My testimony is not a typical one or what most would call something miraculous or special. I didn’t go through any periods of trying drugs, alcohol, getting into a bad crowd, hitting rock bottom, doing the things that, honestly, make a good testimonial!
I come from a southern Baptist Christian family who never fought or had any evident problems. I never bothered anyone, gossiped, it’s actually called “talking trash” for guys. I thought I was a pretty good person. I thought I was a good Christian. I even read the whole Bible word for word from beginning to end when I was 17. The only time I remember cursing was for about 1 week when I was in middle or high school because I thought it was cool. That wore off pretty quick and said I wouldn’t ever do it again. I truly believed I loved God and that I was righteous because of my lifestyle. I thought, I’m different; I’m not a typical teenager! All teenagers want to be different. I even saved myself for the woman I would marry. Unfortunately, that is a rare thing for people my age in society. Because of my morals this boosted my sense of being what society thinks is a “good person”.
In spite of all this, I am the epitome of the word bashful. I truly am. No one has been allowed to sing Happy Birthday to me since I was 5 years old. I held my ears and screamed until they would stop. I have a picture of it too! Since then it’s been silent birthdays for me. I also greatly lack in the area of charisma. I used to look down or give one-word responses to anyone who would talk to me. I would go out of my way to not have to talk to anyone.
I thank God for my wife. We met at the back of Lakeshore Church in 2004 when it was over in downtown Rockwall. She was the only person I could really open up to. She has always had a heart so big I could never understand, but I loved her for that.
Still, I thought I was a born-again Christian. Five more years passed, and we were now living the American dream, if that even exists even more. Both of us had college degrees, were elementary school teachers, had a new house, one car payment, no real serious debt, and a beautiful 15 month year old baby boy. You think I’m going to say everything went down hill….but it didn’t. Things just kept getting better. Despite all these blessings I didn’t love people. That’s why I was so shy. I truly didn’t love people. I was nice, but I really didn’t care. It sounds awful, but true. I didn’t want to give anyone the time of day except my wife and son.
I was not a Christian. God says “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor. Those are the two greatest commandments. You’d think someone who read the whole Bible would know this. I was very knowledgeable of the word of God and other religions, but yet I didn’t get it. It’s like you heard something, but you didn’t listen. That was how I was to the word of God. I didn’t open my heart to it because I thought I was already good in man’s eyes.
I also skipped over these verses without paying much attention and I never really heard them in church..."Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." - Revelation 21:8
Those verses are not popular, but they are truth, and they convicted me of my condition. I was on the highway to hell because I was indeed some of these things no matter how hard I tried to justify my sins.
I was lead to the Way of the Master if you are familiar with it. It was really a chain of events that sparked my curiosity, but now when I look back on it, it was all part of God's plan for me. I read some books, saw Fireproof, found Kirk Cameron’s testimony, and then was lead to Living Waters Ministries. If you’ve never seen the program they go around asking people on the streets if they would consider themselves to be a good person or where they would go when they die. I was like, this is good stuff, I bet I’d pass! Guess what… nope.
The thing is, I was presented the gospel all my life. I knew who Jesus was and that He died for our sins, most people in America know that. The problem with all that is I didn’t understand what sin really was and why we were all sinners. Way of the Master uses the Ten Commandments as a mirror to our conscience. It is true, Jesus fulfilled the law of the Old Testament for us, BUT, He used the Law to convict the heart. He spoke law to proud and grace to the humble. I was proud, as most people are which is why I didn’t understand grace, the Gospel!
You may be thinking Way of the Master saved me. It didn’t. Way of the Master teaching is not a method; it is the Biblical way Jesus and His apostles witnessed to the world. Our country has been poisoned with teachings of “living your best life now” and has thrown hell completely out the door. The fact of the matter is, I have broken every single commandment of the Law. I’m a liar, a murderer (have hated someone, Matt. 5:21-23) an adulterer at heart (Matt. 27-30), and a blasphemer. I deserve Hell, as we all do. Most of us don’t want to hear that, but it’s so sobering! It makes me appreciate so much more what Jesus Christ did for me.
