Testimony

Amen
The Bible says there's power in testimony
I uh, I grew up in a Christian family, I didn't miss a Sunday or a Wednesday
My mom was in the worship team
And um, yeah, I started to
Started to kind of live this secret life, started to give in to sin
Sometime around Junior High, and just started to get, I don't know, really curious about
Like all the things that weren't in this, you know, Christian church bubble and
So, I went out to explore and, um
Really watered a seed of sin that uh, grew and grew and grew and
Uh, long story short, by the time I got into my freshman year of college
I uh, I, I remember I went into college saying, "I'm not gonna go in as a Christian"
Like, I believe, I believe God is real
But I'm just gonna put that off 'til later
Because I wanna go see what the world has to offer me
You know, I wanna go have fun
I wanna go do what everyone else is doing that I felt like I couldn't
And um, so that whole year I just, I just let loose
And uh, I did everything that I wanted to and um
I led myself down a path of destruction
Every single decision that I made for myself led me
Not only nowhere, but led me just to the end of myself
And so I woke up my sophomore year, just completely broken, fully insecure
I mean, I was not full of joy
I was, it's it's laughable if you see me now versus who I was back then
I was not the same person
It's hard to even look back at pictures of myself
The facial expressions I'm making, that's just that's not me
And um, in that lowest, lowest point, I was sitting at this coffee shop
And uh, I heard this gentle voice in my head
And it was telling me to go to a church service
And uh
I tried everything, and you know, "Alright, I'll see it through"
So I Googled where to go to church
And I saw this church service had a Wednesday night service for, like a college ministry
And so I showed up like an hour late to that, and um
I walked out, the parking lot was empty, the foyer was empty, everything
I opened up the doors, and just this, I walked into this rich aroma of worship, really
It was just the, the, it was like this spirit-filled thing
Where like the whole church had fasted for three days
And they were doing this like extended six-hour worship, and I walked right in the middle of that
And uh, I just remember walking through the doors, and being like
"Man, I feel lighter already"
Like, I feel like, you know, I feel like this baggage left me
And then, I walked into the sanctuary and
I can't explain, I can't, I can't explain it, but I encountered Jesus
I encountered the Holy Spirit, and uh, yeah, amen
Yeah, I mean, just to pause there
It's like the spiritual realm is so interesting because
We can't see, we can't see Him, but He is a person
And uh, so, yeah, I walked into that room, and I met a person
I spoke to a person, I was held by a person
I was breathed life into by a person, and uh
See, I got on my knees, and I cried out to Jesus
I said, "Jesus, I'm, I'm sick and tired of living life for myself
I'm sick and tired of the decisions I'm making
I want you to come into my life
I want you to make me a new person
I'm living my life for you
Whatever, whatever this is, whatever I just found
I found home, I found life, I found"
Uh, amen
And um
"Yeah, Lord, take, you know, take all my stuff, take my career, take my house
Whatever, but just give me Jesus"
I'm telling y'all, it's, um
He's been so good, and uh, here I am, I mean, I'm whatever, eight years or so
Into my walk with- my true walk with the Lord
And I'm telling you from the bottom of my heart
It is the only way, it's the only source of life
Jesus is the only source of life
Everything else fails, and I just think it's so powerful
I can't believe that my grandad-, I found that video of him on YouTube
I didn't even realize, it's just crazy, so
He's like ninety-three now, and I ask him, I'm like
"Grandad, what is the, what's the meaning of life"
You know, when you look back on your life, it's a pretty heavy conversation
He handles it lightly- he's just like, I really were to spend more time with Jesus
Which is crazy 'cause he's about to you know, be spending more time with Jesus
And he's saying on earth, "Hey, I wish I would've spent more time with Jesus"
So, yeah, if, uh, if I could summarize all that into two words
It would be 'don't wait'
Because Jesus is coming back soon
And when He comes back, are you gonna go with Him, or are you going to stay here?
And I just, I know some-at least one person out there has that same burning in their chest that I had
And I just wanna let you know
May- maybe you're resisting Jesus because you think you're too full of shame
You've done too many things- there's no way Jesus could love me
There's no way- I've done so many things I can't speak on
The Bible says that while we were still sinners, He died for us
And it says that there is nothing that we could ever do to separate His love from us
So there's no
There's no sin too great that He didn't die for
That is why He died- He came to die for our sin
And the Bible also says that if you uh confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
And believe in your heart that He died and rose again, uh you will be saved
So, in your heart right now, if that's you, if you're feeling that burning, just say
"Lord, I ask that you would-Jesus, would you come into my heart?
Would you make me a new person?
Would you lift the veil from my eyes?
When I read scripture, would you enlighten it, Lord?
Holy Spirit, make me a new person
I believe that you died and rose again for my sins
In Jesus name, amen"