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Testimonies from some of our church family....
Passing from darkness into the eternal light of Jesus Christ I believe that most of us look to live comfortably by following the same formula for success. We investigate and put a lot of thought into the college to attend, the job to take, the person to marry, the house to buy, the community to live in, how and where to invest our money, even where to be buried and what to be placed in. We don’t tend to make important decisions with our heads in the sand. But when it comes to looking at the condition of our souls and our relationships to God, our Creator, many people don’t examine this eternally-critical issue under the same microscope.
I was one of them. I thought I was on the highway to Heaven, but I was spiraling toward the horrors of hell. Talk about being self-deceived!
Growing up in the 60s in Summit, N.J., I believed I was Heaven-bound because I had been baptized and attended church regularly. But I didn’t know the real Jesus or what really makes you a Christian--that there truly must be a rebirth, a change of life, from the inside out. So I went away to college in Ohio, where I learned about a variety of religions, as if they all were true.
A pretty straight-laced kid throughout my teen years, in the guise of “having a good time,” I fell into all kinds of vices (sin) in college and thereafter. Oh, I still went to church occasionally and considered myself to be a Christian, but I didn’t have a clue about what was in the Bible or who Jesus is. To me, God was like a cosmic genie in the sky that I called upon whenever I needed something. In reality, I lived as if my “gods” were my two professional careers (sports writing and music management), alcohol, drugs, pornography, partying, traveling and the pursuit of money. Everything but the one, true living God.
Then over a period of time in the 90s, I lost everything I thought was important to me—my job, my money, my marriage, my home, etc.—leaving only the bottom of the barrel and God. I was left with only two options--either get to know and serve God, or deny and reject Him and perish in life forever after.
I made the right choice, the life-saving choice. I began to read my Bible, learn from two Christian friends [Kenny Harmon and Dwayne Kerr} and listen to fundamental Christian preachers on the radio [the likes of Roderick Caesar, Tony Evans, Jim Gent, Hank Hanegraaff, the late D. James Kennedy, Greg Laurie, John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, Charles Stanley and Chuck Swindoll]. I came to understand that although I was acceptable to the world we live in—in fact, several of my former habits and vices are glorified in our society—my sinful condition made me unacceptable to a Holy God. And there was nothing I could do in my own strength to change it. I came to realize while we tend to judge people by what we see them do, or don’t do, God is concerned about what we think and who we are deep inside the core of our being.
So I thank God He loves His creation so much that He provided us with a way to salvation through the sacrifice His Son, Jesus, made on the cross. In 1996, I sought God’s forgiveness for my sins and accepted Jesus as my Lord and my Savior. I know that my sins are forgiven. God picked me up, cleaned me up, told me He loved me, changed my heart, changed the way I thought, gave me a new talk, gave me a new walk, delivered me from a sinful lifestyle, gave me the real reason for living, gave me purpose, gave me His peace, gave me joy. Most of all, He gave me His Son, who gave me His salvation.
I unequivocally know I could not have made these changes on my own. Truth is, I wasn’t looking to change myself, as I considered myself to be a “good person.” But once I really understood that God viewed me in a very light, one that would lead to eternal damnation, I accepted His free gift of redemption. So I praise the Lord daily, because if I had died in an accident in which a speeding car hit my car in January of 1992, there is no doubt in my mind that I would have spent eternity in hell.
The most important decision every person has to decide is who Jesus is. Nothing can possibly surpass it! Either Jesus, the only sinless person ever to walk on this earth, is telling the truth or He is the biggest liar/deceiver/demon ever and every Bible should be burned, destroyed forever! We can decide Jesus is Deity or we can decide He was a devil, but we cannot ignore His claim. If you would like a copy, or if you'd like others to read Gary's testimony, the .pdf file can be gotten, here
All things are possible with God! First and foremost I want to praise God for His goodness and mercy that endures forever! I had used drugs for 23 years, you name it (the drug) and I did it But by the grace of God I stopped at age 37. During these years I would read a Bible that I had from time to time, even when I was high on drugs, knowing what it said was the truth! Wow! …..What an awesome God! He came to me in my addiction! In my sin! I also studied with the Jehovah Witnesses for about 1 year, then I realized that it was a false cult. I was still using drugs and almost lost my job & my life. I went to a Drug Rehabilitation Center for two weeks. After I had gotten out, I stayed drug free for awhile – then used again off and on for a time. I knew in my heart that Jesus was the only answer. I started to listen to preachers on the radio and television. I was hungry for the Word of God. Then one Sunday morning the Holy Spirit put it on my heart to go to church. I went to several different church’s within a months time – none seemed right. Then I went to Syosset Gospel Church one Sunday morning and I knew this was the right church. God’s Word convicted me to tears. I finally found what I needed (what we all need) – the Truth, the Word of God! I knew I was a sinner in need of a Savior, and to be completely forgiven of my sins. A short time later I started playing drums with the Worship Team. In 1997 I was baptized and after that, that is when I truly felt devoted to serve the Lord. A few years later the Lord answered my prayer and gave me a wonderful Christian woman, Erika. Erika and I have been married now for 7 years with two great children; Christian who is four and Faith who is two. All things are possible with God! Amen.