I trusted in Jesus Christ and repented of my sins in January of this year. I became a true born-again Christian. I didn’t have a revelation or hear a thunderous voice. Everyone always told me to “accept” Jesus. God doesn’t need our acceptance. He needs our obedience. It says to REPENT and TRUST in our Savior. I trust Him with my life. I believe the actual word, believe, has been diluted through the years. To believe something is to trust in it. People believe in an elevator when they use it. They believe in an airplane to get them somewhere. If we believed in Jesus we would put Him on like a parachute and never take Him off. That is why most people try on the whole Christianity thing, to see if it’ll make their life better, and when it doesn’t we get back-sliders, false-converts and an awful stereotype of Christians. I was a false-convert.
I was so confused. I thought I was saved 3 different times in my life just because I said a prayer and I believed Jesus existed. If I believed what He really did I would not jump into sin rather than fall into it. I no longer justify my sin and I no longer jump into it. I have tendencies to lie and tendencies to do other sins, but the fact of the matter is we have a choice to sin or not to. We are responsible for breaking God's law. I have learned that true Christians will not jump into the sin, however we still do fall, but repentance is the gift of God. By the power of the Holy Spirit through salvation, repentance and prayer those things can be overcome.
Once I became truly saved I discovered every Christians purpose, to spread the Gospel. It’s called the Great Commission and we are all called to it. (Matt. 28:19-20) There are so many ways to spread the gospel biblically. And I'm amazed how God continues to show me mine. Callings have confused me in the past. I thought I was supposed to do so many things, but once you really surrender to God, He reveals things to you.
I applied to an evangelism conference/training in California with Living Waters. They picked 50 people to go. You have to do an application and be interviewed. I thought, it couldn’t hurt, they wouldn’t pick me anyways. Boy, was I wrong. I got a call and after the interview I was invited to come. There were lots of expenses and I didn’t know how I’d even get off of work as it was for 5 days. I kept coming up with excuses not to go when I was accepted, but God wouldn’t have it. The calling was too deep within me and my conscience consistently cried out. I told my wife if I didn’t witness to someone before I died I would have regretted my whole life.
I wound up going. It’s weird to go somewhere you have never been by yourself to meet people you’ve never met. I now have new brothers and sisters in Christ I will never forget. I learned how to share the Gospel effectively. I witnessed one to one, to groups, I (Mr. Bashful and Birthday screamer) stood on a box at a street light and preached the Law and the Gospel to people I didn’t even know! I approached people in the streets that I had never met. I saw conviction in there eyes. I saw people weep because they knew there were guilty. Were there one’s who rejected me, yes. But it wasn’t me they were rejecting. They were rejecting my God. There are so many people that hate the one true God. I got to experience this and it is deeply troubling. People expect God to be a divine butler who suits our worldly needs and lets them get to Heaven based on their good works or forgiveness. This is biblically wrong.
I learned the soul purpose of evangelism is to plant seed (spread the Gospel), not to get conversions. That is in God’s hand. That statement is a comforting one. I don’t know how I did it…..it had nothing to do with my knowledge, but the spirit-filled me. It was surreal. I have never seen God truly move in so many ways and seen so much unity and love. It wasn’t a retreat, it was a war. We all went to battle together. I experienced the body of Christ first hand. I cried because I knew I’d have to leave that and I still cry that I did. I didn’t know these people, but I loved them.
I now love people and fear for their souls of being in hell for the rest of eternity. That is what it is to be a Christian. If you’re not hurting for others I don’t see how anyone can be a “believer” in Jesus Christ. I really don’t.
I was a fool, plain and simple. I’m still a sinner I still deserve hell, but by the blood of Jesus Christ I am saved. I’m not here to “live my best life now”, I’m here to give glory to my Father and look forward to eternal life despite what is thrown at me. We live in a fallen creation. There is in fact one mistake in the Bible….and that was when Adam and Even took the apple from the tree of knowledge of good and evil(Gen 2:16-17) We are here to give glory to God because of us what He did for us by sending His one and only Son. That is what it means to be a Christian.
Romans 7:24-25
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Matthew 28:18 – 20
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Thank you so much for letting me share my testimony with you. If you have any questions feel free to write me an e-mail. May God bless you and yours!
