Sharing My Faith

May I share my faith with you?

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)

I am thankful. God shed his mercy and grace on me one day. He removed the scales that were on my eyes and showed me who He is. I began a relationship with Jesus and it continues today. It was an act of love that God reached into my heart and revealed Himself to me. He showed me that I need Him and that He loves me so much that He sent Jesus Christ to die on a cross in order that my sins could be forgiven. God did not make me choose to follow Him. He just gave me a chance and I gratefully accepted the invitation by believing what I heard and what I read. My hope is that if you have not already been touched by the hand of God, that you will reach out just as you are and ask Him into your life. He will enter and give you an opportunity to draw nearer to Him through prayer and reading the Holy Bible. Your sincere desire to allow God to change your life will determine your eternal destiny. No other decision you can ever make in your life will be as important as receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The Bible shines the light clearly on the key to salvation in the book of Romans.

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The picture on the left is one that I have framed in my bedroom. You may have seen it before as it can easily be found online. When turned vertically, as displayed, it shows Jesus lifting His hands to Heaven. Supposedly the photograph was taken by an amateur photographer after a tornado struck Jarrell, Texas in 1997. Some have suggested that the photograph may have been edited digitally. Whatever the case may be, it is still one of my favorites - real or not.

When it comes to Jesus, I am thankful that I don't have to rely on anyone else to verify His existence. That is where faith enters the picture. I believe that the Lord is present in my life through His Holy Spirit living inside of me. I've developed a relationship with the Lord and the journey that he is taking me on is the best part of living. Sometimes the road is smooth, and at other times, the road is extremely bumpy making me hold on very tightly to the driver, Jesus. I would like to share something that I wrote in the early part of the past decade (the 2000s). It is my first testimony to the Lord. I cherish it now because it is a reminder of how faithful God has been to me and what a great Savior we have in Jesus.

                        THANK YOU JESUS:
A TESTIMONY

It was early in 1994. I remember that I was lonely most of the time. Since I didn't make a great deal of money and was on the verge of losing my job, I couldn't afford cable television. Therefore, my channel options were limited. I had about four channels I could watch, and one of those happened to be TBN, the Trinity Broadcasting Network. I'd never watched or heard of TBN before, but if I had, I'm sure I'd have laughed at its evangelists or mocked them. However, I felt differently this time. As I listened to the various programs and personalities, I heard the Bible and its truths like never before. God had trapped me. He knew that I couldn't pass up "His" channel when nothing good was on the others. I'd at least flip it on to see what was happening. Before too long, the people of TBN became like family to me. They were my friends. I grew especially fond of the nightly "Praise the Lord" program and the telethons. I prayed with these people and began to see my Catholic faith in a different way. I'd been raised as a Catholic. Now at age 30, I could see that there was more to learn beyond my religion.

God removed the scales from my eyes and showed me some exciting things about who He is. I could be saved simply by accepting Jesus as my Savior and forming a personal relationship with Him. There was no way to earn my way into Heaven or please God by trying to be a nice person. I could confess my sins to Him right in my own home and be washed clean by His precious Blood. The Bible said so. Religion was not something God admired. He wanted all of me. Going to church on Sunday and taking part in several other rituals was not going to "win" God's love. The guilt I felt for so many years was unnecessary. His love for me had been the very same every single day of my life. It didn't rise and fall based on my latest good deed or act of sin. What a relief! Jesus was showing me the truth and preparing to change me.

Since discovering TBN, I've had some amazing things happen to me. Where to begin is difficult because I don't recall a timetable of events. Let me start then by saying that my relationship with God improved immensely. I could feel the Holy Spirit when I prayed, and I could communicate with the Lord. For the first time that I can ever remember, I felt in my heart what He was trying to say to me, along with His responses to my questions. Sometimes the responses came so quickly and clearly. I had no doubt who was speaking. What a joy it was to experience God in this way. The Word was all around me and I was able to devote a great deal of time to reading and praying. There were times when the Lord answered my questions immediately as I was reading the Bible. I remember opening the Bible a few times and being led to the right page. I praised God for this because I knew He had everything to do with it. It was amazing to me considering how many pages were in the Bible!

