When my life seemed to all be falling apart... I humbled myself, got on my knees and prayed something like this. "God if you are really real and this bible is your true word please speak to me and show me the truth." I then opened up the bible and started to read it...I said to myself, "none of this is relevent to me", and I continued to read a little further. I came to the end of the chapter I was reading and it said, "leave your life of sins!" So, I thought to myself.."maybe he is talking to me." I continued to read some more and in the end of the next chapter it said, "Those that are not of God cannot hear God's word!" WOW...I thought to myself. When God speaks to you, YOU KNOW!
I knew God was speaking to me and what he was trying to tell me. I knew I had been living in sin and complete rebellion to the word of God. God was trying to tell me that unless I turned to him and became one of his children I would not be able to hear him speak! My heart was broken and my soul was in complete affliction at that time. I realized that MY WAY had gotten me into this mess and God's way must be the better way! That was almost 15 years ago....
From the moment that I humbled myself and asked God to show me the truth and his ways he began working in my life...I am sure he was at work prior to that but I was unaware. It wasn't until two years later that I would completely surrender my life to the Lord! I was slowly moving toward him at that point with no real spiritual people in my life guiding me, just looking out for him working in anyway in my life and speaking to my heart. It wasn't until May or June of 2002 that I came to that moment of complete repentance and a surrender in my heart to the Lord! I will never forget that night because I stayed up until 4am sobbing releasing so much pain that was within me, until I fell asleep.
No, my life the next day wasn't rosie and problem-less. Actually, my life seemed to get worse as far as physical circumstances! The devil was loosing a soul and he was really angry about it!! He started to come against me with everything he had in order that I might retreat and renounce God and go back to my old ways...but by God's grace and mercy today I am writing this to share with you, in hopes that it will add to your life and encourage you.
This is the pattern for anyone who wants to really walk with God! No, its not for the faint of heart! It is not peaches and cream! It is a battle but a very rewarding one! As you fight the battles with him and allow him to purify your heart from all ungodliness, you will have VICTORY!
God is not a far away force! He is right there when we come to him in humility of heart with a willingness to obey him. Alot of people want to know God but they don't want to obey him, and we can't really know him unless we obey him. The bible says in John 14:23, "Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him". We are not perfectly obedient from the beginning. It is a process as we learn God's ways. What God wants to see is quick repentance and obedience once you learn the truth!
To please God is to obey God and to love him...When Jesus went to be baptized
by John the Baptist a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud and said, "this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Mat 17:5). Up to that point Jesus had not started his "ministry". He had been perfectly obedient to his father! In a world today where so much emphasis is placed in ministry (what are you doing for God?). Notice God is more concerned about your obedience and your "being a Christian" then your works! Your works should come from your being or we are just being hypocrites!
So, where do we start? We humble ourselves. How do we find God? Get in his word and speak to him in prayer, repent and obey everyday! Is he some far away force? Nope, he is all around! He is omnipresent! How do we please him? Thru obeying his word! Simple...