In Christ,
Joey Acker
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
My Worst Enemy
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and wanted to share this with you. I used to blame a lot of things that happened to me on Satan, the devil, Lucifer, whatever you want to call him, but I have come to the conclusion that he is definitely not my worst enemy. Just to clarify who or what Satan is let’s take a look at a portion of an article I read recently, it’s only a couple of paragraphs.
1Satan was created as a holy angel. Isaiah 14:12 possibly gives Satan’s pre-fall name as Lucifer. Ezekiel 28:12-14 describes Satan as having been created a cherubim, apparently the highest created angel. He became arrogant in his beauty and status and decided he wanted to sit on a throne above that of God (Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:15; 1 Timothy 3:6). Satan’s pride led to his fall. Notice the many “I will” statements in Isaiah 14:12-15. Because of his sin, God barred Satan from heaven.
Satan became the ruler of this world that functions apart from God and the prince of the power of the air (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2). He is an accuser (Revelation 12:10), a tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), and a deceiver (Genesis 3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:3). His very name means adversary or “one who opposes.” Another name used Satan, the devil, means “slanderer.”
Even though he was cast out of heaven, he still seeks to elevate his throne above God. He counterfeits all that God does, hoping to gain the worship of the world and foment opposition to God's kingdom. Satan is the ultimate source behind every false cult and world religion. Satan will do anything and everything in his power to oppose God, and those who follow God. However, Satan’s destiny is sealed—an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10)
Satan is a pretty sad dude, right? He sounds a lot more like a human screwing up like that, rather than an angel.
I heard this quote recently by John Piper, “no one goes to hell because of Satan. They go to hell because of SIN.” With that being said, that has to mean that my worst enemy would have to be me, Joey Acker. We all have a war going on within ourselves. If you say you don’t then you are just being deceived. Proof of my war is that I have a conscience. I know if something is wrong. Every time I have sinned it has been my fault alone. Can Satan tempt us? Of course, but who makes the ultimate decision? My new perspective on making choices is when I come across a situation no matter how small I don’t ask if it is bad, I ask if it is truly good, can I use it to glorify/honor God. When we ask if something is bad we trick ourselves into justifying it because we are selfish by nature. I’m guilty! That’s why I ask myself if something is truly good now.
Here’s an analogy…I’m going to use cookies as an example, because they’re awesome and they taste good. We all love food, right? If there are 20 cookies sitting in front of me I am extremely tempted to eat them, all of them (I used to be a fat kid)! If I eat them do I blame the cookies or me? All silliness aside, how is that any different than when we sin against God, the one who gave us life?
So is it Satan’s fault or ours that we sin? In a weird, but cool way, I grow from temptations. Is that why Satan exists, for us to grow closer to God through his pathetic temptations against us? It’s evident in our lives that we grow from hard-times. You can see it in our bodies, plants, animals, human experiences, and other things in this life. We grow back stronger and better than before if we choose to!
That is how I view Satan, as a temptation to our world and ourselves. I am much more scared of myself than him. I am 100 percent certain I am not going to hell. When I go to Heaven I want God to know I did the best I could to be close to Him and serve Him. I do not want to make him upset or disappointed with me. Our God is awesome, loving, and don’t forget that He’s our judge!
In closing, can we ask ourselves if we are truly making the best choices in our short life in this world, or are we making excuses for our short comings?
May God bless you!
Joey Acker
1Satan was created as a holy angel. Isaiah 14:12 possibly gives Satan’s pre-fall name as Lucifer. Ezekiel 28:12-14 describes Satan as having been created a cherubim, apparently the highest created angel. He became arrogant in his beauty and status and decided he wanted to sit on a throne above that of God (Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:15; 1 Timothy 3:6). Satan’s pride led to his fall. Notice the many “I will” statements in Isaiah 14:12-15. Because of his sin, God barred Satan from heaven.
Satan became the ruler of this world that functions apart from God and the prince of the power of the air (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2). He is an accuser (Revelation 12:10), a tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), and a deceiver (Genesis 3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:3). His very name means adversary or “one who opposes.” Another name used Satan, the devil, means “slanderer.”
