Sacred Heart
Saturday, March 18, 2006
My Testimony
I was saved at the age of 20. Walked the Aisle ... Said the Prayer ... Was Baptized.
My life changed for a few months. I soon went back to living the wild life.
Fast Cars, Fast Women, Drinking and Drugs, the whole enchilada.
Molly and I were Married in Arizona at age 29.
Even though I was saved, I never allowed God to begin the process of Santification. Didn't really
know what it was.
Key: My "Spiritual Character" had not developed to match God's vision and plan for me.
Character is an internal quality that is fed by Good or Bad external sources. I was led by the world and its "attractions" (Feed the Good Dog or Feed the Bad Dog)
My character was in constant need of checks and balances.
It requires stimulus from the Holy Spirit, so it won’t fail in development.
Character deteriorates over time unless it is fed from the Word, the Holy Spirit, and Godly accountability from a mentor.
The purity of the external source determines the strength of our character.
Good Character is the proper alignment of foundational truth, my beliefs and behavior.
My foundation--that which defines truth for me--determines what I believe.
What I believe ultimately determined how I would live my life--my behavior--what others see.
I said I loved God but my friends, my lifestyle, my discipline said something else. Good fruit is never going to come from a corrupt source.
My DUI/Jail was the bottom, the Pit, that caused me to take an inventory.
New Life Change:
I realized I would never become the man God wants until I line up my Bible and my Beliefs with my Behavior.
Real change in my life was the result of my submitting to a healthy process which developed good character.
A good mentor, the Church, and the Power of the Holy Spirit changed my life.
Major fact which was ignored: 1 Cor. 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."
I had to ask:
1. How would I rate my current state of of my marriage?
2. Did I have a Godly/Healthy foundation?
3. Was I willing to make a commitment to stick to a process for change?
Real growth could only take place when I was willing to commit to a life changing process through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Commitment/Transformation to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was the bridge I must cross in order to transform my "old man" into the "new man".
My life changed for a few months. I soon went back to living the wild life.
Fast Cars, Fast Women, Drinking and Drugs, the whole enchilada.
Molly and I were Married in Arizona at age 29.
Even though I was saved, I never allowed God to begin the process of Santification. Didn't really
know what it was.
Key: My "Spiritual Character" had not developed to match God's vision and plan for me.
Character is an internal quality that is fed by Good or Bad external sources. I was led by the world and its "attractions" (Feed the Good Dog or Feed the Bad Dog)
My character was in constant need of checks and balances.
It requires stimulus from the Holy Spirit, so it won’t fail in development.
Character deteriorates over time unless it is fed from the Word, the Holy Spirit, and Godly accountability from a mentor.
The purity of the external source determines the strength of our character.
Good Character is the proper alignment of foundational truth, my beliefs and behavior.
My foundation--that which defines truth for me--determines what I believe.
What I believe ultimately determined how I would live my life--my behavior--what others see.
I said I loved God but my friends, my lifestyle, my discipline said something else. Good fruit is never going to come from a corrupt source.
My DUI/Jail was the bottom, the Pit, that caused me to take an inventory.
New Life Change:
I realized I would never become the man God wants until I line up my Bible and my Beliefs with my Behavior.
Real change in my life was the result of my submitting to a healthy process which developed good character.
A good mentor, the Church, and the Power of the Holy Spirit changed my life.
Major fact which was ignored: 1 Cor. 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."
I had to ask:
1. How would I rate my current state of of my marriage?
2. Did I have a Godly/Healthy foundation?
3. Was I willing to make a commitment to stick to a process for change?
Real growth could only take place when I was willing to commit to a life changing process through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Commitment/Transformation to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was the bridge I must cross in order to transform my "old man" into the "new man".
The Father’s Love and the Fortunate Son
Jesus tells this parable to illustrate how people can be restored to a right relationship with God.
We all tend to drift or depart from a healthy and joyous relationship with Father God and His love.
1. This parable certainly applies to those Non-Christians by showing them how to have a right relationship with God.
2. This parable also applies to Christians whose relationship with God is not what it should be.
In either case, this story shows us how we can be restored to right relationship with God. This parable serves as an analogy of our Heavenly Father’s love and relationship with His children.
How can a person be restored to a healthy relationship with the Father’s Love?
Read Luke 15:11-24
How did this young man end up so far from the abundance of the father’s home?
Why was he so distant from the joy and fulfillment of a right relationship with God?
Was he kicked out of the house because he was unwelcome? No. Did he just have a string of bad luck? No. Was he never given a fair chance in life? No.
Our relationship with God, and the consequences of an unhealthy relationship with God, is the result of our own choices. There are two decisions in particular that brought this man to his condition.
First he decided he wanted to be independent of his father. He said to his father, "Give me my share of the estate." He wanted to take control by owning the property. This way he would be able to make his own decisions, independent of his father. The first step toward ruin in our lives is to decide to run our own lives, independent of God. When we make the rules we come to ruin.
The second foolish decision this young man made was to seek fulfillment in sin. Verse 13 tells us that he took everything he had and "squandered his wealth in wild living." He sought to indulge his wildest desires. He went to the wildest parties. He drank the best liquor. He slept with the prettiest women, but in the end it was not fulfilling.
Johnny Cash was once asked by a reporter, "Do you believe in hell?" He answered in the affirmative and was then asked, "How do you know?" He replied, "Because I’ve been there!"
This man’s relationship with his father was restored, so your relationship with God can be restored.
No matter how distant you are from God today, no matter what foolish choices you may have made, you can be restored to a healthy, joyous, and loving relationship with God the Father.
How?
There are three things necessary to restoring your relationship with God the first thing is found in verse 17.Read Luke 15:17 What is the first step towards restored relationship with God?
