My Testimony | the long version...

Easter | April 4, 2021

I am being baptized on Easter this year. Praise God for His goodness and grace to me. Here is my testimony of how Jesus saved me and how He has changed my life.

What was your life like BEFORE Christ?

When I was a little girl, I asked Jesus into my heart, because I was terrified of death, what came after, and just about everything else a little girl can be afraid of. Nothing significant changed, but for the next several years, I believed I was saved. In my self-righteous religion, I worked hard to earn the approval of both God and men, but the Bible says that, when compared to the glory of God’s holiness, “all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.” (Is. 64:6) I may have had the outward appearance of godliness and fooled myself and others into believing I was a genuine follower of Christ, but as the Bible describes it, I was nothing more than a lover of self, proud, arrogant, ungrateful, heartless, a lover of pleasure rather than a lover of God. (2 Tim. 3:2-5)

I believed that I was a Christian into adulthood, but Scripture would describe the person I was as one who was spiritually dead. I desired for people to think me a friend of God, but privately I avoided Him at every opportunity. I feared and dreaded His divine justice, knowing my sin was great and deserving of it, but I could not understand His grace or mercy. I knew a lot about God, being raised in the Church, but I did not seek God and I did not love Him.

How did Jesus Christ CHANGE my life?

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8)

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” (Eph. 2:4 & 5) 

One moment I was dead in my trespasses and sin, separated forever from my Creator, and in the twinkling of an eye, I was made alive, cleansed, forgiven, and set free from the power of sin, united with my Savior for all eternity. It seems to me that the most glorious, most significant, most grace-filled moment in a life should be easily remembered and also possibly accompanied by fireworks.

Mine wasn’t. I don’t know when that exact moment happened for me, but I do know this…

Over time, the Holy Spirit began softening my heart to draw me to the Lord in genuine saving faith. At some point along the way, I began to experience godly sorrow over my sin which eventually led to genuine repentance (2 Cor. 7:10) I must have confessed with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and genuinely believed in my heart that God raised Him from the dead. (Rom. 10:9-10) And in that glorious moment, whenever it was, not of my own works, but because of His great grace, Jesus forgave my sin and gave me new life in Him.

In the Old Testament, God describes it like this: “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone… and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ez.36:26) In the New Testament, we are told: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17)

What has your life been like SINCE Jesus saved you?

Before I knew Jesus, I would read Scriptures that say things like – “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” – and I would despair of ever receiving any good thing from God, because I had no earthly clue what it meant to delight in Him. Now, when I consider who He is and all He has done, in my life and the lives of others, I cannot help but respond in worship.

Instead of giving me all the selfish desires my sinful heart could want, the Lord is gradually and graciously changing my heart to desire the things He wants for me, things that bring Him praise and me great joy.

Instead of working to earn the approval of God, I am learning to rest in the sufficiency of His grace, because in my weakness, He is strong.

Through trials and suffering, I am learning to rejoice, not in circumstances, but in the steadfast kindness and unchanging character of God, who works all things for my good and for His own glory.

Though I fail every day, sometimes grievously, by God’s grace, I am learning to hate sin and to long for righteousness...for His Name’s sake.

The longer I am privileged to walk with Jesus and know the joy that comes from knowing Him and being known by Him, the more I realize how empty and hopeless my life was before He called me out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Pet. 2:9)

On the day of my salvation, it was Jesus who began a good work in me, and He promises to continue it until the work is finished. (Phil. 1:6)

Because of all these things and more, I am learning that I can say, with Paul, that “to live is Christ and to die is gain,” (Phil. 1:21) because a life apart from Jesus is no life at all, and because I am looking forward to the glorious day when I will see my Savior face to face.

Why do you want to be BAPTIZED today?

For me, it all comes down to love, really. Before Jesus saved me, I didn’t know what it meant to love God, to love His Word, or to love others the way we’re called to in Scripture. I was hard-hearted and selfish, and when I did obey, I did it to please others or to earn their favor or approval. Or praise, like a pharisee.

With this new God-given, "mushy-gushy" heart of mine, I am learning what it means to forget myself, and to treasure Christ, and to love others. And that is a miracle.

Today, from a heart of loving obedience, I want to be baptized as a symbol of my once being dead in sin, buried with Christ, and raised to new life in Him.

I want to declare my love for God’s people and my church family and ask them to come alongside me and hold me accountable to living a life that honors the Lord.

And because my heart has been changed by Jesus Christ, I long to see others come to know Him too. If you believe God is calling you to salvation, don’t harden your heart but respond in obedience to Him today. Turn from your sin, receive forgiveness and new life in Him. He will give you a new heart and He will put His Spirit within you. He will make you a new creation, and you will be forever changed.