Even though he was cast out of heaven, he still seeks to elevate his throne above God. He counterfeits all that God does, hoping to gain the worship of the world and foment opposition to God's kingdom. Satan is the ultimate source behind every false cult and world religion. Satan will do anything and everything in his power to oppose God, and those who follow God. However, Satan’s destiny is sealed—an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10)
Satan is a pretty sad dude, right? He sounds a lot more like a human screwing up like that, rather than an angel.
I heard this quote recently by John Piper, “no one goes to hell because of Satan. They go to hell because of SIN.” With that being said, that has to mean that my worst enemy would have to be me, Joey Acker. We all have a war going on within ourselves. If you say you don’t then you are just being deceived. Proof of my war is that I have a conscience. I know if something is wrong. Every time I have sinned it has been my fault alone. Can Satan tempt us? Of course, but who makes the ultimate decision? My new perspective on making choices is when I come across a situation no matter how small I don’t ask if it is bad, I ask if it is truly good, can I use it to glorify/honor God. When we ask if something is bad we trick ourselves into justifying it because we are selfish by nature. I’m guilty! That’s why I ask myself if something is truly good now.
Here’s an analogy…I’m going to use cookies as an example, because they’re awesome and they taste good. We all love food, right? If there are 20 cookies sitting in front of me I am extremely tempted to eat them, all of them (I used to be a fat kid)! If I eat them do I blame the cookies or me? All silliness aside, how is that any different than when we sin against God, the one who gave us life?
So is it Satan’s fault or ours that we sin? In a weird, but cool way, I grow from temptations. Is that why Satan exists, for us to grow closer to God through his pathetic temptations against us? It’s evident in our lives that we grow from hard-times. You can see it in our bodies, plants, animals, human experiences, and other things in this life. We grow back stronger and better than before if we choose to!
That is how I view Satan, as a temptation to our world and ourselves. I am much more scared of myself than him. I am 100 percent certain I am not going to hell. When I go to Heaven I want God to know I did the best I could to be close to Him and serve Him. I do not want to make him upset or disappointed with me. Our God is awesome, loving, and don’t forget that He’s our judge!
In closing, can we ask ourselves if we are truly making the best choices in our short life in this world, or are we making excuses for our short comings?
May God bless you!
Joey Acker
What are ghosts??
This is suited for October, but I thought I would write on it now anyways since this was on my mind.
I've heard ghost stories as I'm sure you have or had some of your own. Maybe you've seen a ghost, heard one, felt one....who knows. I had a little experience with all three a couple years back, creepy I know. But it's really not that big a deal so I won't go into it in details. Plus, I don't want to creep out some of my friends/family.
Some people are scared of that thing...I won't lie, it gives me goosebumps sometimes (no, not the books), but there's a difference between being terrified of something and being aware. For example: I'm extremely aware, but I become uneasy when I smell one of my sons toxic diapers in the making. However, I'm not afraid of it.
Alright, sorry, back on topic. After hearing about ghost stories and such before that whole thing I did a little research to see what ghosts/hauntings are all about. As humans, we tend to be interested in things such as the paranormal. That doesn't make it right though. My thought process once I became a Christian was this...how can there be ghosts if everyone goes to Heaven or Hell after death. That's what most people tend to forget. I was fortunate enough to do research before I experienced any of the above so I wasn't fearful when encountering what some would call "the supernatural".
Here is one of the best biblical articles I have found on the subject that I will post for you -- I got it from www.gotquestions.org. This website is awesome and I've found it to be very reliable as it is based on loads of research and most importantly the Bible.
Here it is:
What does the Bible say about ghosts / hauntings? Is there such a thing as ghosts? The answer to this question depends on what precisely is meant by the term “ghosts.” If the term means “spirit beings,” the answer is a qualified yes. If the term means “spirits of people who have died,” the answer is no. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that there are spirit beings, both good and evil. But the Bible negates the idea that the spirits of deceased human beings can remain on earth and “haunt” the living.
Hebrews 9:27 declares, “…man is destined to die once, and after that to facejudgment.” That is what happens to a person’s soul-spirit after death –judgment. The result of this judgment is heaven for the believer (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23), and hell for those who do not receive Christ as Savior (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-24).There is no in-between. There is no possibility of remaining on earthin spirit form as a “ghost.” If there are such things as ghosts,according to the Bible, they absolutely cannot be the disembodied spirits of deceased human beings.
