My Testimony
is an ongoing testament to the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.
Not too many months ago I read this thought from A.W. Tozer, "We have been snared
in the coils of a spurious logic which insists that if we have found Him, we need
no more seek Him." This line struck me hard, for it sums up most of my life until recently.
I placed my faith in Jesus as my personal savior at the age of thirteen through the
help and example of my best friend's parents. These loving people made it clear to me that without
Jesus, I could not have a relationship with God because my sin seperated me from Him. They helped
me to understand my need for a savior. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the
free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." I knew I was a sinner, but now I
realized the eternal implications of my behavior.
My teenage years were a time of practically no spiritual growth. Though my parents were
faithful to take us to church each week, I was doing nothing more to cultivate a relationship with
the Lord. I always thought I was doing pretty well, though, because I was such a 'good boy'.
But Romans 2:10-11 says, "There is none righteous, not even one. There is none who understands,
there is none who seeks for God." I certainly wasn't leading a righteous life living by my own power.
Nor was I seeking for God. I had fully bought in to the philosophy that I had found God when I was
young - why seek any further?
In to my twenties, I had highs and lows in my walk with the Lord. During one of my highs,
I met and married my wife, Lorrie. In the last twelve years we've been blessed with four children.
The longer I continued to ignore God, though, the more challenging life became.
I have learned a lot from the book of James these past several years. Verse two says,
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials." I was recently challenged
with the question "what is excluded from the word all?" I believe I was caused to consider
the totality of "all" because I was playing the game of choosing which trials in life I would handle
with joy, and which ones were just too difficult.
Our lives, for many years of our marriage since children, have been very challenging.
We have not always cooperated with our circumstances. Verses three and four of James 1 continue,
saying, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its
perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
As my faith in the Lord Jesus grows, I am beginning to experience the fruits of endurance.
Hebrews 4:15-16 says, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near
with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time
of need."
This idea of "drawing near" is what I'm finally realizing it's all about. I am so excited to
be a part of a church body that so strongly emphasizes God's word in the lives of believers.
Psalm 119:1-2 says, "How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.
How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart." And there is
no better way to seek Him than to devour His wonderful words of life.
The way in which God works, though, is incredible. Now that I have finally come to
understand the life-changing concept of drawing near, my problems have not gone away. But instead of
living them out miserably with hopeless despair, God blesses with strength, peace and assurance of
salvation. Psalm 91:14-16 says, "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set
him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him.
I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him, and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him,
and let him behold My salvation."
I praise the Lord for the promise of James 4:8 - "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
There is no other place I would rather be than near to the eternal God of the universe! Because in
Jeremiah 29:11-13 He says, "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for
welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come
and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with
all your heart."
"...and you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
