The Bible says in 1st Corinthians 6:9-11a "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you..." I was a fornicator, an adulterer, and a thief. I was covetous of other people's things, a drunkard, and I reviled those that were good. I am ashamed to admit today what I was before I met Jesus Christ. But thank God the scripture doesn't stop at verse 11a. The apostle Paul continues in verse 11b, "but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
The day that the Lord made Himself known to me I was suffering from the effects of a weekend of debauchery. I had been to some motorcycle races with a friend on a Sunday evening and we had consumed some beer and gotten high. Then on Monday morning, as I sat in my parent's kitchen finishing breakfast, reading a Reader's Digest article about a woman who professed to be a seeress, the Lord Jesus stood in the room and told me that, while she was not of Him, the way my life was going was wrong and that I had a choice to make. Then in tones of the most unutterable love, he said, "make me your choice, I am the only reasonable choice you have." I stood to my feet and turned in the direction I sensed His presence and said, "Lord Jesus, if you will help me I will serve you from this day to the day I die." He immediately cleansed my mind of all the filthy language I was used to using and put a desire to serve Him in it's place. The the same time He said to me, "read My word and start in Matthew." I can say with apostle Paul, "I was not disobedient..." to that heavenly visitation. (see Acts 26:19) (You can read my full testimony at www.thepentecostalpreacher.net).
I was 23 years old then, now I am 70. Let me say that the Lord Jesus has never left me nor forsaken me, I have failed Him at times but He has not once failed me. He has been my refuge and as the Psalmist said in Psalm 46:1b, "a very present help in trouble." Jesus Christ has truly been Ebenezer to me. (see 1st Samuel 7:12) I will never understand His great love for me. Oh how I love Him, (because He first loved me). (see 1 John 4:19) Reader, whatever wrong you have done in your life, make Jesus your choice today. Repent of your sins, be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (see Acts 2:38) The Lord will never give you reason to be sorry.
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