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I grew up in a home where my mother was interested in spiritual things because of her
special relationship with Jesus Christ. My father was not interested in spiritual things, but he
claimed to be a Christian. I was raised in a church committed to truth that taught me the Bible from my earliest days. As I learned the truths from the Bible at church and from my mom, I discovered as a child around ten years of age that I had a problem. I loved sin, and was very skilled at breaking all of God’s rules. So I started to become aware of my problem. I loved sin. But I was hearing the truth about a perfect and holy (sinless) God who hates all sin, wherever He finds it, and must punish each and every sin. Sin is the wrong things we think say or do and our failure to fully do other things our Creator commands us to do. So I began to develop a fear of Hell (an everlasting place of fire and torture for sinners) and of receiving justice for my wrong actions at an early age.
But I had some other problems. My stubborn will was not ready to give up (surrender) the sin I
loved with all my heart. I just did not want to pay for all my wrong actions, bad thoughts, and bad words. I started longing for a way to get away with my sin—not to stop it, but to just not have to pay for it forever in the lake burning with fire. The Bible teaches that sin is punished in this terrible place. After I graduated from high school, I was working full-time in the construction field. My company was planning on sending me to the Virgin Islands to build some houses for about two years. If I had been able to go, I would have dropped deeper into the sins that so controlled me at that time. I believe now that I might have died there. But the bookkeeper embezzled a lot of money from the company. I went four weeks with no pay but still worked to try to keep the company alive.
In desperation, I went to a Navy recruiter and tried to get into the Seabee Reserves (Construction workers for the U.S. Navy and Marines). He told me he could not help me. But then two weeks later he called and said, “We have two available positions. Take one in two days or lose it.” So in October of 1979, I was on my way to Great Lakes, Illinois for Navy boot camp (beginning training for Military life). They took my clothes, my friends, my hair, and my access to all the sins I loved. All my God substitutes and false gods were gone. I was very desperate for help with no place to go but to God. I realized I could not run from God anymore. The idols (false gods) and addictions I had depended on were far away; and if I was going to make it at boot camp, I would have to have God’s help. I knew the truth, I knew the “good news” the great book God had the prophets write for us, the Bible calls the “gospel,” and I did not need to hear it again. I had been taught it at home, in Sunday School, church services, Christian camp, on the radio, and in church programs for young people repeatedly for almost 18 years. I knew what Jesus required and I realized that finally obeying the truth was my only hope. So on the first day of boot camp, October 17, 1979, I cried out to God in prayer. I don’t remember the exact words, but it was something like this, “God, You and I both know how I have prayed asking for forgiveness of sin over and over again, but was unwilling to obey You. We both know that I am not a real Christian (believer and follower of Jesus the Messiah). Deep down, I know that I am distant from you, trapped in bad behaviors and my life is a big mess.” Well, I continued on in my prayer, “Lord Jesus, I surrender everything. The sin I love, I will let it go. The demand to still be my own boss,
I no longer make. I am done playing games. I will come to you on your terms of faith (deep trust in Jesus alone) and repentance (turning from sin and selfishness to God, a U turn).”
I remember where Jesus found me—sin-sick and a total mess. He took me and changed
me. He gave me a new heart, new desires, new likes and dislikes, and a new mental understanding of everything in the world. He gave me a deep love for God, for the Bible, and for His people found in local churches. From that day forward, I was different. I had a life changing experience that changed me forever. No one can earn heaven or new life. You must receive it as a free gift from God.
Through a group of Christians, a church family that taught the Bible correctly, God started bringing key people into my life and leading me to get teaching and training several times every week. It was during this time that I was baptized by immersion as a public testimony that God had set me free from the power and coming punishment of sin. And then God gave me two Christian roommates. Soon after in a Bible study class at church, I met the lady who is now my wife.