God tested my faith and continues to do so. I left church one day, and my car mysteriously stopped about a mile away. I coasted to a parking space and parked the vehicle. Having just been in the presence of God, I didn't panic. I talked to God and asked Him for help. Inside me was an attitude of calmness. I just had the belief that I belonged to God, and I needed to place this mini-crisis in His hands. There was nothing to fear. Everything seemed to stay in perspective for me. I popped the hood and looked around the engine. Not being a mechanic, I didn't know what to inspect. Therefore, I decided to close the hood and look at the owner's manual for guidance. All the time, I kept telling myself that God was in control. Soon, I had a feeling that I should start the car. When I did, it started immediately with no trouble. I drove to a service station, but the mechanic wasn't in since it was Sunday. Because the car was driving okay, I decided to postpone my trip to have the car serviced. Never again did the car stall while I was driving it. In my heart, I felt that God was trying to test my faith during that experience. The Lord's helping hand was very obvious that day. He always wants us to look to Him first when we're in trouble. That's not easy to do if we're not focused on His Word.

There have been other incidents involving my car. One winter as I came out of work late, I discovered that my accelerator pedal was frozen. As a result, each time I started the car, the engine nearly took me into orbit. It was freezing cold, so I went inside to call for assistance, praying all the way. The best advice I could get was to try pounding on the alternator. Since it was dark and extremely cold, I realized that my attempt to follow this mechanic's directions would be futile. I pondered my options for several minutes. Finally, I felt in my spirit that I needed to go back to the car and try to start it again. When I did, the car started fine. Once again, my reaction to this situation was not one of panic. I spoke to God and asked Him for help. I believe He honored my prayer and willingness to hand things over to Him.

On another occasion I was traveling to my home on the highway. The "check engine" indicator light came on about five miles from town. For my safety, I believe that the Lord had His mighty hand on the situation. He allowed me to be close to my destination before my leaky radiator began to act up. I had the radiator repaired later that week. My car, a Cutlass Supreme, reached over 213,000 miles before I sold it. I called it my "miracle car." Had that car broken down, I don't know what I would've done to replace it. Not until I finished my teacher certification work was I even able to think about purchasing another car. God was faithful.

There are many other stories of God's work where my car was concerned. I would like to share another. One morning as I was driving to my place of work, I was preparing to merge onto the interstate. My vehicle partially slid off the ramp into the snow. With rear-wheel drive and poor traction, I suspected that I wouldn't be able to get out. Although I don't recall what I might've said to the Lord, I remember calmly placing the car in reverse and backing out of the snow as if I was backing out of a driveway on a sunny day. My tires didn't even spin on the ice. I was astonished! The Lord must have had His angels pushing the front end of the car that morning. I praise Him for all of the things He has done through the years to help me out of some difficult situations. My mistakes have been erased by His generosity and love.

One of the most wonderful things to ever happen to me took place in a grocery store. As was the case most of the time, I had very little money to spend. Therefore, I was forced to itemize my purchases in my head and I bought only the essential products. On this particular evening, my spirit was very downcast. I began to place groceries in my cart and add them. When I got to the pancake mix, I picked it up and considered placing it in my basket. Over my shoulder, I heard what sounded like a grating, whispering sound. It was very strange. Someone or something either said "Doug" or "don't." I turned around and thought for a moment that the noise came from the meat department. No one else was in the aisle but me. Suddenly, I heard the Holy Spirit speaking to me. I instantly knew that I wasn't supposed to buy the pancake mix. The message in my mind was so clear that I found myself putting the box back on the shelf. I said to myself, "I'm not supposed to buy this." As I resumed shopping, I found myself going about my business almost as if nothing had happened. After the clerk scanned my purchases, he announced my total. I was surprised because the total was more than I had anticipated. Obviously, my mental calculator had malfunctioned. It wasn't until that point that I remembered what had happened earlier. Had I bought the pancake mix, I wouldn't have been able to afford the groceries. I would have been embarrassed. As I paid the clerk nearly every cent that I had and walked out of the store, I was convinced that God's caring and compassionate hand had just touched my life. I believe He knew how I was feeling, and He didn't want me to feel any worse. I'll never forget what the Lord did for me that night. Did I hear an angel's audible voice calling to me? I'm not sure, but whatever I heard, I'm glad that the Lord was in my heart and that He allowed me to have that very memorable experience.

What I've come to see is that the Lord loves to do special things in the lives of His children. However, we must be open to His will and spend time in His Word to receive the best God has to offer. One night I arose in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. As I returned to my sleeping bag, I found myself talking to the Holy Spirit. I don't remember the Holy Spirit speaking, but I do recall me answering. I said something like, "Okay, Lord. I'll sponsor a child. All right." Soon after, I fell quickly back to sleep. Later that day, I received a packet of cards advertising various products and organizations. As I thumbed through the cards, I came to one for Children International. Instantly, I remembered my encounter with the Holy Spirit. The message was very clear. I needed to sponsor a child. Sometimes when God wants something done, He doesn't mess around. I'm just thankful that He chose to use me and let me be part of His remarkable handiwork. I'm still happy to be sponsoring my third child currently through Children International.

