My Testamony

I grew up in Pampa, Texas.  My Mother always saw that I attended Sunday School in the Baptist Church.  When I was a child around 7 or 8 years old, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and was baptized.   However, as I grew into my teens I still attended church,  but never had a personal relationship with the Lord.

From that time on, I began to trust God in a new way and to read the Bible and pray every day.   I have continued to do so all through the years and have seen God deliver me through many trials, but always with victory.    The Bible says that  we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. 

Then after marriage and having two children, my husband had the opportunity to go to Quito, Ecuador, to participate in bringing their oil into the States.  So we packed up and went with him to established a home there for seven years.  I attended the English speaking mission there.  In their library was a book written by Pat Boon, "A New Song".  How that book (pentecostal) got into that Baptist Library, I will never know.  Staunch Baptist did not believe in the pentecostal experience!

After reading that book, I began to hunger for the "Baptism in the Holy Spirit"- the pentecostal experience.  I was so hunger for the Lord and prayed all one night to be able to speak in tongues.  I never did  speak in tongues that night and I was so disappointed.  However, the next day as I was laying on my bed, the Holy Spirit began to move on me and out of my mouth came this strange lanquage that was so foreign to me.  Suddenly I knew God had been faithful to answer my prayer.   With this new experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit, it filled me with the power to overcome much of the sin in my life for the first time and to live victoriously.  I will have to say that when my Pastor found out about this, he was not too happy.  But no one, even my Pastor, could tell me that this was not real and that it was not from God.  It so filled me with so much joy and peace.

I have continued to serve the Lord all through the years and will tell you that God is a Faithful God.  You too can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and experience His Love. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life: (John 3:16)

God's Plan for you is (Jesus speaking) "I came that they might have life, and might have it  more abundantly" (John 10:10).You can access this plan.

HOW DO I DO THAT?

In order that we might do this, we must acknowledge that we are sinful and separated from God, not experiencing his plan for our lives.  "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  Man was created to have fellowship with God but because we have chosen to go our own way, not knowing the ways of God, we do not experience his fellowship daily.  "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is abundant life" (Rom 6:23)  God is Holy and  we cannot have this holy relationship with him through our own efforts- Only through Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Light.

Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man"s sin.  "But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).   He is the ONLY WAY to have this personal relationship with the Father and to be born again.  Jesus said, " I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me" John 14:6.  You see God has bridged the chasm which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross in our place.  It is through acknowledging this, that we are able to approach him to receive this gift of His Son and to begin this beautiful relationship with Him

However, we must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; Then we can know and experience "God's love and plan for our lives.   "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). 

We must receive Christ by faith. "For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, that no one should boast"  (Ephisians 2:8-9)

We receive Christ by personal invitation. (Christ speaking: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and sup with him {in other words, have personal relationship with you.} Rev elation 3:20).

If you desire to begin a new abundant life and be born again, please pray this prayer with me.

Lord Jesus, I need you.  I open the door of my life and receive You as my Saviour and Lord.  Thank you for forgiving my sins.  Take control of the throne of my heart; come into my heart and live your life through me.  Make me the kind of person that you want me to be. Fill me with your love and desire to live a holy, godly life just as you lived. Amen

Now that you have prayed this prayer and acted on faith to receive Christ many things happened including the following:

1. Christ Jesus came into your life.  (Rev. 3:10, Colossians l:2)
2. Your sins were forgiven.  (John1:12)
3. You became a child of God (John l:12) and can now begin a personal relationship with him. 
   
4. You began the great adventure for which God created you.  (John 10:10,  2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:128)

Now that just as a little seed has been planted in the earth and needs water and sun to grow, so the little seed of faith in your heart, need spirtual food to grow.  You must feed your spirit to be able to be a mighty person of faith and make this relationship exciting!!

May I suggest several things that will make that possible.

1. Go to God in prayer daily (Joh 15:7)
2. Read God's Word daily (Acts 17-11). Please begin with the Gospel of John and read through the New Testament, then begin to read the Old Testament.
3. Obey God, moment by moment.  When you fail to do this, confess your disobedience as sin and ask Jesus to forgive you and to cleanse you with the precious blood of Jesus. ( 1 John 1:9 )"If we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrightousnes".
4. Trust God for every detail of your life (1 Peter 5:7)
5. Get to know the Lord personally. Trust the Holy Spirit to control and empower your daily life and witness.  Tell someone that you have received the gift of salvation.
6. Go to church and be baptized.  Look for God to bring other Christians across your path to have fellowship with you.

Be Blessed and remember.- You are very special and unique and God LOVES YOU VERY MUCH.

 Father, I thank you for everyone that says this prayer, that you will manifest yourself to them, will bless them- that they may know that you forgave them of all their inquities, you have healed them of all their diseases, and are even now renewing their youth as the eagle, (Psalms 3:1-3 ). May you bless them and reveal yourself to them. In Jesus Name, Amen

 If you have prayed that prayer, please feel free to email me and let me know.  Thank you 

jsteinartist@sbcglobal.net