My Testimony
Jul 21, 2015 17:42:06 GMT -6
Post by Ron on Jul 21, 2015 17:42:06 GMT -6
Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. -- Luke 15:11-24
I was once like the prodigal son in the way that he wasted his possessions. Here a severe famine brings him to repentance. For me it was when my father passed away from pancreatic cancer. Although the death of my father is what God used to get my attention, it was a year later that I accepted Jesus. God told me to preach, but like Jonah, I ran. About two and a half years after I had accepted Jesus, I drove my truck into a flooded creek at a low water crossing. It was at this moment I prayed to God that if He would allow me to live I would do whatever He wanted me to do. From this experience, God gave me a better understanding of Jonah chapter 2.
Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: “I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God. “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. “Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy. But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.” So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. -- Jonah 2
Our time on this earth is short. Don't run from God like I did. Another example can be found in 1 Samuel 15. God rejects Saul as Israel's king because of his disobedience.
So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.” -- 1 Samuel 15:22-23
Rejecting God has a price. The message I preach is this: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. [Matthew 4:17] Be obedient to what God tells you to do. God will discipline those he loves.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. -- Revelation 3:19
I will close with this:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” -- Romans 1:16-17
As Christians, we are to live our lives and base our decisions solely on faith in Christ. If we read the Bible daily, God will direct our paths.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. -- Psalm 119:105
I was once like the prodigal son in the way that he wasted his possessions. Here a severe famine brings him to repentance. For me it was when my father passed away from pancreatic cancer. Although the death of my father is what God used to get my attention, it was a year later that I accepted Jesus. God told me to preach, but like Jonah, I ran. About two and a half years after I had accepted Jesus, I drove my truck into a flooded creek at a low water crossing. It was at this moment I prayed to God that if He would allow me to live I would do whatever He wanted me to do. From this experience, God gave me a better understanding of Jonah chapter 2.
Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: “I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God. “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. “Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy. But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.” So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. -- Jonah 2
Our time on this earth is short. Don't run from God like I did. Another example can be found in 1 Samuel 15. God rejects Saul as Israel's king because of his disobedience.
So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.” -- 1 Samuel 15:22-23
Rejecting God has a price. The message I preach is this: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. [Matthew 4:17] Be obedient to what God tells you to do. God will discipline those he loves.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. -- Revelation 3:19
I will close with this:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” -- Romans 1:16-17
As Christians, we are to live our lives and base our decisions solely on faith in Christ. If we read the Bible daily, God will direct our paths.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. -- Psalm 119:105