Psa_37:5
I became aware I was a sinner and damned when I was about 8. My family was a
guest at a Wesleyan Church in Fillmore. This was the only time I was taught
anything biblical I left there praying God's mercy because I knew I could not stop
sinning and thought my only chance of salvation is throw up a last minute “Call for
salvation when death draws near”. To the tune of Father forgive my sins, I commit
my soul to you...etc. And so forth. Clearly I missed some key points from that
message. Like I could be born again and God could make me a new creature in
Christ. But I'm getting ahead of myself. So I left that church still a rotten sinner,
but with hope God could be merciful. In a high school biology class I was again
introduced to something Biblical. I was taught there are two major theories
regarding the beginning. The creation and the big bang. Ignorantly I fielded the
room and our consensus was evolution had more evidence. Pastor Asquith's
years of doctoral preaching would later correct that. God was merciful to me in my
parents house and I lived relatively stress free, getting good grades and playing
sports. I was accepted into UB beginning an independent climb up fools
mountain, and was surprised at how stressful higher education was.
Psa_37:5,4
No longer was I able to listen to the lecture and do well on an exam. I had to read,
comprehend, and memorize. Memorizing was not a strong suit for me because of
lack of practice, training, and (I've come to discover now) a lack of abstinence all
were working against me. I dealt with the stress by self medicating and seeking
shortcuts. Upon graduation I landed a promotion with a Real Estate Company
that had already employed me as a Call Center Rep. This promotion required
selling something I thought I could learn, but it just added to my stress. I
eventually turned tail, my parents agreed to take me in. Certainly a low point, but
God had me cross paths with Tiffany (who was recently saved at this point.)
Quickly Lily invited me to church and, I was immediately drawn to the practicality
of it. Basically addicted to self help books at this point, church filled a similar void.
With God's grace I was allowed to put a family together. Let me say, your life is
immediately better going to church. But after two years of sitting under this
doctrinal preaching I began to desire salvation. I knew I was justly going to hell
and didn't want my kids to be condemned to the same fate. I asked God to free
me from drinking so I could understand his word, which he quickly granted. For 4
years I came to every church event I could and read the bible cover to cover, as
well as Pastor Asquith's books, and prayed God save me. Conviction would come
pretty regularly but I didn't know what to do. In the ladder part of that 4
th year I
was gifted a copy of Exit the Tunnel which greatly helped me understand that
science and the Bible both require leaps of faith. Also in that 4
th year I heard a
message on first fruits, and determined I was going to give the 1
st half of my
vacation to God. Unfortunately our local week of meetings was blacked out by
someone with more seniority, but I could travel to Maine for special meetings and
Pastor Asquith would be there. So we packed up for Maine. There was a great
message on what you expect from God. Some lines from that message Do you
expect God to save you? Is he able? Do you expect him to move at church, during
your reading, when you pray? Do you trust that he'll keep his word? Then you
should expect great things from him. It was very motivating changed my outlook
to just a matter of time and dedication. However I knew I wasn't saved so. Having
completed the bible, I reasoned I must have something misunderstood, because
his word saves and I read every word. So I prayed God correct my
understanding, and looked deeply and internally at the “Birthed by the word”
verses
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the
suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God
should taste death for every man. 1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and
to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Still not saved, it became clear I did not
understand God's love for me.. I prayed God teach me how to love. We packed
up and headed to NY it was that Friday Pastor Hector Sotomayor preached on
how Christ is the epitome of macho and, opened my understanding when he said
"Love demands a sacrifice." Suddenly it was clear that God made a fit sacrifice in
his son Jesus Christ. I went to bed praising God for answering my prayer to
understand love. Saturday, I knew I had received a great lesson but couldn't
appreciate the significance until Sunday the preaching was different it was no
longer damning tear your face off it was peaceful, uplifting, & reassuring. I clearly
understood God had paid for my sin, and his word was reassuring me. Almost 2
years later I can say I am one of his. Praise God!