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Cor. 5:14-15)

 

Rescuer : In 100 Words

Flitwit was always rambling close to the edge of the flock, and Shep, ever patient, ever kind, was always wrangling him back into the fold. One fine, sunshiny afternoon, the wayward lamblet finally gave the good shepherd the slip, wandering off into the wrinkly foothills, dangerously close to whiskery country. Shep, never one to panic, ordered his trusty hound to keep an eye on the rest of the flock and set off in calm, swift pursuit. Before long, he reappeared through a thorn-hedge, sturdy and unflappable, whistling a joyful, jaunty, jiggish tune, the rescued Flitwit riding high across his shoulders.

~ Matthew 9:13; Luke 5:32; Luke 15:7,10 ~

Jesus in Revelation : In God's Holy Words

You can click on the links throughout the text to listen to a song reflecting the themes of the following section, or if you have a Spotify account, you can listen to all the songs here.

How Majestic is the Name…

¯“Oh Our Lord” | Paul Baloche, Sons & Daughters

Jesus Christ…

the Faithful Witness,

the Firstborn of the Dead, and

the Ruler of kings on earth.

Who loves us and

has freed us from our sins by His blood and

made us a kingdom,

priests to His God and Father…

To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega,"
says the Lord God,
"Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty."”

Revelation 1:4-8 ESV

“…in the midst of the lampstands One like a son of man,

clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest.

The hairs of His head were white,

like white wool, like snow.

His eyes were like a flame of fire,

His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and

His voice was like the roar of many waters.

In His right hand He held seven stars,

from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and

His face was like the sun shining in full strength.

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead.
But He laid his right hand on me, saying,

"Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and

behold I am alive forevermore, and

I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

Revelation 1:12-18 ESV

Nothing Left to Say But…

¯“Oh Lord Almighty” | Shane and Shane

“And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!"

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who is seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever.

They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

"Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created."”

Revelation 4:8-11 ESV

The Lion & the Lamb…

¯“The Lion and the Lamb” | Leeland

“Then I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice,

"Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"

And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 

And one of the elders said to me,

"Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,

has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals."

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

And He went and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne.

And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive

power and wealth and wisdom and might and

honor and glory and blessing!"

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

"To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be

blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!"

And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

Revelation 5:1-14 ESV

The Name of All Names…

¯“Yes I Will” | Vertical Worship

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice,

"Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying,

"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 7:9-12, 17 ESV

“And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

Revelation 12:10-11 ESV

“And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and amazing are Your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your Name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed."”

Revelation 15:3-4 ESV

“And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, "Just are You, O Holy One, Who is and Who was, for You brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!" And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are Your judgments!"”

Revelation 16:5-7 ESV

“They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them,

for He is Lord of lords and King of kings,

and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful."”

Revelation 17:14 ESV

Beholding You…

¯“Transfiguration” | Hillsong Worship

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse!

The One sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and

in righteousness He judges and makes war.

His eyes are like a flame of fire, and

on His head are many diadems, and

He has a name written that no one knows but Himself.

He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and

the Name by which He is called is The Word of God.

And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure,

were following Him on white horses.

From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and

He will rule them with a rod of iron.

He will tread the winepress of the fury

of the wrath of God the Almighty.

On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written,

King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Revelation 19:11-16 ESV

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

And He who was seated on the throne said,

"Behold, I am making all things new."

Also He said,

"Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

The End is Written…

¯“Living Hope” | Phil Wickham

And He said to me,

"It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

Revelation 21:1-6 ESV

“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it,

for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

By its light will the nations walk, and

the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and

its gates will never be shut by day—and

there will be no night there.

They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.”

Revelation 21:22-26 ESV

“No longer will there be anything accursed,

but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and

his servants will worship him.

They will see his face, and

His name will be on their foreheads.

And night will be no more.

They will need no light of lamp or sun,

for the Lord God will be their light, and

they will reign forever and ever…

"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me,

to repay each one for what he has done.

I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the first and the last,

the beginning and the end."

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches.

I am the root and the descendant of David,

the bright morning star."

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come."

And let the one who hears say, "Come."

And let the one who is thirsty come;

let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon."

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”

Revelation 22:3-5, 7, 12-13, 16-17, 20-21 ESV

Renewal : In 100 Words

Longest night of the year, buried in darkness, hope swallowed up. I can remember a time, dim to my recollection, but real, when I was not crushed by uncertainty and misperceived notions. When I rested my head in peace and looked forward to sunrise.

Now my mind is cluttered by such a convoluted belief structure, anchored in shifting sand and circumstance.

I read words that bathe my deceived, undisciplined mind with renewed hope and clarity. Truth is found in the book of the Sovereign, and what He says about me causes me to weep. Darkness is swallowed up by Light.

Testimony : In 100 Words

This is my heart. Do you see its rosy glow? I remember when it lay lifeless, imprisoned by stone, cold to the touch and immovable. Then, my Sovereign, ever kind, ever merciful, took what was dead in His living hands, breathed upon it with His living breath, and brought it to living life.

Now my heart thrums strongly, pulsing with purpose, made of flesh and coursing, cleansing blood, radiating a rejoicing warmth. Alive.

This is my great story, the best I have to offer. And be you black sheep or white-washed tomb, my story can be yours for the asking.

*************************
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4-7