Perhaps the greatest thing that a person can encounter besides salvation is the healing Hand of God. The Lord has touched my body and made it whole more than once. I had some cysts one time that I prayed to Him about. Because I couldn't afford to go to the doctor, I put my faith in Him to heal me. I surprised myself at how calm I was about my condition. The Lord knows that it was the faith He placed inside me that deserves all the glory. If it weren't for God, I would've surely panicked. My only explanation for my serenity is that I had been spending so much time with God and His Word. Thanks be to God. I gave my condition to Him and waited for the victory. Another time, I found myself facing a pre-cancerous health ailment. With the united prayer of a friend, God once again delivered me from harm. He said that "whatsoever we ask in prayer, believing, we shall receive." Only with the Word could I feel so much faith inside me.

Despite all of the growth in faith I have encountered God has continued to help me build more faith in my life. I've been through an experience that has tested my faith, and caused a great struggle inside me. In his infinite love, I know that God has allowed this to happen so that my trust in Him continues to develop. In the summer of 2000, I underwent a surgical procedure for my prostate. It's called a trans-urethral resection of the prostate. Having never gone into surgery before and expecting to be released the next day, I found myself in the hospital for five days due to excess bleeding. This was a traumatic experience to me, even though my life was never in danger. After being released, I didn't feel well for several months. I took several medications due to various ailments and conditions. I had panicked because I'd never felt so awful before. What was happening to me? What should I do? Why am I feeling this way? Was I going to die? Without going into great detail, I spent a lot time wrestling with the Lord. As I walked down a roadway one afternoon, I looked up at the telephone pole and thought about the crucifixion. Suddenly, I realized that no matter how badly I felt, my pain and suffering could not match what Jesus endured to save us from our sins. Since then, I've prayed with my prayer group about various physical problems, and God has promised to heal me through His Word. I'm thankful He has pushed me into the presence of these wonderful souls through all of my ordeals. Although I'm still dealing with some occasional pain, I'm doing my best to stand on His Word and receive His blessings. I believe that I will be healed according to God's timetable. Thank you Lord for your constant encouragement and the faith you fed me on those days when I was barely able to get out of bed and drive to work due to lack of sleep and physical weakness.

Sometimes the Lord answers quickly. There was a time that I found myself being a little frustrated with God. My brother and his wife had invited me to fly to Montana and meet them on their vacation. They were going to pay for my ticket since I was still spending lots of money to get through college the second time around. Because I didn't want to venture off without the Lord's approval, I had asked Him for His answer on several occasions. As I sat in the parking lot ready to phone my brother with the answer that had not come yet, I spoke to God a bit harshly. I said, "God, please tell me what you want me to do." In my spirit, I felt like I needed to turn on the radio. So I did. A public service announcement about taking a summer vacation was playing on a Christian station. One of the announcers in the spot said, "...and watch out for unexpected expenses." At that moment, I knew I had my answer. I thanked God for the answer and phoned my brother to tell him why I wouldn't be able to make the trip this time.

It's not easy to let go and let God. However, everyone can do it with practice and time. One of the hardest things I ever had to do was to cut up my credit cards. Listening to a Christian talk show, I heard a woman calling to get advice about getting out of debt. The host told her to shred her credit cards and prepare a budget. All at once, I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me to do the same thing. That was very uncomfortable. I felt like someone was asking me to jump off the highest diving board. After putting up a fight and rationalizing why I couldn't do it, I eventually submitted to the Lord and placed my faith in Him. A couple of years after cutting up the cards, I was able to pay off the accumulated debt. Since then, God has never allowed any unexpected disasters to occur for which I didn't have enough money to pay. I'm believing that God will help me pay off my remaining debts in a miraculous way. I give Him praise in advance. By the way, I do carry a credit card now. The Lord assured me that there is nothing wrong with having one, as long as I continue to rely on Him, and not the card, for my needs. Of course, I have learned that the money I have belongs to God. This was a truth I never saw before. Tithing was foreign to me. Now the Lord has me seeing things from a proper perspective. I'm happy He has allowed me to serve Him and His work.

Jesus has made a difference in my life. As the song says, "He's my sunshine day and night." He has brought himself to my attention in many ways. One of my favorite snapshots is a silhouette of the Lord praying to the heavens in the dark clouds of a violent storm that had just passed away (see photo above). The amazing photo was taken after a tornado struck a small town in Texas in the 90's. Another of my favorite pictures is a painting of Jesus in His white robe with his arms raised in victory on the day of His resurrection. He is smiling because death has just been defeated through His sacrifice on the cross. I've been extremely blessed to have the experiences I've had over the past several years. In my heart, I know that He wants us all to get closer to Him. Great days are ahead!