I became aware I was a sinner and damned when I was about 8. My family was a
guest at a Wesleyan Church in Fillmore. This was the only time I was taught
anything biblical I left there praying God's mercy because I knew I could not stop
sinning and thought my only chance of salvation is throw up a last minute “Call for
salvation when death draws near”. To the tune of Father forgive my sins, I commit
my soul to you...etc. And so forth. Clearly I missed some key points from that
message. Like I could be born again and God could make me a new creature in
Christ. But I'm getting ahead of myself. So I left that church still a rotten sinner,
but with hope God could be merciful. In a high school biology class I was again
introduced to something Biblical. I was taught there are two major theories
regarding the beginning. The creation and the big bang. Ignorantly I fielded the
room and our consensus was evolution had more evidence. Pastor Asquith's
years of doctoral preaching would later correct that. God was merciful to me in my
parents house and I lived relatively stress free, getting good grades and playing
sports. I was accepted into UB beginning an independent climb up fools
mountain, and was surprised at how stressful higher education was.
Psa_37:5,4
No longer was I able to listen to the lecture and do well on an exam. I had to read,
comprehend, and memorize. Memorizing was not a strong suit for me because of
lack of practice, training, and (I've come to discover now) a lack of abstinence all
were working against me. I dealt with the stress by self medicating and seeking
shortcuts. Upon graduation I landed a promotion with a Real Estate Company
that had already employed me as a Call Center Rep. This promotion required
selling something I thought I could learn, but it just added to my stress. I
eventually turned tail, my parents agreed to take me in. Certainly a low point, but
God had me cross paths with Tiffany (who was recently saved at this point.)
Quickly Lily invited me to church and, I was immediately drawn to the practicality
of it. Basically addicted to self help books at this point, church filled a similar void.
With God's grace I was allowed to put a family together. Let me say, your life is
immediately better going to church. But after two years of sitting under this
doctrinal preaching I began to desire salvation. I knew I was justly going to hell
and didn't want my kids to be condemned to the same fate. I asked God to free
me from drinking so I could understand his word, which he quickly granted. For 4
years I came to every church event I could and read the bible cover to cover, as
well as Pastor Asquith's books, and prayed God save me. Conviction would come
pretty regularly but I didn't know what to do. In the ladder part of that 4
th year I
was gifted a copy of Exit the Tunnel which greatly helped me understand that
science and the Bible both require leaps of faith. Also in that 4
th year I heard a
message on first fruits, and determined I was going to give the 1
st half of my
vacation to God. Unfortunately our local week of meetings was blacked out by
someone with more seniority, but I could travel to Maine for special meetings and
Pastor Asquith would be there. So we packed up for Maine. There was a great
message on what you expect from God. Some lines from that message Do you
expect God to save you? Is he able? Do you expect him to move at church, during
your reading, when you pray? Do you trust that he'll keep his word? Then you
should expect great things from him. It was very motivating changed my outlook
to just a matter of time and dedication. However I knew I wasn't saved so. Having
completed the bible, I reasoned I must have something misunderstood, because
his word saves and I read every word. So I prayed God correct my
understanding, and looked deeply and internally at the “Birthed by the word”
verses
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the
suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God
should taste death for every man. 1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and
to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Still not saved, it became clear I did not
understand God's love for me.. I prayed God teach me how to love. We packed
up and headed to NY it was that Friday Pastor Hector Sotomayor preached on
how Christ is the epitome of macho and, opened my understanding when he said
"Love demands a sacrifice." Suddenly it was clear that God made a fit sacrifice in
his son Jesus Christ. I went to bed praising God for answering my prayer to
understand love. Saturday, I knew I had received a great lesson but couldn't
appreciate the significance until Sunday the preaching was different it was no
longer damning tear your face off it was peaceful, uplifting, & reassuring. I clearly
understood God had paid for my sin, and his word was reassuring me. Almost 2
years later I can say I am one of his. Praise God!