Ron Simon Supporter Messianic Jew thanking God daily

I became blind so that I could see.

In my 80s, I became legally blind after taking some blood thinners. Previous to that I had purchased The Complete Jewish Bible, but I had never read it. The title led me to believe the book was especially for Jews, of which I was one.

Now that I was legally blind, I could not pursue my usual interests of work, cars, and computers so I began to read The Complete Jewish Bible using an Optelec machine to magnify the pages.

I started at the beginning with Genesis. Before long I was reading Isaiah 53 which I had never read before. I realized it was describing Jesus! I committed my life to Christ at that moment. I was positive there was no way someone could have prophesied about Jesus hundreds of years before His death if it wasn’t true and revealed by God’s inspiration.

God had taken away my sight so that I could truly see. I am forever grateful.

I now understand why the book was titled The Complete Jewish Bible. Jesus is Lord - the promised Messiah, and I am complete in Him.

(I am Ron Simon and this was sent in by Janet Austin on my behalf.)

3 days ago • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I was raised in the Christian faith and with biblical instruction, so I don't recall a specific early-life event in that regard. However, after reaching adulthood, the individual factor that I can identify most clearly as confirming my beliefs was exposure to the writings of the English Christian apologist C. S. Lewis, and, in particular, his book Mere Christianity, which is fully readable online (for example, at https://archive.org/details/MereChristianityCSL), and which I would recommend to anyone seeking a foundation for religious beliefs and for faith in Christ.

3 days ago • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kelli Trujillo Supporter Loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Teacher, Musician

I wasn't raised in a Christian home, but God pursued me my whole life. A friend of my mother's told me recently that when I was about three years old, I picked up a globe and asked, "Where is God? Show me where God lives." We didn't have a Bible in our home and God was never mentioned, but He began drawing me to Himself at that young age.

When I was 5 or 6, a lady in my neighborhood put on a VBS in her home, and I followed a bunch of the neighbor kids there. This was the first time I had ever heard the gospel, but I recall feeling like I had "come home" when I heard it. It all made sense to me; I had found what I had been looking for, and I gave my heart to Jesus right then and there.

All throughout my childhood, God sent influential Christians into my life to support me, encourage me, and remind me of my decision to follow Him. My parents weren't supportive at all, and most of my life they were even antagonistic about my faith. I waffled at times, but God kept bringing me back to Him. I always had a very personal relationship with Him and could sense His presence.

One event that stands out happened when my family was in Africa. My parents joined the Peace Corps when I was 10, and my mom was having difficulty figuring out what to do for schooling for my younger sister and me. One day we were in a store, and I heard people speaking English. I was too shy to say anything to them, but I got closer to them and started speaking English to my sister. They heard me, and our family got to know their family. They were missionaries, and they were sending their kids to a missionary boarding school that was some distance from our town. 

Long story short, my sister and I were allowed to board at the school even though my parents weren't Christians. The people who ran the school were lovely, kind people, and I soaked up the experience like a dry sponge. For the first time in my life, I heard God's word every day, and I began to understand prayer. This experience left an indelible mark on me at a very pivotal point in my life.

When we went back home, my best friend's family started taking me to church with them, and I began to grow in Christ like never before.

As an adult who served God in full-time ministry most of my life, God has continued to be faithful to me and true to His word. I've seen Him do many miracles in my life and in the lives of others, and I've seen Him answer many of my heartfelt prayers. At times when His word didn't make sense to me, I have asked for understanding, and He has given me peace and understanding.

All I can say is this: He has been more faithful and true to me my whole life than anyone else; He has proven Himself time and time again. I could never choose just one event or verse to explain what made me believe because He has provided me with overwhelming evidence time and time again.

I hope this helps.

19 hours ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Mark Vestal Supporter Proud of nothing of myself. Freed by Christ who did it all!

I recall asking my siblings at age 8 how one goes to heaven. They said "you have to be saved". I asked what that meant and they said that someone has to "put you in water". Well, at that age, I have a Titanic type image going on in my mind that I have to be thrown overboard a ship at sea and (hopefully) someone will pull me out! I was relieved to soon learn that they were speaking of 'water' baptism.

I was anxious to have this performed, as I started to feel guilt for doing things that humans simply do, sin. I recall the pride that I felt when I "walked the aisle" of our church to confess to the deacons, as the church stood in unison singing "Just as I am"...glorious! (I thought). After this, my water baptism would be set for another date in the near future. "What a night this will be!"

That night arrived and I stood in line with a gentleman that went before me. His went off without a hitch. "Nothing to fear!" It was my turn, and as the pastor helped me into 'the tank' he gave me instruction to hold his arm. I kept nodding in agreement, but wasn't performing the task. I just remember staring into the church and recognizing for the first time what it was like having so many people focused on me (key point). They chuckled a bit at my continued non-responsiveness to the preacher, but we eventually got through it.

I would now begin to live the most righteous life for God that I could possibly live for His acceptance. It started strong, but as I grew older, into my teens, twenties-thirties [fading a bit],..forties....[really falling from grace now], questioning where I stood with God. "Did the water baptism do the trick?...because I KNOW I'm not living the way God wants me to. Is there then actually hope in John 3:16 alone, just believe in Christ? How can that be possible when there are so many instructions for living righteously? I don't go to church often enough, I'm still a 'bad person', so how does this actually work? Where do I really stand with God!" 

Enter Bible...

I finally became compelled to read the Bible, as I found myself severely lost spiritually and trapped in a sinful life. In fact, the more I read, the more I desired escaping my sinful acts and rather pick up the Bible. I read online with scripture sorted in chronological order. I loved reading much of the OT, not so much the "endless genealogies" (as Paul states), but I couldn't wait to get to Jesus Christ and His message to us! When I came to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the first half of Acts I starting to feel despair. There was no way that I would ever be able to pick up the life that Christ, Peter, James, John and the twelve were laying down. 

Enter Christ ascended...

I continued to read anyway and entered the book of Romans, I began to realize there was something different about Paul. "I can relate to this guy!" (...not that I ever "consented unto the death" of anyone), but he admits that he's a sinner like me! What message is it that he may bring that will be different from the despair of the others!" (btw, have tissues ready when you read the 2nd half of Romans chapter 7).

We learn in Paul's epistles how Christ ascended instructs us. That it is not by our righteous life, or our water baptism that grants us salvation (remember the pride I spoke of at mine?) It is by God's grace that we are saved indeed through having faith in Christ (Eph 2:8-9). We learn that it is by Christ's righteous life, death, burial, and resurrection for us that pleases God (1 Cor 15:1-4). We are, in fact, "imputed" with God's righteousness upon having faith alone in Him (Rom 3:22). It is "the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Cor 11:3).

We may "believe" at any time in our lives, and scripture states that it is at that moment when we are "sealed" and secure (Eph 1:12-13, Eph 4:30). Our faith is attacked when we forget God's grace and focus on ourselves (good or bad) rather than on Christ and His cross for us.

15 hours ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report