To ‘testify’ simply means ‘to bare witness to’ or to declare that something is true. In the next few paragraphs there are several things that I want to ‘bare witness to’ about my saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Firstly, to anyone reading this short testimony, I want you to know that Jesus is very real! I want to testify that He is alive after the power of an endless life and that He has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever! The Lord Jesus of the bible, that changed so many lives then, still moves, still saves, still heals, still blesses, still undertakes for His people and still changes lives today. I know because He has changed mine.
Just over eight years ago, I walked through the doors of The Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast. I was very disillusioned with life, with empty religion and certainly with church in general. I was desperately seeking reality and at a Sunday night gospel meeting, I found it!! As I sat in my seat tucked away in the upstairs gallery, I felt very conscious that I was in the presence of God. Deeply convicted that, my life was empty, that I wasn’t right with God and that if I was to die that night I was heading for a lost eternity, I surrendered my life to Christ. Just as strongly as I had been convicted by the power of God I was embraced by His love. My life was turned inside out. Filled with new desires, new goals and surrounded by new friends I soon found not only a place to worship, but a spiritual home.
Before long my mother and father had seen such a change in my lifestyle that they too wanted to come along and see ‘what was going on’ for themselves. Sure enough at another Sunday night gospel meeting they too gave their lives to the Lord. Today they are still going on with Him and are involved in different ministries in the church. Friend, the gospel is still the power of God onto salvation and The Lord Jesus still changes lives today!!
Not only can I testify that He saves, but also that He keeps. The God that I serve doesn’t cut and run in the bad times or only show up for the glory when all is well. Although He is the Lord of all glory, He was willing to lay aside His reputation and come and stand beside a sinner like me and He has stayed there ever since. My God has walked with me through the hard times, through the confusion, pain, weakness, mistakes and even the failures of my life. He is no fair weather friend. When I needed someone to look after me, to lead the way, I have found Him to be my Shepherd. In times when I have felt alone, He has been the friend that sticks closer than a brother, a very present help in time of need. When you need Him friend, he will always be there! I know that I have a heavenly father who loves me with an everlasting love. Love that would send His son to die for me on a cross at calvary because he would rather die than let my soul be lost! He would rather die in suffering and shame than live eternity without me!! Surely, greater love hath no man than this! When there was no eye to pity and no arm to save, His eye pitied and His arm saved. On the cross, the Lord Jesus took all of my sin and shame. All of the curse of sin that was on my life and all the debt that was to my name before God He bore away. In its place He gave me His righteousness, His goodness and His blessing. The sword of Gods wrath, which I deserved, was sheathed in the bosom of Jesus at Calvary and now I am free!!! God is not angry with me any more. Heavens ear is open, heavens resources are available in time of need. God is with us and for us and the everlasting arms are underneath and roundabout. He promised to never leave me nor forsake me, and he hasn’t. He said that none would pluck me out of his hand and none has. His word declares that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus and I believe it! So no matter what is round the corner for my life, it doesn’t matter because Jesus is already there.
The Lord is not just satisfied with saving my soul, setting me free and making me whole. He always goes the extra mile to bless us. His word states that he has plans for my life, plans for good and not for evil. Plans to prosper me and to give me hope and a future. Each day now has meaning and a purpose as we walk through this life into eternity. He is my hope, Christ in me the hope of glory!
If you have taken the time to read this far friend, thank you for bearing with me! But, can I leave you with a few questions of my own? You have heard my testimony, my experience, what I know to be true. What about you? Do you know Him? Are you right with God? Can you say with the hymn writer, it is well with my soul? If The Lord Jesus was to return today, where would your soul spend eternity? I know these are questions that challenged me. The Lord Jesus loves you deeply friend and wants to bless you and to help you. Its my prayer that as you mediate on the things you have read, that you will let this great saviour, this wonderful God into your own heart and life and have a ‘testimony’ and an experience of your own!
God bless
Mark .
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