How I Came to Know the Lord.
I grew up in what I thought was a Christian household. My family went to church, we all owned Bibles, and even said grace before meals. However, I did not bother to read my Bible and I knew very little about Jesus Christ. I went to a charismatic mega church in California called Crenshaw Christian Center. Although I would hear something about Jesus from time to time as I attended services there, they seemed to be more concerned with tithes than salvation. But over the period of several months to a year I began to realize that I needed Jesus otherwise I would go to hell when I died. So I wanted to accept Jesus.
And at 14 years old I went up to the front of the church when the Pastor did the altar call. I and the others who came up front were then taken to another section of the church where I was met by a “prayer volunteer.” A woman in her late forties came over to me and asked if I wanted to accept Jesus and I said yes. She then asked if I wanted to receive the Holy Spirit and I replied yes. She told me to repeat after her as she prayed and I did. I don’t really remember what I said but I did feel good afterward. Well, that good feeling only lasted for a couple of days, shortly after I went back to my old depressed state. Sadly I did not know who Jesus was nor did I know anything about sin or that I was a sinner. I only knew that Jesus was a good man and I needed to “accept” Him or I would go to hell.
Five miserable years went by and I slowly forgot about God. My family stopped going to church and my life was coming apart at the seams. I was doing badly in school, my family was dirt poor, and my parents were threatening one another with divorce. They separated for a time but then came back together. Then one day my dad decided that we were going to start attending church again. He even got out his old box of Christian books and tapes. In that box I saw a stack of Chick comics. I picked one up, I think it was the Bible in pictures comic, and started reading it. I thought it was interesting and my dad decided to order some more comics. He called Chick Publications and the woman on the phone insisted that he also get the “evolution DVDs” as well. So he did.
When the package arrived my parents called me into their room to see something on TV. I walked into the room and saw some guy on the screen wearing a suit with a picture of a dinosaur on his tie. I remembered thinking, “who is this crackpot?” But my dad really wanted me and my mom to see this video so I reluctantly sat there and watched. After watching several of the seminars, I was dumbfounded. I couldn’t believe it; I thought “What that stuff in the Bible is true? All that I was taught about the big bang theory and evolution was a lie?!” At that very point, for the first time in my life, I believed the Bible as a whole. And I actually began to read my KJV Bible. All the time before I had not bothered to read my Bible, it just sat on my dresser.
A month or so went by and in September of 2007 I truly believed on Jesus Christ. I finally knew who He was and what He had done for me. Jesus was God manifested in the flesh, the Word. He came and gave His life; He shed His blood and died on the cross for me. He rose from the dead three days later and is now in heaven. Jesus wasn’t dead, He is alive today and is soon to return. I finally understood that and I knew why I needed Jesus. This time, unlike the fake conversion I had at 14, was going to be for real. I was really going to accept Jesus Christ! I did what Romans 10:9-10 said. I believed on Christ and that God had raised Him from the dead. I believed it in my heart and said it out of my mouth. I said, “Lord I believe on You, I believe Jesus Christ died to save me because I’m a sinner. I believe Jesus rose from the dead three days later and I repent and turn from sin and turn to You. I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. In Jesus name amen.” I truly repented; I wanted nothing to do with sin. I stopped cussing, watching, listening to, and reading all of that sinful stuff. And I got rid of the junk in my room: the anime, manga, video games. I was really into vampire stuff and punk rock music so I threw all of that out. Now I read my Bible and live for the Lord. I’ve been saved for a little over a year.
I now try telling others about Jesus Christ and am doing my best to eschew sin. Life may be hard at times but I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am saved - I abide in the vine (John 15).
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"I wouldn't join a group that would have me as a member" Groucho Marx