HE IS. GOD is a GOD of: peace, love, justice, wisdom and compassion. HE is also a jealous GOD, refusing to share HIS glory with anyone but the Son Jesus Christ. GOD hates sin, but loves the sinner. In all things GOD is perfect.

We can learn about some things the LORD hates in Psalms 5:4-6 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. 5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. 6 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

You can learn of a few more in Proverbs 6:12-19, Mark 7:1-23, Romans 1:18-32…

What GOD Wants To Do For You

GOD wants you to be saved and finds no pleasure in your suffering.

John 3:16 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.

Ezekiel 18:22-24 23, 33:10-11 “Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live? … ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

GOD is pleading with you to choose HIM, to choose salvation and everlasting life, which is found in HIS Son Christ Jesus. GOD sent HIS Son Jesus Christ to try and turn mankind from his sinful, ignorant and dark ways. Knowing He would be rejected and killed, GOD suffered it to be so, so that Jesus Christ could be the ultimate sin offering, the ultimate and final sacrifice for man’s sin. Jesus Christ is the lamb without blemish, and by his blood we are saved.

To accept HIS gift of salvation, you must believe that HE IS, and died for you, came back to life and ascended to heaven and will one day return to earth. You must believe that HE IS the Son of GOD and that HE can make you whole. You must confess your sins and repent of them. You must ask Christ Jesus to change you and instruct you on how to walk the narrow road.

You must go before HIM regularly in prayer. You must read the Holy Bible, the Holy Word of GOD, which teaches you about our LORD, HIS plan for us, about HIS ways and how those who follow HIM must behave.

But most importantly, you must believe. Your confession of sins are worthless if you don’t actually believe Christ Jesus can blot them out and help you start anew (Romans 10:1-13). You must not only confess Christ Jesus with your mouth, but you must also believe in your heart. Lip service, empty words — the LORD has no pleasure in them, and knows the heart of every man (Matthew 7:1-22, Romans 8:26-8). If you are struggling with unbelief, HE will help you believe, but you must want to believe.

If you really believe and want to be changed, the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY will work in your life. But you cannot be slack and expect GOD will do everything — the Holy Spirit won’t force you to behave as you should and to abstain from sin. HE will remind you to refrain from sin and convict you of sin (John 16:5-15). The Holy Spirit of GOD will lead you and guide you in everything for HE does the FATHER’s will, but HE cannot dwell with a contrary spirit. If you confess with your mouth, but are still behaving like an unrepentant sinner, the more likely it is that you are driving away the Holy Spirit. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, …do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

So if you want to be saved, right now, at this very moment, fall on your knees (does not have to be literal, but humble yourself) and admit that you are wretched and totally unworthy, but call on Jesus Christ to show you the way to becoming worthy. Ask GOD to forgive you of your sins and don’t be ashamed to name them one by one. Repent of your sins and cast them aside and ask GOD to blot them out. Speak to HIM with sincerity. If you can’t find the words, then just do whatever comes naturally, for HE even understands our groanings (Romans 8:25-27).

Please don’t wait any longer. Don’t keep making excuses. This is a matter of life and death. Choose life.

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