The Bible teaches very clearly that there are indeed spirit beings that can connect and appear in our physical world. The Bible identifies these beings as angels and demons. Angels are spirit beings who are faithful in serving God. Angels are righteous, good, and holy. Demons are fallen angels, angels who rebelled against God. Demons are evil, deceptive, and destructive. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15indicates that demons masquerade as “angels of light” and as “servants of righteousness.” Appearing as a “ghost” and impersonating a deceased human being definitely seem to be within the power and abilities demons possess.
The closest biblical example of a “haunting” is found in Matthew 5:1-20. A “legion” of demons possessed a man and used the man to “haunt” a graveyard. There were no “ghosts” involved. It was a case of a normal person being controlled by demons to terrorize the people of that area. Demons only seek to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10).They will do anything within their power to deceive people, to lead people astray, and to lead people away from God. This is very likely the explanation of “ghostly” activity today. Whether it is called a ghost, a ghoul, or a poltergeist, if there is genuine evil spiritual activity occurring, it is the work of demons.
What about instances in which “ghosts” act in “positive” ways? What about psychics that claim to summon the deceased and gain true and useful information from them? Again, it is crucial to remember that the goal of demons is to deceive. If the result is a person trusting in a psychic instead of trusting in God, a demon will be more than willing to reveal true information. Even good and true information, if from a source with evil motives, can be used to mislead, corrupt, and destroy.
Interest in the paranormal is becoming increasingly common. There are individuals and businesses that claim to be “ghost-hunters,” who for a price, will rid your home of ghosts. Psychics, séances, tarot cards, and mediums, all things that previously were shunned, are increasinglybeing considered normal. Human beings are innately aware of the spiritual world. Sadly, instead of seeking the truth about the spirit world by communing with God and studying His Word, many people allow themselves to be led astray by the spirit world. The demons surely laugh, and the angels likely weep, at the spiritual mass-deception that exists in the world today.
That is the end of the article. What I have personally done and would say about this is if you have this kind of stuff happening. What I did, and recommend is ignore it, resist it, but definitely embrace the situation in prayer and study God's word. When it comes to demons, the bible tells us to resist. Far too often people do the opposite and the situation persists or gets worse. I am not an expert in the field, but that is just what I have noticed from my experiences.
Thank you for your reading and may God bless you and yours!
Joey
I've heard ghost stories as I'm sure you have or had some of your own. Maybe you've seen a ghost, heard one, felt one....who knows. I had a little experience with all three a couple years back, creepy I know. But it's really not that big a deal so I won't go into it in details. Plus, I don't want to creep out some of my friends/family.
Some people are scared of that thing...I won't lie, it gives me goosebumps sometimes (no, not the books), but there's a difference between being terrified of something and being aware. For example: I'm extremely aware, but I become uneasy when I smell one of my sons toxic diapers in the making. However, I'm not afraid of it.
Alright, sorry, back on topic. After hearing about ghost stories and such before that whole thing I did a little research to see what ghosts/hauntings are all about. As humans, we tend to be interested in things such as the paranormal. That doesn't make it right though. My thought process once I became a Christian was this...how can there be ghosts if everyone goes to Heaven or Hell after death. That's what most people tend to forget. I was fortunate enough to do research before I experienced any of the above so I wasn't fearful when encountering what some would call "the supernatural".
Here is one of the best biblical articles I have found on the subject that I will post for you -- I got it from www.gotquestions.org. This website is awesome and I've found it to be very reliable as it is based on loads of research and most importantly the Bible.
Here it is:
What does the Bible say about ghosts / hauntings? Is there such a thing as ghosts? The answer to this question depends on what precisely is meant by the term “ghosts.” If the term means “spirit beings,” the answer is a qualified yes. If the term means “spirits of people who have died,” the answer is no. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that there are spirit beings, both good and evil. But the Bible negates the idea that the spirits of deceased human beings can remain on earth and “haunt” the living.
Hebrews 9:27 declares, “…man is destined to die once, and after that to facejudgment.” That is what happens to a person’s soul-spirit after death –judgment. The result of this judgment is heaven for the believer (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23), and hell for those who do not receive Christ as Savior (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-24).There is no in-between. There is no possibility of remaining on earthin spirit form as a “ghost.” If there are such things as ghosts,according to the Bible, they absolutely cannot be the disembodied spirits of deceased human beings.
