EXAMPLE 1
I didn't grow up in a Christian home and my family hardly ever went to church - maybe Christmas or Easter every couple of years. I didn't know Jesus Christ or what having a personal relationship with Him meant at all. A few years ago a friend of mine started attending church and came to know the Lord. Shortly afterwards, she started witnessing to me. I was open to listening and what she told me was very interesting and something I didn't know much about. I realized how naive I had been before - I figured I would go to heaven; after all I hadn't committed any of the bad sins like murder, adultery, stealing or cheating. Overall, I thought I had been a pretty good person. I was real curious and my friend answered a lot of my questions. She asked me to go to church with her and I did. I saw how the people there, at church, were different somehow. They were happy and seemed to have a peace about them that I knew I wanted. After evening service one night, I went home and prayed to God, confessing to Him that I was a sinner, and asked Him to come into my heart. I acknowledged that Jesus died on the cross for my sins so that I could be saved and have a personal relationship with Him. About 6 months later, I was baptized. I have grown to love God more and more each day as I learn more and more how great He is and how much He loves me and I've also become dependant on God and turn to Him for help in my everyday decisions and apply His word to my everyday life.
EXAMPLE 2
Thirteen years ago, I was given a copy of the New Testament by a young man who told me I needed to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior as he had done. I began reading, and by the time I got to John 10:27, I was ready. Jesus seemed to be speaking directly to me when He said, "My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me". I prayed right then to receive Him into my heart.
EXAMPLE 3
I was not raised in a church or with a Bible. I was raised to be good and stay out of trouble. It's only been in the last 5 years or so that I realized that wasn't enough. There were several Christians at my job who told me about their relationship with Christ. This got me to read the Bible a little. There was one lady who made a good impression on me because you could tell she was a Christian just being around her. She consistently displayed a peace in her life that I wanted for my life. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior about 4 years ago and I know that I will spend eternity with Him. I fall short on my commitment with the Lord every day but He knows my heart. Someday things will fit together better (my relationship with God, my family, home, friends, etc.). I am very thankful that God is patient.
EXAMPLE 4
Before I met Christ I believed people who believed in Christ were weak people who could not cope with life, and needed somewhere to hide from it. But I thought I was strong enough that I did not need that crutch in life. After my mother, passed away I found I needed a companion. My girl friend and I started visiting churches together. We found a Bible Church where the people were genuine. I became more and more at home with the church and its teachings. As the Bible was preached and explained to me I began to see my own need for Christ. I knew I wanted Christ in my life but was confused about my lack of feelings. I talked with a man in the church and he explained that when we place our faith in Christ, it is an act of faith and our emotions or feelings will be a result, not a cause of that faith. Now that Christ has entered my life and I pray (talk) to Him, He listens to me and helps me in my daily challenges by opening doors and guiding me in everything I do. I find myself able to genuinely love more freely and my patience with myself and others has increased.
EXAMPLE 5
I was raised in a Christian home, learning at an early age that there is a God and that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for my sins. When I was about six years old, I accepted Jesus into my life and was forgiven of my sins. As I continued to grow and mature, I began to understand more and more what had happened when I accepted Christ as my Savior. I began to understand what it meant to serve Christ as my Lord. When I was in my early teens, I was baptized as a symbol of my identification with Christ. During my junior year of college, I began to experience a new phase of growth in my Christian walk God placed me in a church fellowship where Bible studies, evangelism, discipleship, accountability, and solid personal growth were stressed. I am currently seeking to be pleasing and obedient to God in all areas of my life.
EXAMPLE 6
I invited Jesus into my heart at an early age, praying with my mother. I understood that I was a sinner and Jesus died for my sins. I remember several subsequent times of giving my life to the Lord. I also remember wanting to honor and serve the Lord, although I did not know how to except through obedience to my parents and other authorities in my life. In my teens and young adult years, though seldom outwardly rebellious, I struggled within many areas: a real lack of confidence in relating to people, especially peers, doubts and questions about the authority of Scripture, depression, etc. In looking back, I see the patient and protective hand of the Lord who held me secure even through my doubts and disobedience. In the last five to six years, I have seen the Bible come alive for me as I've had the privilege of sitting under some good Bible teaching. Through this period of time I have solidified my faith and learned not to depend so much on my feelings. I've become convinced of the sovereignty of God, the inerrancy of Scripture and its authority in my life.
AN EXAMPLE OF A VERY BRIEF BUT COMPLETE TESTIMONY FROM THE BIBLE
John 9:25 He (the blind man) replied, "Whether he (Jesus) is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know.
"I was blind but now I see!"
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