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My first encounters with the Living God.
I never heard of Christ while I was growing up, in fact, I thought of Him as sort of a "Santa Claus" for grown-ups! In fact I used to "fear" Him in all the wrong ways. After all, when I was a kid Jesus never brought me any "presents", so in my ignorance back then, I chose to simply try and ignore Him...... but He had ANOTHER plan for my life!  Prior to 1980, I was a "wild child" - deep into drugs and drinking, and at the very BEGINNING of my life in drugs, I really enjoyed it! However there came a time when I really wanted OUT! I didn't know where to turn, so I asked about the various man-made "programs" out there (the kind that go thru various "steps" and such), but way deep inside, I knew that no "man" could "fix" me........ then I remembered something from my childhood: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great FALL (and so did I...... into drugs and drinking). All the kings horses and all the kings men, tried to put him back together again (Notice how this says "tried"...... because they couldn't do it! This was the KING'S job!). Anyways........ with that in mind, lets get back to the story! One day a lady at work (named Marsha Crosby) told me about Jesus for the very first time, in September of that same year, while I was in the workplace. Somehow I believed her, and yet I began to struggle with God, even though I knew He was the cure to every problem, and the struggle went on til December 16 of that year (1980), when I finally called out to God to save me.... and thru tear-blinded eyes, I saw that Jesus did all that for ME! I knew at that time that He was VERY MUCH ALIVE! This all happened while I was in my car, outside the small town of West Jefferson, Ohio, and right there on route 142.... the great big God of all the Universe came to rescue tiny, little me! I saw so VIVIDLY how when He died, it was for ME He died (so He could pay the eternal debt I owed! Yes, I was a "hard-core SINNER"......... and in that moment I realized that ALL of us are sinners....... and just how badly we ALL really need Him!), and how it was true when I was told that He arose from the dead....... because it was the risen and exalted Christ who was right there with me to SAVE me that night! Yes........ Jesus is ALIVE....... and He's way more than willing to come to one who calls out to Him! To see even a GLIMPSE of Him is to change your life FOREVER!! Immediately after that, God worked things out, and I joined a real Bible-preaching church in South Columbus (Ohio).... and God hasn't given up on me ever since (He still has lots of work to do!). Also "knowng Jesus" is NOT the same thing as "trying to be good enough to earn God's favor"! BIG difference here!! Sadly..... Hell is FULL of otherwise-well-meaning people, who thought they were "good enough to please God". A true fact: If even ONE PERSON was ever "good enough" too see Heaven by their own "good works", Jesus would have never needed to die for sin! In all REALITY, knowing Jesus PERSONALLY is our ONLY ESCAPE from Hell from this life, and to enjoy Heaven! Since then, I have moved to Florida, but return each year to the North for Summer camp, where I serve as nature instructor, and still visit the North more or less regularly. Strange as it may seem........ sometimes even my ministry becomes as an "idol" at times, and it's not good for people to attempt to live on bread alone, but by every Word spoken by the living God. |
Jesus is the true light.... |
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..... and the cross is empty, and so is the grave!
I serve a REAL LIVE saviour, one who is very much ALIVE........ and longs to reveal Himself to all people - and those who come to know Him will never stumble in the darkness, but will walk in His light - a light that is so brilliant and so beautiful!! Only those who have "seen" Him truly understand what this means, but for some GOOD news....... He desires that ALL come to know Him, and to share in His delight, to walk in His love, no matter what we've ever done in the past! |
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