I decided that my information bar would not be complete with a post about just how important my relationship with God is to me, and what He has done in my life. This is my personal testimony.
I was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended Catholic schools through the tenth grade. We were pretty much always at church and to say I KNEW the religion would be putting it mildly; pretty much only inside out and backwards. I had ALWAYS prayed, TRIED to do what was right, and certainly knew how it was that Jesus wanted me to live my life. The problem was that I had always failed. I would go to confession, confess my sins and repent, and hoped desperately that I was not racking up such a large pile of sins that I might not get into Heaven at all, or have too long of a stay in Purgatory at the very least. By the time I was graduating from High School my list of sins were long, to include I was now pregnant, and getting married was completely out of the question. I was beginning to feel pretty hopeless and wondered what in the world condition I would be in by the time I would reach the end of my life. I will confess that it occurred to me to just throw in the towel and really go wild, as I had soo blown it already anyway. But God had very different plans for me. I got invited to a Bible Study group. I never even hesitated in accepting the invitation, as the Bible had always intrigued me, and it wasn't really something that had been taught in the church I had gone to. Oh, I knew what the Religion books said, and could quote it quite well. I knew ALL the prayers they taught, and knew what the Mass was all about. I even knew some of the Old Testament Bible "stories" (as we were told they were called). I KNEW "Religion" but I didn't really know God, and I certainly had no idea what the Bible really had to say. I had been taught that pretty much all the other "religions" were on their way to hell, as there was only one true religion. And truthfully, I had NEVER questioned it, just felt soo sorry for all the others who were NOT in the right boat. Right from the very beginning I was amazed at how different these people were from those that I had been used to. They talked about being "saved" and about their "personal relationship with Jesus" which all sounded exciting to me, but also quite boastful. I remember thinking, "Well, they certainly think ALOT about themselves to be soo sure that they will get into Heaven" Or maybe it was because they REALLY had been just that good. But then I would hear them talk about how they had blown it, and how His Mercies were new every morning, and I began to see that I really didn't understand at all. I began to read for the very time just what the Bible really said. I had never questioned that it was the actual Word of God, or that it was total truth. I was amazed at what I discovered. Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, came to this earth to SAVE me! John 3: 16 became the very first verse I memorized....
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
I noticed that it said WHOEVER BELIEVES ~ not whoever is good enough or hasn't sinned too much.
The very first time the Bible study leader suggested that all I had to do was to pray and ask the Lord to come into my heart and SAVE me, repent from my sins, and begin a new life and promise to follow Him always, I did it. I can honestly tell you my life has never been the same. I have the living God living inside of me. So when I stand before Almighty God some day He will see only Jesus, who truly did live the perfect life, and NOT me, who could never hope to. God can accept nothing less than perfection, which is why Jesus came. To live the perfect life shed His blood on the cross to cover my sins, and die and rise again on the third day so that WHOEVER believes in Him and asks Him to save them, He will. It is really just that simple, and yet that profound. Gospel means Good News, and that is really just what it is. I have spent the last 36 years studying the Bible and learning just what it has to say. And I can also honestly tell you, I still learn something new all the time. My relationship with Him has grown and has become such an important part of my day that I can't imagine how in the world anyone would EVER get along without Him. It is soo my desire that EVERYONE would REALLY know Him, and know what a life living for Him really brings.
Shortly after I got saved I prayed and asked that the Lord might bring a man into my life who might love me and my son Joe, but also would love the Lord above all else. I knew we had to have that in common if we were to have any hope at all at making a successful marriage. A couple of weeks later I met my husband Jeff. On our second date we talked about our beliefs and faith and where we were at. And come to find out, at just about the same time he was going through a very similar experience. Had been raised Catholic, but didn't really know God. Had prayed and asked the Lord into His heart, and one of the first prayers he had prayed after getting saved was the Lord would bring a girl into His life that shared these beliefs and that he might begin a serious relationship with. Coincidence? I think not...God is soo good to me. Life has not always been easy, but with Him by my side, I KNOW what's important, and what is not. Jeff and I decided together to begin attending another church; one that taught straight from the Bible everyday and thoroughly explained the need of being born again and getting saved. We became involved with the Calvary Chapels and originally sat under Chuck Smith for a few years. What a wonderful man of God he really is, and how well he knew the Bible was amazing. For the last 25 years we have attend Calvary Chapel of the Chino Valley sitting under Pastor David Rosales. What a truly gifted and called of God man he really is. His radio broadcasts and Bible studies can be heard all over the United States. What a privilege it has been to have him for our Pastor.
If anyone reading this is interested in more information on how to get saved and begin living a life with the Lord I would be most happy to talk to you or share anything at all I can that might help. My email address is....Debsterup2@aol.com
God bless you all...
* I don't want anyone reading this to think that my point was to put down the Catholic church. I know MANY born again, saved Catholics, who love the Lord and study the Bible on a regular basis. This is just MY personal testimony and the road I traveled down to get to where I am today.