Since October of 1979, when I embraced King Jesus as the Boss of my life and my Deliverer from sin and Hell, there have been some difficult experiences and sad times. But God has helped me through each one. Today I trust Him more than I did years ago because my fear of hell is gone, my guilt is gone and I know that I am going to heaven one day because of what Jesus did for me. He lived a perfect life in my place. He died on a painful wooden cross in my place (the paycheck for sin is death). He rose the third day from the dead and from His stone tomb. He is now in heaven on the throne as King. He has always been God and 2000 years ago He also became Man to purchase those who would believe in Him and repent over their sins. He has promised me in the Bible that he will never leave me or abandon me. He cannot lie. Have you ever had a life changing experience like this?
special relationship with Jesus Christ. My father was not interested in spiritual things, but he
claimed to be a Christian. I was raised in a church committed to truth that taught me the Bible from my earliest days. As I learned the truths from the Bible at church and from my mom, I discovered as a child around ten years of age that I had a problem. I loved sin, and was very skilled at breaking all of God’s rules. So I started to become aware of my problem. I loved sin. But I was hearing the truth about a perfect and holy (sinless) God who hates all sin, wherever He finds it, and must punish each and every sin. Sin is the wrong things we think say or do and our failure to fully do other things our Creator commands us to do. So I began to develop a fear of Hell (an everlasting place of fire and torture for sinners) and of receiving justice for my wrong actions at an early age.
But I had some other problems. My stubborn will was not ready to give up (surrender) the sin I
loved with all my heart. I just did not want to pay for all my wrong actions, bad thoughts, and bad words. I started longing for a way to get away with my sin—not to stop it, but to just not have to pay for it forever in the lake burning with fire. The Bible teaches that sin is punished in this terrible place. After I graduated from high school, I was working full-time in the construction field. My company was planning on sending me to the Virgin Islands to build some houses for about two years. If I had been able to go, I would have dropped deeper into the sins that so controlled me at that time. I believe now that I might have died there. But the bookkeeper embezzled a lot of money from the company. I went four weeks with no pay but still worked to try to keep the company alive.
In desperation, I went to a Navy recruiter and tried to get into the Seabee Reserves (Construction workers for the U.S. Navy and Marines). He told me he could not help me. But then two weeks later he called and said, “We have two available positions. Take one in two days or lose it.” So in October of 1979, I was on my way to Great Lakes, Illinois for Navy boot camp (beginning training for Military life). They took my clothes, my friends, my hair, and my access to all the sins I loved. All my God substitutes and false gods were gone. I was very desperate for help with no place to go but to God. I realized I could not run from God anymore. The idols (false gods) and addictions I had depended on were far away; and if I was going to make it at boot camp, I would have to have God’s help. I knew the truth, I knew the “good news” the great book God had the prophets write for us, the Bible calls the “gospel,” and I did not need to hear it again. I had been taught it at home, in Sunday School, church services, Christian camp, on the radio, and in church programs for young people repeatedly for almost 18 years. I knew what Jesus required and I realized that finally obeying the truth was my only hope. So on the first day of boot camp, October 17, 1979, I cried out to God in prayer. I don’t remember the exact words, but it was something like this, “God, You and I both know how I have prayed asking for forgiveness of sin over and over again, but was unwilling to obey You. We both know that I am not a real Christian (believer and follower of Jesus the Messiah). Deep down, I know that I am distant from you, trapped in bad behaviors and my life is a big mess.” Well, I continued on in my prayer, “Lord Jesus, I surrender everything. The sin I love, I will let it go. The demand to still be my own boss,
I no longer make. I am done playing games. I will come to you on your terms of faith (deep trust in Jesus alone) and repentance (turning from sin and selfishness to God, a U turn).”
I remember where Jesus found me—sin-sick and a total mess. He took me and changed
me. He gave me a new heart, new desires, new likes and dislikes, and a new mental understanding of everything in the world. He gave me a deep love for God, for the Bible, and for His people found in local churches. From that day forward, I was different. I had a life changing experience that changed me forever. No one can earn heaven or new life. You must receive it as a free gift from God.
Through a group of Christians, a church family that taught the Bible correctly, God started bringing key people into my life and leading me to get teaching and training several times every week. It was during this time that I was baptized by immersion as a public testimony that God had set me free from the power and coming punishment of sin. And then God gave me two Christian roommates. Soon after in a Bible study class at church, I met the lady who is now my wife.
Since October of 1979, when I embraced King Jesus as the Boss of my life and my Deliverer from sin and Hell, there have been some difficult experiences and sad times. But God has helped me through each one. Today I trust Him more than I did years ago because my fear of hell is gone, my guilt is gone and I know that I am going to heaven one day because of what Jesus did for me. He lived a perfect life in my place. He died on a painful wooden cross in my place (the paycheck for sin is death). He rose the third day from the dead and from His stone tomb. He is now in heaven on the throne as King. He has always been God and 2000 years ago He also became Man to purchase those who would believe in Him and repent over their sins. He has promised me in the Bible that he will never leave me or abandon me. He cannot lie. Have you ever had a life changing experience like this?
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