My Story
Work in progress...
Even though I went to Church since I was a kid, I "backslid" tremendously when I went to college. Nowadays, I dont even believe there is such a thing as "backsliding". I am becoming more and more convinced that I was actually a false convert my whole life! I dont think a true Christian can "backslide" the way I did. Surely I was one of those "believers" Jesus mentioned in Matthew 7:21-23. Anyway, once I reached college, slowly but surely I grew further and further away from the Lord. Before I knew it He was in none of my thoughts. For years, I completely turned my back on Him. I practiced all sorts of sin-- lying, stealing, blasphemy, drunkeness, adultery (Matthew 5:27-28) etc-- with little to no remorse. I foolishly enjoyed the pleasures of sin for a season. I lived contrary to God in every which way never really questioning my "salvation"! At one point I didnt even care what happens after you die and wasnt totally convinced in the whole concept of heaven and hell etc. (In college you get bombarded with the religion of evolution)
Thanks be to God, I went through some bad times in my life which had me questioning everything. Life just didnt make sense to me. I just couldnt see the point. I became extremely depressed with my wasteful, meaningless, random existence. So the tough times coupled with the meaningless that life had become plus some health problems I was having finally drove me to the edge. I was losing it. I became bitter and mad at the world. I became convinced that I would soon die and kind of even welcomed it. It was at this point, when I hit rock bottom, that as my last resort I turned to God and called out to Him for help. He was my only hope. While reading the Bible and calling out to Him with all my heart...
God gave me a glimpse of who He is. I encountered the living God. I mean, I always pretty much believed He was real (creation proves a Creator... DUH!) but I guess I didnt know He was real real. I didnt know I could actually know Him. One glimpse of Him and I was overcome by an overwhelming sense, almost to the point of death, of my own sinfulness. God revealed to me who I truly was, which made me feel utterly disgusted with myself. I was an enemy of God who had betrayed and commited spiritual adultery against my Creator. My own conscience agreed with God in that the just punishment for my crimes would be hell. How could I escape condemnation? This is when Jesus' death on the Cross for the first time truly made sense to me. God, who dwells in unapproachable light, came in the flesh and lived on this very earth as a Human. He ate, slept, walked, and talked just as you and I, except without sin. Then He took it upon Himself to take my place and suffer my due punishment. He took my condemnation upon Himself by dying on the Cross and shedding His blood, which is what the Law called for, in order to bring me back to Himself. Then He rose from the dead thus defeating death. What an amazing God!
Well, this just made me feel even worse. God was far more loving, kind, merciful and gracious than I ever thought possible. Not only was He willing to forgive me, but He died to forgive me. What?! This was the awesome God that I had turned my back on and whose sacrifice I had trampled underfoot. You see, I had known about Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sins since I was a kid. I even believed it. But now thinking back, I dont think I had ever looked at it as if it applied to me personally. I always believed that I needed a Savior because I was a sinner by default like everyone else. I believed it and accepted it. Yet, I willingly turned on Him and did horrible unspeakable things against Him. Could He/would He take me back? I felt unforgivable. I agonized over my rebellion for days. Woke up early one morning, got up, opened my Bible and God spoke to me. I read the story of the prodigal son with tears in my eyes. That was when it clicked. It all made sense. I, Adiel, was myself a guilty sinner who had openly betrayed my Creator. God would have been completely right in sending me straight to hell yet He chose to give me mercy instead.
This whole process happened during a period of a couple of weeks. Every day I would confess my sins one by one and utterly forsake them yet it was this particular morning when I knew that God had not only forgiven me but He did it with open arms and overwhelming love. Jesus didnt just die to save sinners... He died to save me... the chief of sinners. It was my sins that put Him on that Cross. So for that reason,
Immediately after the Lord so graciously saved me I began sharing my faith. How could I keep my mouth shut about my encounter with the living God of the Universe? As soon as I knew that the Bible was indeed true and I had just inherited eternal life... I realized that all my friends were condemned to eternal death. So I went around eagerly telling all my friends about how prophecy proves the Bible, how God chose Abraham and made a nation out of him in order to prepare the way for Jesus, how the universe is so intricately complex that it screams out design etc. I was so sure that they would drop to their knees in repentace and faith towards God but instead I was received with the condescendingly frustrating line of all lines, "Im glad you found something that works for you." Aghhh! I seriously felt like I was in the Twilight Zone!
A couple of months later the Lord lead me to the Way of the Master. The Way of the Master is a ministry which equips Christians to share their faith simply, effectively, and biblically... the way Jesus did. Thats when I heard Hell's Best Kept Secret and was absolutely blown away. With that teaching the Lord equipped me and now has me proclaiming the good news to anyone who will listen.
Thank you Lord for your great love and amazing kindness. You alone are worthy to be praised! Thank you.