Happy in a wheelchair?
I’d like to share with you a little bit about myself – first off I wasn’t always in a wheelchair and also I wasn’t always happy.
You see, at one time I was in perfect physical condition. Riding my bike, playing sports, swimming, fishing, ... and all the things children usually do was how I grew up. But all of that changed suddenly one June night in 1974.
On that night my life changed drastically. I had my beginner’s license and decided to take the car my parents had gotten me out for a spin. I was with a friend at the time, and after a night of drinking it sounded like a good idea to the both of us.
As my car was going over a bridge at a rather fast speed, I saw oncoming headlights from another car heading straight for my car. I swerved to avoid a crash – but because of the speed and the road being embanked, my car started to roll. It tumbled several times & because it did I hit my head repeatedly damaging my Central Nervous System. My friend, the passenger in the car that night was able to climb out of the vehicle. The rescue squad had to free me from the wreckage since I was unconscious and unable to be reached.
After freeing me from the car the ambulance made it’s way to the hospital. My heart stopped beating two times that night; once in the ambulance on the way to the hospital & the other time in the operating room. Both times they were able to revive me.
After a several hour operation, the Doctors gave little hope I’d survive the night. I was in a coma for 30 days and the doctors said that I’d either be totally paralyzed, a vegetable, or both if I ever awoke. I slowly started to awake, and regain a little strength and movement over time. The first thing I was able to do was to blink my eye. Communication opened up between me and the outside world; one blink for “yes”, two blinks for “no”.
Over period of about a year and a half of living in a rehab hospital doing all the therapy imaginable, improvement was slow. And there came a time when I stopped improving. One of the Doctor’s called me into his office one day and told me there’s nothing more that they can do for me, it was time to leave the hospital, I regained about all I’d ever regain, and I’d need to use a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
The day came when I returned home. Now in a wheelchair, things I could easily do on my own before were now a major task I couldn’t do anymore on my own anymore. I felt cheated and I became bitter inside. Back then I wasn’t too nice a person. I probably wouldn’t have liked you but, you would have felt the same way towards me, for sure! I was angry at almost everyone, especially angry at God. How could He let this happen to me? Why won’t He help and heal me? And many, many other like questions. One day I remember shaking my fist at the heavens and cursing God out!
I started feeling sorry, alone, and scared for myself and started experimenting to make myself happy again. I’d find temporary happiness with alcohol, and drugs, music, etc….. but nothing was lasting and able to reach me hurting heart.
The only time I’d be at peace was when I was sleeping. I thought to myself; “why not make my sleep permanent and take my own life?” I was just waiting for the right time and place.
In the meanwhile though, I heard about Jesus. Why He came to earth, what He did on the cross, and how He can heal our hurting hearts. I got hold of a Bible and read and reread all about His life. Something He said in the Gospel of Matthew spoke to my heart, it reads, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." [Mat. 11:28-30]
I realized one night as I cried myself to sleep, that Jesus was the only One who can heal broken hearts. Because of our sin and rebellion we’re separated from God. He [Jesus] came to bridge the “gap” between us here on earth & God in Heaven above.
So, that night I prayed half doubting and half believing – I said, “if your real Jesus come into my heart and life. I no longer want to be in control of things, I want you to take over. That night after that prayer, a peace entered my body that hasn’t left since.
Sure, I’m still in a wheelchair and I still have days filled with problems. Problems are a fact of life, they’re going to keep coming. If one goes away – another seems to replace it in a very short space of time! But now the difference is that I’m not alone anymore.
Jesus is with me as I go through the problem. Right now I can honestly say that I’d rather be in the wheelchair and know the Lord, than be perfectly healthy and not know Him. I’ve been in a wheelchair for 34 years now, my only regrets are the years I spent without knowing Him.
He’s the reason we’re here on this earth. Thanks for taking the time to read my story. It wasn’t an “accident” I had that day because I truly believe God engineered the circumstances of that day & it wasn’t an “accident” you came to read my testimony. I trust & pray that someday you’ll know the God who puts eternity in the hearts of men; “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end” [Ecc 3:11]
There’s more to life – and Jesus came to give us an abundant life! He says, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” [John 10:10] If you would like a copy, or if you'd like others to read Ed's testimony, the .pdf file can be gotten, here
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