1. The first step to a restored relationship with God is to admit the stupidity of staying where you are. It amazes me how many people are not willing to come to this conclusion. Life is falling apart all around them; they are figuratively speaking reduced to feeding the pigs, and yet they try and convince themselves that life is good. The amazing thing is how many of them, even though their life is a mess, are still trying to hold on to their old life.
Dan Stauffer Story ... Who I am in Christ
Ephesians 1:3 Every Spiritual Blessing in Heavenly Places
Satan is out there filling people’s minds with lies. He is trying to keep them from coming to their senses by convincing them to life is not that bad or that their life is completely hopeless.
Read Luke 15:18-20a 2.
The second step to a restored relationship with God is:
2. to return to God with the repentant, humble attitude. Some people admit the mess their life is in but never do anything about it. Some people even say, "I need to get my life right with God" but never actually return to God. Not only did this man plan to get right with his father, he actually took steps to do so. He did not stay where he was at write a letter to his father asking for money, but rather he returned with a repentant, humble attitude.
He knew that his father could not bless him where he was at. Some people simply want God to bless them where they are at, but to have of restored relationship with God and experience His love, you must leave the old life behind and return to God.
Humble Yourself "I have sinned against heaven and against you." He took full personal responsibility for his decisions and actions. No one else was blamed and neither did he ignore his own sinfulness. He was humble and unassuming in his return to his father as we must be in our return to God when we have blown it.
Finally ...3. The third step to a restored relationship with God is to recognize that God will lovingly welcome you home. Do not do like I did for many years. I really blew it by committing the same sins again and again, despite many promises and vows to never do that again.
After messing up so repeatedly and seriously, I would hesitate to go to God because deep in my heart I was unsure how God felt towards me and how he would receive me.
Today I do not hesitate to return to my Father no matter how badly I may have strayed from his will in ways. I now recognize that no matter what, God will lovingly welcome me.
We all tend to drift or depart from a healthy and joyous relationship with Father God and His love.
1. This parable certainly applies to those Non-Christians by showing them how to have a right relationship with God.
2. This parable also applies to Christians whose relationship with God is not what it should be.
In either case, this story shows us how we can be restored to right relationship with God. This parable serves as an analogy of our Heavenly Father’s love and relationship with His children.
How can a person be restored to a healthy relationship with the Father’s Love?
Read Luke 15:11-24
How did this young man end up so far from the abundance of the father’s home?
Why was he so distant from the joy and fulfillment of a right relationship with God?
Was he kicked out of the house because he was unwelcome? No. Did he just have a string of bad luck? No. Was he never given a fair chance in life? No.
Our relationship with God, and the consequences of an unhealthy relationship with God, is the result of our own choices. There are two decisions in particular that brought this man to his condition.
First he decided he wanted to be independent of his father. He said to his father, "Give me my share of the estate." He wanted to take control by owning the property. This way he would be able to make his own decisions, independent of his father. The first step toward ruin in our lives is to decide to run our own lives, independent of God. When we make the rules we come to ruin.
The second foolish decision this young man made was to seek fulfillment in sin. Verse 13 tells us that he took everything he had and "squandered his wealth in wild living." He sought to indulge his wildest desires. He went to the wildest parties. He drank the best liquor. He slept with the prettiest women, but in the end it was not fulfilling.
Johnny Cash was once asked by a reporter, "Do you believe in hell?" He answered in the affirmative and was then asked, "How do you know?" He replied, "Because I’ve been there!"
This man’s relationship with his father was restored, so your relationship with God can be restored.
No matter how distant you are from God today, no matter what foolish choices you may have made, you can be restored to a healthy, joyous, and loving relationship with God the Father.
How?
There are three things necessary to restoring your relationship with God the first thing is found in verse 17.Read Luke 15:17 What is the first step towards restored relationship with God?
1. The first step to a restored relationship with God is to admit the stupidity of staying where you are. It amazes me how many people are not willing to come to this conclusion. Life is falling apart all around them; they are figuratively speaking reduced to feeding the pigs, and yet they try and convince themselves that life is good. The amazing thing is how many of them, even though their life is a mess, are still trying to hold on to their old life.
Dan Stauffer Story ... Who I am in Christ
Ephesians 1:3 Every Spiritual Blessing in Heavenly Places
Satan is out there filling people’s minds with lies. He is trying to keep them from coming to their senses by convincing them to life is not that bad or that their life is completely hopeless.
Read Luke 15:18-20a 2.
The second step to a restored relationship with God is:
2. to return to God with the repentant, humble attitude. Some people admit the mess their life is in but never do anything about it. Some people even say, "I need to get my life right with God" but never actually return to God. Not only did this man plan to get right with his father, he actually took steps to do so. He did not stay where he was at write a letter to his father asking for money, but rather he returned with a repentant, humble attitude.
He knew that his father could not bless him where he was at. Some people simply want God to bless them where they are at, but to have of restored relationship with God and experience His love, you must leave the old life behind and return to God.
Humble Yourself "I have sinned against heaven and against you." He took full personal responsibility for his decisions and actions. No one else was blamed and neither did he ignore his own sinfulness. He was humble and unassuming in his return to his father as we must be in our return to God when we have blown it.
Finally ...3. The third step to a restored relationship with God is to recognize that God will lovingly welcome you home. Do not do like I did for many years. I really blew it by committing the same sins again and again, despite many promises and vows to never do that again.
After messing up so repeatedly and seriously, I would hesitate to go to God because deep in my heart I was unsure how God felt towards me and how he would receive me.
Today I do not hesitate to return to my Father no matter how badly I may have strayed from his will in ways. I now recognize that no matter what, God will lovingly welcome me.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
