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Born in 1956, I was raised in the Catholic church and participated fairly regularly. I served as an “altar boy" and held to the belief that if I followed church ritual and participated in the sacraments, along with trying to be good, then I would go to Heaven. Also, even beyond my Catholic faith, and whether or not I followed it strictly, I figured that I would still go to Heaven, because I really had not committed a serious enough sin to condemn me to Hell.
I can remember hearing of other “religions,” and one in particular was called Baptist. It was a local church that had old school buses that made runs on Sundays. Sometimes, following those buses, I would gleefully mock the slogan on the back of the bus, “Jesus Saves,” as though it were an unfinished statement, not having a care of what it meant. I knew who Jesus was, just a child-like image, or at the most, a sort of weak man. I read that He performed miracles and died on a cross for everyone. So, I was content to mock “Jesus Saves.” My attitude towards those who said that they were saved was that they seemed to be nice enough people, but were weak-minded and had somehow fallen for an illegitimate religion, for mine was the only true religion. I prayed to Saint Mary for this and Saint Christopher for that, and to every other saint that was sure to have some pull with God! After my schooling was over, I worked in the automotive industry as a mechanic, eventually working at a car dealership. I worked with many different guys and got along well with all. This included hanging out after work, drinking and party-going. But one fellow in particular, an older guy (I was 21-22 and he was mid-40s), seemed different. He and I worked right next to each other on the same side of the shop. He was a pretty tough looking dude—crew cut, Popeye arms, or “guns” as they say now, a Korean War veteran with a booming voice. He was different, I say, because he called himself a Christian, and a saved one at that! His name was “Dutch” because of his ancestry and we got along quite well. He actually took me under his wing and showed me a lot because he had a lot of experience to share. But what I mostly remember is how he shared his life story with me. He told me what Jesus had done for him, and how He was saved by Christ. He said that he had lived a sinful life and was prone to drink too much, and was meaner than a rattlesnake. Some of the details of his stories would verify that! But he said that he was saved by Jesus, and the Lord had changed him. The Dutch I knew was a very kind-hearted man who exhibited a very changed life, in comparison to his description of his past. I really did watch him closely, and he was always mentioning or talking about Jesus, not obnoxiously, just as though Jesus really did change his life, and I could tell. So, at least no more mocking “Jesus Saves” for me. Dutch moved on, and so did I, only to wave at each other in passing—but I know that he prayed for me. Later, I worked with another fellow at the car dealership. Jim was from Henry, Illinois, and through working on his car, and me not taking any cash, he said that he would “fix me up" with a date, in payment. So, that’s how I met my wife Rhonda. Jim was a Catholic as well, so I got fixed up with a nice Catholic girl! After being interrogated by Rhonda’s dad and passing the test, we were allowed to date. In a year, we were married, and within three years we had two daughters. Those years were very rough, financially, and I noticed a change in myself. I started feeling meaner and hateful. I had always been bigoted and prejudicial since as long as I could remember, but now hate was really gripping me. Worse yet, I didn’t care. It seemed that life’s hardships were exacerbating what was already in me all along. Later on, Rhonda, our oldest daughter Aimee, and I moved to a different part of town, and kiddie-corner from us was another young couple to whom we became friends. During this time, I added to my list of bad character, I began to drink and smoke. So now, I drank and smoked, and was becoming as mean as a snake. Believe it or not, this didn’t sound familiar to me yet! So we continued to spend time with our friends across the street, Rhonda and Brenda(our friend) especially, for they were both expecting and had a lot in common. Brenda claimed to be a Christian. She and Rhonda would get on “religious” subjects. She would explain Christ to Rhonda, and Rhonda would relate the conversations with me. I would say, “that's nice" and be non-caring. Rhonda met more ladies that claimed to be Christians, and she was changing—I was afraid Rhonda was going to become a nun, and I told her so! Because that is the only religious person a Catholic girl can become. But unbeknownst to me, Christ saved her. Now my wife was a different person—not a nun, just different in a better way. She would listen to her friends and even watch religious shows on T.V., and she would talk to me about what she had learned. By now, I was 30 years old and working 2nd shift as a mechanic. We had moved across town to a house that we wanted to buy. I would get home just before midnight, and usually watched T.V. before bed. One night, while flipping through channels, I came across the tail end of one of the evangelistic shows. So, just out of curiosity, I listened to what the fellow said. Several nights, I would tune in about the same time, and his message would be the same. It was always an invitation to ask Christ to save. Eventually, on one night, I didn’t turn him off, and he went on to ask anyone watching to follow him in his prayer. Well, I looked around, and being alone, followed his urging, and I did ask Christ to save me, and at that time, I heard no sound or any other indication that I was saved, so for good measure, I prayed again. So, I was 30 years old when I asked Christ to save me, and now it’s a little over 30 years later as I write this down. My Lord Jesus has been faithful to me and has proven Himself out time and time again. Not that He had to, but just to show that He loves and cares for me! For once I was like those described in John 2:23-25. I said I believed in His name because of the signs which He did. But, Jesus did not commit Himself to me, because He knew all men, and He knew what was in me! By His Grace, He plucked me from the miry pit which I dug. My sin was that evil, no-good pride, and He chose me even while still steeped in it! In the book of Romans, chapter 5 verse 8, it says that God demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us! Do you remember when I said that when I prayed to Him to save me late one night, and how I felt no difference or heard no utterance? Well, it took years later, and even now I am reminded that there was a huge change that happened. Ever so subtle was the Lord, that I didn’t even notice when it happened. But, that night, when I prayed to Jesus to save me, it was right at that instant that Jesus did commit Himself to me! And exactly then did He remove my false need to pray to “saints" and bow down to images of them. Then, He put Himself in their place, in my heart, and it is only Jesus residing in me now. He is committed to me, and I to Him. For just as it says in the book of Acts, chapter 4 verse 12, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Jesus Saves. |
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"If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."
John 8:31-32
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A Ministry of Free Grace Church
1115 Glenn St. Washington, IL 61571 |