The Bible teaches very clearly that there are indeed spirit beings that can connect and appear in our physical world. The Bible identifies these beings as angels and demons. Angels are spirit beings who are faithful in serving God. Angels are righteous, good, and holy. Demons are fallen angels, angels who rebelled against God. Demons are evil, deceptive, and destructive. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15indicates that demons masquerade as “angels of light” and as “servants of righteousness.” Appearing as a “ghost” and impersonating a deceased human being definitely seem to be within the power and abilities demons possess.
The closest biblical example of a “haunting” is found in Matthew 5:1-20. A “legion” of demons possessed a man and used the man to “haunt” a graveyard. There were no “ghosts” involved. It was a case of a normal person being controlled by demons to terrorize the people of that area. Demons only seek to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10).They will do anything within their power to deceive people, to lead people astray, and to lead people away from God. This is very likely the explanation of “ghostly” activity today. Whether it is called a ghost, a ghoul, or a poltergeist, if there is genuine evil spiritual activity occurring, it is the work of demons.
What about instances in which “ghosts” act in “positive” ways? What about psychics that claim to summon the deceased and gain true and useful information from them? Again, it is crucial to remember that the goal of demons is to deceive. If the result is a person trusting in a psychic instead of trusting in God, a demon will be more than willing to reveal true information. Even good and true information, if from a source with evil motives, can be used to mislead, corrupt, and destroy.
Interest in the paranormal is becoming increasingly common. There are individuals and businesses that claim to be “ghost-hunters,” who for a price, will rid your home of ghosts. Psychics, séances, tarot cards, and mediums, all things that previously were shunned, are increasinglybeing considered normal. Human beings are innately aware of the spiritual world. Sadly, instead of seeking the truth about the spirit world by communing with God and studying His Word, many people allow themselves to be led astray by the spirit world. The demons surely laugh, and the angels likely weep, at the spiritual mass-deception that exists in the world today.
That is the end of the article. What I have personally done and would say about this is if you have this kind of stuff happening. What I did, and recommend is ignore it, resist it, but definitely embrace the situation in prayer and study God's word. When it comes to demons, the bible tells us to resist. Far too often people do the opposite and the situation persists or gets worse. I am not an expert in the field, but that is just what I have noticed from my experiences.
Thank you for your reading and may God bless you and yours!
Joey
Perspective on Christianity
Christianity has become a tricky thing nowadays confusing even myself at times. Their are different denominations of Christianity, beliefs, traditions, organizations, and unfortunately a vast majority of people believe Christians to be hypocrites and there are those of us who are.
I've always felt I've known a lot about the Bible and religion in general, what is wrong, what is right etc. I read the Bible when I was 17 all the way through word for word, but I still missed so much of it even to this day! I sheltered myself from anything that has potential for sin including Myspace and relationships with others. Which is a very wrong thing to do. Because that's not what Jesus did. He deliberatly put himself around sinners in order to save them.
I always thought I was saved because I believed in Jesus, and what He did for me. But until recently I didn't understand why He did what He did. I knew he died for our sins....but what is sin....what did we do that was so bad? Take a look at the 10 Commandments Exodus 20:1-17 and Deut. 5:6-21. Paul said, sin is transgression of the law.
I've always thought I was a good person. I've never drank, smoked, or done what normal teenagers or other guys my age have done. I look at the 10 Commandments and still think I'm a pretty good person. But Matthew chapter 5 was brought to my attention recently. Jesus said whoever hates another has committed murder and whoever looks with lust has committed adultery in his heart.....
In the Gospel, Jesus also says to follow these two commandments: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. He didn't abolish the 10 Commandments he fulfilled them. I always thought, "well Jesus came so we don't have to follow them anymore, that doesn't apply today"....but he lists all of them but one throughout the Gospel and the two Jesus did tell us to follow covers those of the Old Law. Now, I think of the 10 Commandments as a guide on how to love and honor God. I'm not saying we're going to hell if we break the 10 commandments as Christians. What I did not realize is I'm going to hell if I don't trust in Jesus Christ and REPENT against all sin. Acts 3:19, 17:30, 20:21, 2 Peter 3:9
We are to be in this world and not of it. I have been keeping myself out of it completely since I was pretty much a teenager. Which is why I don't understand or have ever felt the need for fellowship of others.
