Christ First Forum

Dear Andrew , I am glad your soul has found rest in Christ. Before the Lord mercifully drew me into His arms away from the swine in the far country, i hated God and was a dead, ungodly, hardened sinner. I was high almost everyday, and would wake up to get dunk in the mornings on my weekends. I was involved in the occult and a vile blasphemer. God showed me i was under His Wrath and that my soul was in His hand, He knew all of my thoughts as i was thinking them and that His decisions were final. I knew if He decreed i would be thrown into hell for eternity. The week before He had mercifully save me from suicide. Then He showed me my only hope, Jesus Christ, all the gospel seeds i had heard when i was a child came to life. Before they had fallen on hard soil. God changed my heart and gave me new life. He showed me how much He loved me in His Son, who was spat on and suffered and died and shed His blood for me, who was worse then the people who spat upon Him. I hated what i did not know, like an unreasoning animal, but for my good and for His Glory, He opened my eyes to see the Truth. He showed me the way. I was saved, am being saved, and am eagerly awaiting salvation and to meet my Lord, something the devil tries to keep me from. When i take my eyes off Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith, i start to drown, all else is sinking sand and His blood speaks better than all the spotless sacrifices that could have been offered, even better than the blood of righteous Able. God is gracious. The Holy Spirit has shown me how sick i am, and He has shown me my Great Healer, Jesus, the great Physician. "God be merciful to me, a sinner, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And He ran out to me while i was a long, long way off. And He said, bring out a robe and put it on him. My robe was filthy rags, only by having mine washed white in the blood of the Lamb could i be counted worthy. I thought i was rich before, but i was blind and poor and wretched and naked and i didn't know it. "There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, but is not washed from its sin." God will be glorified among the heathen, of whom i am the worst. He loved me because He loved me, and He cannot lie. The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the Word of the Lord endures forever. I read Romans 8:28-30 and i am in awe. I read Revelation 4:1-11 and every time the sky flashes thunder and lightening i can only wonder. The Father has purposed my redemption, the Son has accomplished it, and the holy Spirit has applied it. "Lord, to where will I go? You have the Words for eternal life." He is the way, all else who came before Him were thieves and robbers who didn't care for the thief, He is the door, he who enters in through Him is saved, and will find pasture and rest for his soul. My works have no place in the scale of His sufferings, i am like the thief on the cross who deserves to die, but the Lord was pleased to look on Jesus and pardon me. I pray He blesses me and keeps me, i just know He is like a luxurious vine, from Him comes my fruit, He will have nothing to do with idols, my own right arm can't save me. He will do it. If i put trust in myself to stand, i may just fall. Only He can save, and since He will not share His Glory with another, i must bow before my Rock and my Redeemer and ask Him to save me from myself and from the power of sin, and He is pleased for His Namesake to heal me. When i sin, it must be repented of, for i have despised him and thought there could somehow have been more satisfaction in that sin, and the devil stands over his wounded prey. But he does not touch me, there is no charge he can lay to my case. May i never sin, God forbid, but if i say i have no sin i deceive myself and the truth is not in me. I am a sick sinner who the lord by His love and grace has caused me to be born of the Spirit and to partake in life in this new nature. I put no confidence in the flesh, knowing there is no good thing that dwells therein. Jesus, Jesus, the anchor for my soul, His blood shed on the cross and applied to my soul will save me from the wrath to come, He is our Passover Lamb. I pray He tenderly and sweetly draw your heart near to His and fills you with His love and that you will have all peace and joy in believing and that you will be filled with the Spirit and grow more and more in the knowledge of Him, in Jesus Loving, Mighty Holy Name i pray and for His Sake, amen. love brother