What Jesus has done for Me
OK, I've told you
that Jesus is good. Now, you could
take my word for it,
OR
You could just look at my life.
I was born in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada in 1973. As a child I went to Sunday school at the local Presbyterian church, where I learned many of the Bible stories. When I was almost four, I decided to ask Jesus into my heart. It was a genuine decision, but certainly one that was going to have to mature as I did. I have two different ideas of who I was as a child in elementary school. I can remember naively saying Christian things to my music teacher, to which she replied, "Not everybody believes that you know!" I didn't, it came as a shock. Some friends from elementary school have confirmed recently that in those days I did not let my faith hide. But, it was a faith though genuine that hadn't worked itself out in all my attitudes and actions. In grade 6, I began attending a group called 'Brigades' which put me in touch with a lot of Christian boys my age, it was good to know that life could be different than it was at school. I had some really good Christian friends, and we encouraged each other to live by God's standards, and not the world's standards.
Everything was carrying on as it always had
until one day my parents announced that we were moving hundreds
of miles away to British Columbia. I was shocked, I
considered running away, but at age 14 I chose not to (smart) and
went with mom and dad. I left behind me all the friends I'd
had while growing up, and started school out 'here' in grade 10.
It was one of the lowest times of my life. I felt like I
had nobody to talk to. I didn't get along very well with my
mom and dad, and they were the only people I knew. Things
at school weren't great, and I felt all alone. There was a
church youth group at a church 30 minutes away, which was good,
but those were my only 'real' friends, and I only saw them once
or twice a week, the rest of the time, it was merely survival.
Survive at school, come home, survive as much as I could with mom
and dad without getting into fights. I grew more and more
depressed, to the point that I considered suicide. Nobody
would listen to me, I had no close friends, I had a family that
didn't understand me, what was there to live for? As I was
about to kill myself, I became aware of an incredible 'emptiness'.
It was so terrible, that I physically turned away from it, I
turned to Jesus, whom I understood at that point, had been there
all along, watching waiting, listening, waiting for me to turn to
Him. I believe that God let me see the other side, to see what
complete separation from Him is like (Trust me it is terrible).
Then I realized what had happened. I had Jesus, I had a
friend, I had someone to turn to. I was no longer alone.
I had met Jesus, and I now knew that He was a real person who was
interested in my life. The love of Jesus kept me alive
that day, and replaced my despair with hope. I could make
it.
I continued to attend that youth group, to
learn more about my God and friend, Jesus. It was a good
time in my life. At school in grade 11 I had a good friend
who loved Jesus too. Jesus was the truth, but he was also
becoming the life. I could see how Jesus was changing me
bit by bit, making me a more loving person (more like Him).
I wanted all my friends to know that I had met Jesus, not because
I was so great, but because Jesus is. I wanted all of them
to know Jesus and live for Him. I think I irritated a lot
of people with the truth that year, but they could see something
was changing in me. About the same time, I went to a youth
conference called Banff 89 and there was an opportunity to 'recommit'
our lives to Jesus. To get back on track with God. It
was a very good time, and at that retreat I met a friend named
Rob, who was filled with the Holy Spirit of God, I knew there was
something special there, and I wanted it, because it was good.
I began to learn about faith. I went through high school
and continued learning about God, learning how to stand up
against secular humanist thought with the truth. (I was
very good at being right all the time, even when I wasn't really
right, but that's ok, God is still in control and has been
dealing with that :-) )
It only seemed natural to go to Bible
College after High School. I packed up and moved 30 minutes
down the freeway. There I learned lots in the classes, and
probably more outside of the classes. ha ha. It was a good
time to focus on God and discover that He was real. To put
it in my own words, God was fighting to get out of the Bible
where I often kept Him :-) I had many different roommates
at college, who taught me things about God and about myself.
I had learned lots about God by the end of the second year,
and I grew complacent. I was more interested in pulling
pranks than I was in developing my friendship with God. My
grades and spiritual life reflected this. I was set on
being a police officer because I wanted adventure. I
persevered and kept going in that direction even when the doors
seemed to shut. Then through some good friends who weren't
afraid to ask hard questions, I realized God had a better idea
for me. God promised me adventure if I would follow Him.
And there haven't been very many dull moments since.
It was during my third year at College (after
God had turned me around) that I discovered a funny bump in my
arm. The doctors treated the 'growth' like a low grade of
cancer because to this day nobody knows what it was. LET ME
TAKE A SECOND TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING I come from
a long line of worriers, I am a worrier by nature, I worry about
not having something to worry about :-) From the time I
found the bump to the time of the Second surgery when the entire
thing (along with a 1/3 of my tricept was removed), I had
complete peace. I had peace that passes understanding as
the Bible describes in Philipians 4:6 I had the peace of
God, BECAUSE I KNEW THAT GOD WAS IN CONTROL. It didn't
matter if I died, God was in control. It didn't matter if I
lost the use of my arm, God was in control. God gave me a
good gift, and that was His peace. Now it is 3 years later and
there has been no re-occurance! Thank You Jesus. God
gave me great faith to trust Him at that time, and all I can say
is; It was worth it! I thank God for the cure, and I
thank God for the sickness that resulted in my faith growing.
It was at that time that I had a deep appreciation for the CHURCH,
I had people praying for me in BC Alberta, Manitoba, Africa, and
I don't know where else. The church lifted me up in prayer.
God healed me. Praise you Jesus.
I've continued to grow in the last three years,
and I'm amazed at how much more God has for me. I've seen
Him heal my friend who fell off a cliff, I've heard God's voice
in my mind in response to our prayers (after He healed Joni).
I've observed God heal other people physically, but very
incredibly I've observed my own emotional healing. I
had a lot of hatred and anger and rage in my life. The rage
scared me, and I asked God to take it away. Simply, He did.
The anger and rage was linked to bitterness I was holding onto,
so that took some more time to work through, but my hatred is
gone. Jesus has taken the garbage, the crap away, and I've
been healed emotionally. I'm sure there is some more work
to do, but now is so much better than before GOD IS GOOD!
I've begun to understand that God isn't just a God of words but also a God of power. As a Christian, I try to live a life that would please God. I don't steal, I don't swear, I don't lie, I don't kill, I don't sleep around. A lot of people think the church is a hotel for saints. It isn't, it's a hospital for sinners, and I am a sinner saved by the grace of God through my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. I've got a sin problem and I can't get rid of it (because I'm still sinful)
In (Matt 5:27-28) Jesus said "You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
I had a problem, God wasn't a legalist.
I understood that even though I'd never done really bad things, I
(like the rest of the human race just in
case you are under the delusion that you're perfect) could
guard my actions but I couldn't guard my thoughts. I was
sinning in my head, and that was just as bad as going around
killing people. I had problems with lust, with pride, with
laziness, but I had never been able to make any headway against
them. In September the Lord Jesus SMASHED! the stronghold
of lust in my life. Now when I am tempted, I simply resist,
and the devil HAS TO FLEE! I've tasted freedom, and I
want everybody to know that there is freedom for all in Jesus.
So here I am now. I'm not perfect, but it's obvious
that Jesus is changing who I am, making me more like He is.
It is good to have Jesus in your life, I
encourage you to taste and see that God is Good.
I've got a promise for you, and God always
keeps His word.
Jeremiah 29:11-14 For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD.
Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
(It's like free samples)
But don't take my word for it. Take His word for it.