My Story: A Testament to God's Love and Patience ******************************
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I was introduced to, and accepted, Christ as a young child, raised in a Christian household and attending church regularly, kiddie choir, junior usher, vacation bible school, the whole nine. Long story short, my dad parted ways with our church after a false accusation, there was a lot of craziness going on in my house, and I developed an attitude of not needing anyone else. As far as I was concerned, I knew how to read the bible for myself, I knew how to pray by myself, and so I was content being by myself as far as fellowship with other believers was concerned. Throughout my high school and college years, I thought I was so cool. You couldn't tell me nothin'. You also couldn't tell me apart from the world. The only difference between me and the world was that I read bible sometimes and believed it to be truth, I knew about Christ, and I talked to Him occasionally, I knew that I was saved and that God would forgive my sins. I knew a lot, but you would probably only know it if you asked me. And then if I told you I was a Christian you might not believe me because my lifestyle certainly didn't reflect it.
As far as obedience to Christ is concerned, I was absolutely awful. But I loved the Lord. And the Lord loved me so much that He let me go just far enough to get sick of myself. He called my attention to John 14:15 where He says, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." That hit me in the heart. Jesus was basically telling me, you say you love me but you can show me better than you can tell me.That began the process of me wanting to change, realizing that I had become a slave to sin and that I didn't have the strength to change, realizing that I needed His strength to do His will, then really learning how to lean on Him and to fight the good fight of faith. I don't remember the timing exactly but in the process I realized that I wasn't cool on my own and that I needed to spend more time around people really seeking the Lord. That's when He led me to Antioch of Calvary Chapel in early July 2005 (www.AntiochPhilly.org).From July through early October, I really matured a lot in Christ (with plenty room for improvement of course). Praise God that by His grace and in His power I was completely celibate from that time through my wedding date two and a half years later (4/12/08), which in and of itself is amazing to me. I know I've been changed, I know who gets all the credit, and I know its not me. So while I'd known Christ well over 20 years, I've only really been walking with Him since the Summer of ’05. Before then, He was walking while I was talking. And given everything that I knew and ignored, it would have served me right if He had just turned His back on me when I turned my back on Him years ago. Of course He didn't do anything close to that.
Through it all I've been undeservedly blessed. And because of it, I've spent considerable time reflecting on Psalm 116:12, "What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me." It's funny because people used to see me active around the church and ask "are you a deacon?" I just felt (and still feel) like I was fortunate Jesus even let me enter the building. I know that nothing I do or give could ever be enough to repay the Lord for the love that He's demonstrated to me in my life. Yielding everything to Him is the least I can do. Seeing how far the Lord has brought me, despite the fact that it would have been totally fair for Him to let me destroy myself after I turned my back on Him, I can totally understand why the Apostle Paul points to "the mercies of God" as the basis for the statement in Romans 12:1 that presenting our bodies as living sacrifices is nothing more than our reasonable service.
Its crazy sometimes how the Lord works. Romans 8:28 says that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose." It's so true. The sins of my past are probably not much worse than anybody else's, but the fact that I knew better all along and knew that the Lord was present all along, now that's what really hammers home to me personally how awful I was. But the Lord forgiving me, a prodigal son, and welcoming me back with open arms as if none of it ever happened, that makes me love Him so much more than I ever did, ever thought I did, or ever said I did before surrendering. All things do work together for good for believers. Jesus said "to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." Luke 7:47. And of course the opposite is true. I've been forgiven a lot. And speaking of all things working together for good, though I was in the wrong, I have a beautiful family to show for it. Sure things would be a little different if I could rewrite the script. But all in all, I only got myself to blame for any thing I don't like about my situation; and Jesus gets all the credit for everything that I love about it. The Lord is good.-------------------------------------------------------
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----------------------------------Live by the Word, die by the cross homey -
Find resurrected Life in Christ. If y’all know me -
I’m a changed man. I aint the same as I had been -
Family looking at me wonder what in heaven happened -
‘Cause I used to take grace for granted like any cheap gift -
Looked at what it cost my Jesus and love crept in -
Listen, if you love Him, you should stop playin’ games too -
Otherwise, your life in Christ is a waste dude -
Salt with no saltiness, just a form of godliness -
denying the power, so why did Jesus get his body ripped? -
Just for you and me to blend on in with the world? No! -
God want his kids in the world, not of the world bro -
We supposed to be in the world to show Jesus -
Are we layin’ down on the job? The world needs us! -
Billy Graham stated it well, but did we listen? -
“What the world needs most is for Christians to be Christians.†------------------------------------------------------------
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-----------------------------------------------I like to run and not be weary [Isaiah 40:31] sign me up for the track meet- The Lord'll stick tighter than your criminal rap sheet [Proverbs 18:24]-
Don't ask me why he selected me. I don't know -
But you don't know if you'd rather get high or get low-
So, who's confused? Who's lost and misdirected? -
Who's refusing to acknowledge that Christ is resurrected? [John 2:22]-
Who's soul is still infected by a sin sick world, -
that thinks the greatest love exists between a boy and a girl? -
The greatest love is one who'd lay down his life for his friends [John 15:13]- Hence God became flesh blood and bone for men [John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:16] -
And demonstrated it. Who hated it? The chief of all haters. -
Accuser of the brethren of John the Revelator [Revelation 12:10] -
The same snake that hates you too; the most selfish -
Got people saying "see you in Hell" as if they're helpless -
The Truth is freedom man. [John 8:32] Jesus is help! [Psalm 46:1] - Strength, joy, hope and peace. [Romans 15:13] Love eternally felt. [1 John 4:16]-------------------------------------------------------
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