I thank God that things have been put into perspective for me and now I can fully appreciate what He did for me through his Son. I have hopes of becoming an evangelist. I've heard the question, "what if I'm born again and I sin"? Friends, there is a big difference between running into sin and falling into sin. That is why certain denominations/cults think they have to have man made traditions and laws to say that good acts or deeds is what guarantees salvations. How do you even measure that....it blows my mind honestly. If you steal someones cheerios how many hail mary's do you have to do to still go to Heaven or please God? Jesus paid the ultimate price for us....to say that anything save us from our sins besides Him is demeaning His purpose!
Don't get me wrong, I love everyone, I have relatives who think this way. But people need to realize we are saved by grace, the blood of Jesus, not by acts or works. That is just so sad to me if anyone thinks otherwise. It's simply unbiblical.
Ephesians 2:8-98 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
That's the hardest, but most simple thing to understand. No good acts or deeds of this world guarantees salvation. That is our works, the fruits of our spirit, not man made traditions. It's repeated numerous times throughout the Bible. I'll talk more about this later. If you have any questions please message me.
Thanks for reading!
God bless,
Joey
I've always felt I've known a lot about the Bible and religion in general, what is wrong, what is right etc. I read the Bible when I was 17 all the way through word for word, but I still missed so much of it even to this day! I sheltered myself from anything that has potential for sin including Myspace and relationships with others. Which is a very wrong thing to do. Because that's not what Jesus did. He deliberatly put himself around sinners in order to save them.
I always thought I was saved because I believed in Jesus, and what He did for me. But until recently I didn't understand why He did what He did. I knew he died for our sins....but what is sin....what did we do that was so bad? Take a look at the 10 Commandments Exodus 20:1-17 and Deut. 5:6-21. Paul said, sin is transgression of the law.
I've always thought I was a good person. I've never drank, smoked, or done what normal teenagers or other guys my age have done. I look at the 10 Commandments and still think I'm a pretty good person. But Matthew chapter 5 was brought to my attention recently. Jesus said whoever hates another has committed murder and whoever looks with lust has committed adultery in his heart.....
In the Gospel, Jesus also says to follow these two commandments: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. He didn't abolish the 10 Commandments he fulfilled them. I always thought, "well Jesus came so we don't have to follow them anymore, that doesn't apply today"....but he lists all of them but one throughout the Gospel and the two Jesus did tell us to follow covers those of the Old Law. Now, I think of the 10 Commandments as a guide on how to love and honor God. I'm not saying we're going to hell if we break the 10 commandments as Christians. What I did not realize is I'm going to hell if I don't trust in Jesus Christ and REPENT against all sin. Acts 3:19, 17:30, 20:21, 2 Peter 3:9
We are to be in this world and not of it. I have been keeping myself out of it completely since I was pretty much a teenager. Which is why I don't understand or have ever felt the need for fellowship of others.
I thank God that things have been put into perspective for me and now I can fully appreciate what He did for me through his Son. I have hopes of becoming an evangelist. I've heard the question, "what if I'm born again and I sin"? Friends, there is a big difference between running into sin and falling into sin. That is why certain denominations/cults think they have to have man made traditions and laws to say that good acts or deeds is what guarantees salvations. How do you even measure that....it blows my mind honestly. If you steal someones cheerios how many hail mary's do you have to do to still go to Heaven or please God? Jesus paid the ultimate price for us....to say that anything save us from our sins besides Him is demeaning His purpose!
Don't get me wrong, I love everyone, I have relatives who think this way. But people need to realize we are saved by grace, the blood of Jesus, not by acts or works. That is just so sad to me if anyone thinks otherwise. It's simply unbiblical.
Ephesians 2:8-98 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
That's the hardest, but most simple thing to understand. No good acts or deeds of this world guarantees salvation. That is our works, the fruits of our spirit, not man made traditions. It's repeated numerous times throughout the Bible. I'll talk more about this later. If you have any questions please message me.
Thanks for reading!
God bless,
Joey