                                   The End

Since my original testimony was written, I have continued to experience various trials in my life with the Lord delivering me in every instance. There is one stretch of time in the past decade that tested me more than I have ever been tested before.  By the grace of God, I cannot recall exactly when the whole ordeal took place or everything that occurred. I believe that God has erased much of that period from my memory. I just can say that I was tormented mentally in a such a way that I suffered panic attacks and anxiety constantly. I couldn't sleep at one point and entered the hospital for a few days. My mental torture continued as I was placed on various medications. I actually weaned myself off two of the stronger drugs and experienced withdrawal symptoms. Every day was a challenge mentally for more than a year or so, but the Lord pulled me through the misery one day at a time. After much prayer and God's healing touch, I have since recovered and come through the fire. I'm feeling much better. I am able to sleep and my mental torment has gone for the most part, although I still have occasional anxious feelings or thoughts. I still take a minor medication to help me with sleep and anxiety, but I am extremely thankful to God for how He has healed my mind. It reminds me of Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass throught the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle on you." Praise be to God for how much he loves us and wants us to look up at Him for deliverance from all that we may face on Earth!

I have recently heard a wonderful truth from Pastor Charles Stanley about the testimony every Christian may share with an unbeliever. It is very simple: "For God so loved me, that He gave His only begotten Son, that if I would trust Him as my personal Savior, I would be given the gift of eternal life. And I have it! I have it! I have it not because I deserve it, but because He promised it. And I believe Him!"

Jesus, please help me daily to live a holy life. I am committed to you, Jesus Christ, and obedience in every aspect of my life. I surrender my life to you, Lord. Amen.

2023 Update:
I would like to add to the testimony on this August evening. For some reason, I was feeling very much in need of love and comfort today. All day long, the sky was very cloudy and gloomy. Rain poured down in varying intensity at different points of the day. The evening brought intense thunder right outside my school workplace window. I just could not understand this nagging feeling that I was experiencing. It was a need to have a hug and reassurance. As I drove the interstate on the way home, I told the Lord that I needed Him to just wrap me in His love. Immediately after I uttered this request to the Lord, I suddenly saw a beautiful rainbow that appeared as the rain was coming down and the sun was gradually showing itself little by little in the western sky. I instantly realized that the Lord was speaking to me through this rainbow! His love was magnified in my heart and spirit, and I shouted praise to His Holy Name! God was responding in what I truly feel was a miraculous answer to my request. I needed this special encounter with the Lord very much, and the Lord showered me, literally and figuratively, with raindrops and the joy of His presence and love. It brought me great joy and peace in my spirit. Thank you, Lord, for always watching over us and waiting for us to cry out to Your Precious Holy Name! There is not a moment that He is not prepared to hear our hearts seeking Him because He is always present and watching over every moment of our day. Remember that the Lord God Almighty gave us this day and He is looking to form a deeper relationship with each and everyone of us through His Son Jesus Christ, and that includes you! Thank You Almighty God and Father for your beautiful creation and everlasting presence in Your universe. We are so blessed to know that You are with us always and everywhere we go on this earth.

There is something else that I want to share with you. The Lord has recently opened my eyes to the fact that there are many false prophets who appear before us on our airwaves, whether it be television, radio, or the Internet. I realize now that some of the people who proclaim the Lord's word are not to be trusted. These persons reference the Bible often, but add to the word or twist its meaning in order to appeal to viewers and listeners to spread a message that sounds appealing to our senses. However, the underlying goal is to draw you in to tell you want you want to hear and to benefit monetarily through everything from selling books, DVDs, and other merchandise to requests for donations that will help purchase any of a number of things, including luxurious jet planes and property. Unfortunately, some of these persons are ministers who are not truly devoted to God's work, but to themselves and their own selfish and ungodly interests. I used to watch and even support some of them on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, or TBN, which was noted in my personal testimony. The Lord warned us to be wary of these individuals in Matthew 7 15:20:
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
The Holy Bible is our guide in this world, and we must consult God's word and ask for Him to give us wisdom and understanding when we encounter messages and actions before our eyes that do not seem to line up with the Bible. This is why we must pray to the Lord for Him to show us the truth and to read our Bible regularly so that we know God's word. Lord, please reveal the truth to us, so that we may stay far away from those who aim to deceive us. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.