My Story
Being a good person doesn’t get you to heaven. Being saved or born-again does. Here’s my story of how I accepted Jesus Christ and became a Christian.
On July 11, 1977, my life changed. If you look up that date in history, you will find nothing historically significant happened on that Sunday. It was a remarkable day for me. Sunday, July 11, 1977, was the watershed event in my life.
While attending First Baptist Church of Lakewood in Tacoma, Washington, I noticed a group of men that seemed to have what I was missing. I attended a Bible study with them.
Here I found that God has given us an essential manual for life. The manual is the Bible. God has the answers to the problems and emptiness we may face. I found out I was here for a purpose, and not by accident. I learned Jesus loves me and desires to have a personal relationship with me. However, sin separated me from Him.
I Realized I Had a Sin Problem
The Bible says in Romans 3:23 (KJV), “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
But no one is perfect! We have all sinned and therefore cannot save ourselves by just living a good life.
Why not?
The Bible says in Romans 6:23 (KJV), “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
I Learned God Gives Us a Promise
The Bible says in John 3:16 (KJV), “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”
I Learned That God Made a Provision for Me
The Bible says in Romans 10:9-10, 13 (KJV), “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
I Prayed to Accept the Gift of Eternal Life Through Jesus
I prayed, “Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the grave so that I might have eternal life in Heaven with You. I willingly repent of my sins and ask you to come into my heart and life. Take control of my words, thoughts, and actions. I place all of my trust in You for my salvation. I accept You as my Lord and Savior, and this free gift of eternal life. Amen.”
Since then my life has not been perfect. It’s been far from it. I’ve messed up from time to time, sometimes failing miserably in my decisions and choices. However, I have had direction and purpose in my life. I know where I am headed. I have the Bible to give me the principles for daily living. I am never alone. I have had real peace for the last 40 plus years.
How about you? Have you ever been saved?
You Can Do Like I Did
Romans 10:9-10, 13 tells us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. … For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Why Not Pray This Simple Prayer and Accept Jesus Christ Today?
Photo Source: Pixabay
This blog post is from the forthcoming book, “Caregiving: Biblical Insights from a Caregiver’s Journey” by Jimmie Kepler, Ed.D.
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Beautifully said, Jimmie. While this is the basic foundation of Christianity we can never hear it too many times. May those who read this that don’t know Christ come to Him through your words
I have been emailing, writing and posting to my extended family about my spiritual birthday for over forty years. That birthday allows me to share Christ in a loving, this happened to me kind of way. Almost all my aunts, uncles, and cousins have accepted Christ over the years. Some through my witness. Others through the witness of others.
Thank you for sharing this, Jimmie, and I love how you made it personal! What you noticed in those men, that you decided you wanted, makes it all the more important for us to “live out” this Christian life, because we never know who is paying attention to us, noticing our actions and words, to see if they line up with what we profess. Thanks for this reminder!
Our “walk” is so important. We live our witness, our beliefs in all areas. I fail in this area too often.
Jimmie, my growth story is similar. I met real believers who had something I wanted and began attending Bible study. I’d actually come to Christ years earlier at a youth camp. But didn’t really grow until I got into the Bible.
Thanks for sharing. It is encouraging to me.
Thanks for sharing a part of your testimony with us my friend. When we understand where we each come from, and how we came to Christ, we start to find the common ground that exists between all of mankind. It all starts with John 3:16 doesn’t it? God’s blessings sir.