Even though I went to Church since I was a kid, I "backslid" tremendously when I went to college. Nowadays, I dont even believe there is such a thing as "backsliding". I am becoming more and more convinced that I was actually a false convert my whole life! I dont think a true Christian can "backslide" the way I did. Surely I was one of those "believers" Jesus mentioned in Matthew 7:21-23. Anyway, once I reached college, slowly but surely I grew further and further away from the Lord. Before I knew it He was in none of my thoughts. For years, I completely turned my back on Him. I practiced all sorts of sin-- lying, stealing, blasphemy, drunkeness, adultery (Matthew 5:27-28) etc-- with little to no remorse. I foolishly enjoyed the pleasures of sin for a season. I lived contrary to God in every which way never really questioning my "salvation"! At one point I didnt even care what happens after you die and wasnt totally convinced in the whole concept of heaven and hell etc. (In college you get bombarded with the religion of evolution)
Thanks be to God, I went through some bad times in my life which had me questioning everything. Life just didnt make sense to me. I just couldnt see the point. I became extremely depressed with my wasteful, meaningless, random existence. So the tough times coupled with the meaningless that life had become plus some health problems I was having finally drove me to the edge. I was losing it. I became bitter and mad at the world. I became convinced that I would soon die and kind of even welcomed it. It was at this point, when I hit rock bottom, that as my last resort I turned to God and called out to Him for help. He was my only hope. While reading the Bible and calling out to Him with all my heart...
God gave me a glimpse of who He is. I encountered the living God. I mean, I always pretty much believed He was real (creation proves a Creator... DUH!) but I guess I didnt know He was real real. I didnt know I could actually know Him. One glimpse of Him and I was overcome by an overwhelming sense, almost to the point of death, of my own sinfulness. God revealed to me who I truly was, which made me feel utterly disgusted with myself. I was an enemy of God who had betrayed and commited spiritual adultery against my Creator. My own conscience agreed with God in that the just punishment for my crimes would be hell. How could I escape condemnation? This is when Jesus' death on the Cross for the first time truly made sense to me. God, who dwells in unapproachable light, came in the flesh and lived on this very earth as a Human. He ate, slept, walked, and talked just as you and I, except without sin. Then He took it upon Himself to take my place and suffer my due punishment. He took my condemnation upon Himself by dying on the Cross and shedding His blood, which is what the Law called for, in order to bring me back to Himself. Then He rose from the dead thus defeating death. What an amazing God!
Well, this just made me feel even worse. God was far more loving, kind, merciful and gracious than I ever thought possible. Not only was He willing to forgive me, but He died to forgive me. What?! This was the awesome God that I had turned my back on and whose sacrifice I had trampled underfoot. You see, I had known about Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sins since I was a kid. I even believed it. But now thinking back, I dont think I had ever looked at it as if it applied to me personally. I always believed that I needed a Savior because I was a sinner by default like everyone else. I believed it and accepted it. Yet, I willingly turned on Him and did horrible unspeakable things against Him. Could He/would He take me back? I felt unforgivable. I agonized over my rebellion for days. Woke up early one morning, got up, opened my Bible and God spoke to me. I read the story of the prodigal son with tears in my eyes. That was when it clicked. It all made sense. I, Adiel, was myself a guilty sinner who had openly betrayed my Creator. God would have been completely right in sending me straight to hell yet He chose to give me mercy instead.
This whole process happened during a period of a couple of weeks. Every day I would confess my sins one by one and utterly forsake them yet it was this particular morning when I knew that God had not only forgiven me but He did it with open arms and overwhelming love. Jesus didnt just die to save sinners... He died to save me... the chief of sinners. It was my sins that put Him on that Cross. So for that reason,
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.I was born again. I knew that I had passed from death to life. I had passed from the realm of belief into the realm of experience. The Lord heard my prayer, forgave my sins, and gave me the promise of His Holy Spirit. I've been rejoicing in my God ever since.
Immediately after the Lord so graciously saved me I began sharing my faith. How could I keep my mouth shut about my encounter with the living God of the Universe? As soon as I knew that the Bible was indeed true and I had just inherited eternal life... I realized that all my friends were condemned to eternal death. So I went around eagerly telling all my friends about how prophecy proves the Bible, how God chose Abraham and made a nation out of him in order to prepare the way for Jesus, how the universe is so intricately complex that it screams out design etc. I was so sure that they would drop to their knees in repentace and faith towards God but instead I was received with the condescendingly frustrating line of all lines, "Im glad you found something that works for you." Aghhh! I seriously felt like I was in the Twilight Zone!
A couple of months later the Lord lead me to the Way of the Master. The Way of the Master is a ministry which equips Christians to share their faith simply, effectively, and biblically... the way Jesus did. Thats when I heard Hell's Best Kept Secret and was absolutely blown away. With that teaching the Lord equipped me and now has me proclaiming the good news to anyone who will listen.
Thank you Lord for your great love and amazing kindness. You alone are worthy to be praised! Thank you.
posted by Adiel at 3:19 PM
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