I could live how I wanted to live
There was a part of me that always believed that God existed. I was brought up in the Roman Catholic religion but never learned the fear of the Lord. I believed that I could sin all day and live as I pleased, but as long as I said my prayers at night before bed everything was right between me and the god I had created in my own mind. I was an idolater (among other things) and lived that way for most of my adult life until one day God’s Law began to weigh heavily upon my conscience. I knew from my religious upbringing that to commit adultery was a transgression of God’s Law. But when I heard that Jesus said, “whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt. 5:28) I knew that I was guilty!
One day a good friend of mine suggested a book and because I trusted him I bought it. But when I opened the book to the first page and read “It’s not about you, it’s about God” I immediately slammed the book shut and placed it on my bookshelf. Weeks later, as I was cleaning my room and clearing out the bookcase to make room for some new books (I love to read) I could not get rid of the book my friend suggested. Instead, I picked it up and began to read it. Midway through there was a gospel presentation and suddenly I was undone. I realized for the first-time how guilty a sinner I was and how desperately I needed the Savior. I was driven to my knees and desperately pleaded before the King of kings for the forgiveness of my sins.
Afterward, I walked to the bathroom to wash my tear-stained face. I remember looking into the mirror, smiling and feeling relieved. I felt as though I had escaped something. It wasn’t long before in my Christian walk that I began to understand that what I had escaped is the very thing that God had delivered me from – His wrath! Things were different from then on. God had given me a new heart with new desires. No longer did I desire my old sins, but instead there was a hunger and a thirst in me after righteousness. And boy was I filled! I remember that very next morning picking up a Bible and not being able to get enough of God’s word. Instead of drinking in iniquity like water as I once did, I drank deeply this time from the fount of living waters.
Soon after I joined a Christian church and became involved in ministry and unlike before my conversion where the odor of Christians was death to me, now it was a fragrant aroma. I loved not only studying God’s word, but I loved His people too! It wasn’t long before that the letters of the Apostle Paul would soon stir my heart for evangelism. That’s when another friend, this time a brother in Christ, introduced me to Ray Comfort’s ministry Living Waters. Through this ministry, I learned of another called Christian Collegian Network which I am still a part of today. I thank God for sparing me. For violating His Law, I deserved His just wrath. But thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! For it is by His grace alone and through the measure of faith in Christ, He has given me that I have been saved!