Quote:
Originally Posted by chette777
Stephen,
Maybe you just have not been taught how to accurately detail your testimony. I have three, one long verson and two shorter versions.
the main thing you want to do when sharing your testimony (especially for the unsaved who may be listening or reading) is to be specific on when you beleived the Gospel, when you made Christ your personal savior and to express that at that moment you were saved and received eternal life.
For example, I heard the gospel, I was convicted in my heart that I needed Christ, I beleived he died in my place and paid the price for my sins, his blood made atonement for my sins and he rose from the dead to give me the assurance of eternal life with him.
all those terms are part of my testimony in one form or another. that way no one would be mistaken to think that there is any other way to be saved other than belief on Christ.
I was not doubting your salvation. I was doubting that your testimony was Biblical. as Bible beleivers we want to make every attempt to have our testimonies agree with the scriptures or we maybe sharing a different gospel.
I didn't beat you down and neither did George. as a matter of fact if you are one who is learning from this forum. you will take his insight and what I just shared and rewrite your testimony in a more Biblically accurate way so as not to mislead unbelievers.
I would not presume to judge your salvation and niether did George.
there is something I do. not everyone does this. But what I do is everytime I get a new Bible (of which I just did) I go through Proverbs. one per day until completed. I make comments in the margins as to what the verses are speaking to me about (that is persoal application). I get to see where I am in light of these scriptures, is my heart on the side of righteousness or wickedness? for throughout Proverbs that contrast is made clear. I still have some of those wicked contrats in my life and I can pray them with the Lord and ask for the Holy Ghost to help me do the things of righteousness in my heart and not the things of wickedness.
May I suggest you do something like that with the book of Proverbs. it is you doing it for you and no one else. that book will have a way of helping you see yourself more clearly and truthfully. So be honest with yourself, attitude and heart as you go through it. For Christ said we must remove the speck from our own eye before we can help remove the stone from our brothers eye.
blessing
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Chette: this post of yours is right on. What I didn't make clear to you guys is that I (in the first account, and then the second account I wrote within miniutes of crawling out of bed) wrote a very brief testimony when I was feeling a bit frustrated over things. I didn't realize I would be required to give an exhaustive account of how I came to where I am today. I have often wondered if I should write out a formal testimony, and perhaps this is a wake up call for me to do so. Concerning Proverbs, I have been through it many times, and each time is as if the first. Proverbs is a gem! Again, I thank you for this post. This is the first post of yours I actually felt like you weren't out to ostrasize me. I appreciate this very much. If only you all knew how agonizing the prayers I've had lately have been. In all honesty this whole mess has really left me feeling beaten up spiritually.
Renee: I am so sorry... I wish I could tell you that in person. I am a fool sometimes, and I want you to know more than anything that I was so wrong for what I said. I have nothing but love and respect for you. *sigh*
Debau: of course you are absolutely correct. I guess I wasn't expecting to have to do so here of all places. Truly you do bring forth wisdom to this conversation.
George: There was nothing sensational at all about my recieving Christ's invitation to recieve forgiveness by His atoning blood of 10 years ago when I was staying in the house of the deacon of my parents church after our house had burned down the day before Christmas. I really REALLY was lost at that time in all sorts of destructive behaviours. Our family was stressed to the max after seeing everything we owned go up in flames, and on top of that I was becoming more and more rebellious as time went by (I think I was trying to cope with things in, ultimately, the wrong way). I had indeed grown up in a fairly liberal Christian home (I sure wish I could lead them out of this today, but they won't here it from their son) but none the less my mother wanted me to recieve Christ Jesus into my heart, and sat me down one evening to explain the gospel one last time to me. At that moment I wanted nothing to do with Jesus or what He offered me, mainly because I more often than not rebelled against my parents just for the sake of rebellion. However, something didn't settle right with me that week. I just felt unsettled by the knowledge of what Jesus Christ had done, and one evening while I was watching a film I realized that the only reason I didn't want to recieve Christ Jesus was solely for the sake of rebellion, and that my years of fighting and bad mouthing Christians was done because I ultimately knew that God indeed existed and that salvation was only through His Son. That night I was scared and didn't know what to pray. I was all alone in the basement of a strangers home with the greatest desire to make peace with God, and I only knew that I could do so because Christ Jesus had hung on a cross on my behalf. I remember expressing to God that I would not continue on in rebellion, and that I would live my life for Him instead of myself. "Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." That night by the grace of God through my faith in His Son Jesus Christ, who hung on the cross for my sins and rose again the third day, I recieved eternal forgiveness for all of my sins
. At this point I started to read the NIV bible and began to learn what that translation had to offer a young Christian still on the milk. I got involved in youth group and Bible study etc. One thing that also happened was that I became aware of sin in my life. I've always felt very sensitive to it for some reason. I've always battled with why I desire to do good but at times still do sinful things. My prayers reflect this... I know that Christ's sacrifice was once and for all, so my salvation was never in question. However I was tormented (and still am) by the desire to make my Master smile, and the blatant sin that still exists in my life. Fast forward
, it was my decision years later to put away the perVersions and get the Good ol' Booke that I my life began to really reflect the promises I found in God's Word. I started to really hunger for those life giving words and also found a great desire in me to share what I'd found with others. You all know the rest. People (in my experience) just don't want to be told that the bible they own is not God's preserved Words. I wasn't very graceful in my approach either, and I'm thinking that hasn't changed much today.
I haven't detailed everything George, but if you have questions, please feel free to ask.
a fool for Jesus,
Stephen