12/20/13 SHORT TESTIMONY
The following comment may not appeal to some of you. I understand that. It is a brief account (less than 500 words) of my relationship with Jesus, from conversion (at the age of three) to the time God filled me with His Spirit (freshman in Bible College). I hope it is a blessing to those who read it. Remember, God wants children to come to Him. What a wonderful God.
My Early Years In Christ...
When I was a small child, my unsaved daddy (who had a Christian mother) told me some Bible stories and had me pray at meal time and when I went to bed. The Holy Spirit took that little bit of opportunity and drew me to faith in Christ. When I was three years old, I asked Jesus to come into my heart and take away the ugliness. In fact, He even called me to preach at that very early age.
My desire for God and Bible truth caused my dad to start taking me to church (leaving me at Sunday School and worship services). God continued to feed and lead me as the years passed. I can remember a few occasions when I strayed from my walk with Jesus, but His Spirit would convict, convince and call me back from my backsliding.
Around the age of 12 my interest in girls (which had actually begun a few years earlier) became stronger and I did not know that God would actually purify my heart and protect me from the unclean thoughts that assailed me. For the next several years I struggled with my sinful nature, going through cycles of spiritual victory and backsliding. I also lost interest in being a preacher, since that did not look like much fun. Even when our church had a liberal minister (unsaved and a mocker of Bible faith), God would deal with me and I would go to the altar to repent (though the minister had no idea what I was doing there).
In my late teen years God dealt heavily with me and I quit fighting His call to preach. However, it was not until I went to Bible College and heard that God would purify my heart, that my total surrender led to the Spirit filled life. After this, there were rare occasions of faltering, but the constant internal battle was over. The root of evil was removed, so that I could love with perfect love. But victory is not a one time choice, either at salvation or entire sanctification; it is a daily walk and constant surrender, or as the Bible says,
Luke 9:23-26
(23) And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
(24) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
(25) For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
(26) For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
In fact, wouldn't it be a great Christmas present to children or grandchildren, to lead them to a right relationship with the Babe born in a manger, Who died on a cress and rose from the dead. Think of all the misery they will be spared if they fall in love with God and follow Him fully.
