I came to know Jesus as Lord & Savior on November 24, 2009 at approximately 6:30pm at "The Grounds" Coffee Shop in Cokato, MN. I was leading a Bible study on the book of Revelation for a few months and I was reading the Bible for a few years before that, but I was really missing something.
My wife was saved ("saved" meaning she heard, believed and put faith in the Gospel according to the Holy Bible, choosing to accept Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior) when she was 13 years old. When the Lord worked it out for us to meet, I was searching for God. I did not understand what Jesus did or what He did on the cross, but I knew He was important. My wife started reading a book called Joshua by Joseph Girzone to me, which is a modern day parable where the main character is modeled after Jesus. I connected with and admired the main character and wished I could've known him in real life.
I was also becoming overly fascinated with demons and angels. Looking back on it, Satan was trying to keep me in darkness by keeping me fascinated with such things. The Bible says that Satan has blinded the eyes of the unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 4:4) I was still blind, but God was still calling.
My wife and I ended up moving from Illinois to Minnesota and we found a little church by our house and quickly fell in love with the people of it. I was growing more and more hungry for God's Word and wanted to please Him. I was only asked once if I was saved by someone who is still a good friend today. I responded by saying that I could see the dark shadows, and if that's how powerful the darkness is, how much stronger God would be. (I wasn't saved yet...)
I was at that Bible Study in Cokato and a friend of mine from work who was saved came. He saw the hunger I had for God's Word. (It reminds me of the account in the book of Acts in the Bible about Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Read it sometime.) My friend had brought his pastor with and asked for our testimonies. When the pastor asked me, I responded by saying that I'd been reading the Bible and I love it. He responded by saying, "I didn't hear anything about the Gospels. I didn't hear anything about sin and forgiveness. I didn't hear anything about the letter to the Romans (as in the book of Romans in the Bible, read it also)." He asked me if I wanted to be saved and I said, "Yes!"
He led me in prayer:
Lord, I have broken Your law (see Exodus chapter 20); I deserve Your anger, but You sent Your only begotten Son, Jesus, to die in my place on the cross. I thank You. I repent (turn away from my sins) and ask You to forgive me of my sins. I surrender to You and accept Jesus in my heart as my Lord & Savior. Thank you, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
The moment I did that I felt new and forgiven. I went through a lot of spiritual warfare after that, but I was growing because I was not trying to understand the Word with my own mind, but now I have the Holy Spirit teaching me. He gave me a new heart. I'm still a sinner, but now I hate (things of this world such as alcohol) what I once loved and I have lasting joy and hope in Him.
My wife was saved ("saved" meaning she heard, believed and put faith in the Gospel according to the Holy Bible, choosing to accept Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior) when she was 13 years old. When the Lord worked it out for us to meet, I was searching for God. I did not understand what Jesus did or what He did on the cross, but I knew He was important. My wife started reading a book called Joshua by Joseph Girzone to me, which is a modern day parable where the main character is modeled after Jesus. I connected with and admired the main character and wished I could've known him in real life.
I was also becoming overly fascinated with demons and angels. Looking back on it, Satan was trying to keep me in darkness by keeping me fascinated with such things. The Bible says that Satan has blinded the eyes of the unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 4:4) I was still blind, but God was still calling.
My wife and I ended up moving from Illinois to Minnesota and we found a little church by our house and quickly fell in love with the people of it. I was growing more and more hungry for God's Word and wanted to please Him. I was only asked once if I was saved by someone who is still a good friend today. I responded by saying that I could see the dark shadows, and if that's how powerful the darkness is, how much stronger God would be. (I wasn't saved yet...)
I was at that Bible Study in Cokato and a friend of mine from work who was saved came. He saw the hunger I had for God's Word. (It reminds me of the account in the book of Acts in the Bible about Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Read it sometime.) My friend had brought his pastor with and asked for our testimonies. When the pastor asked me, I responded by saying that I'd been reading the Bible and I love it. He responded by saying, "I didn't hear anything about the Gospels. I didn't hear anything about sin and forgiveness. I didn't hear anything about the letter to the Romans (as in the book of Romans in the Bible, read it also)." He asked me if I wanted to be saved and I said, "Yes!"
He led me in prayer:
Lord, I have broken Your law (see Exodus chapter 20); I deserve Your anger, but You sent Your only begotten Son, Jesus, to die in my place on the cross. I thank You. I repent (turn away from my sins) and ask You to forgive me of my sins. I surrender to You and accept Jesus in my heart as my Lord & Savior. Thank you, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
The moment I did that I felt new and forgiven. I went through a lot of spiritual warfare after that, but I was growing because I was not trying to understand the Word with my own mind, but now I have the Holy Spirit teaching me. He gave me a new heart. I'm still a sinner, but now I hate (things of this world such as alcohol) what I once loved and I have lasting joy and hope in Him.