{"id":35467,"date":"2023-06-19T03:30:15","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T10:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=35467"},"modified":"2023-06-11T16:26:27","modified_gmt":"2023-06-11T23:26:27","slug":"june-19-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2023\/06\/19\/june-19-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"June 19, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Nothing to Share <\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cBut sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.\u201d <\/em>1 Peter 3:15 (NASB)<\/p>\n

One day the Senior Pastor of my former church walked into our staff meeting and announced that over the next two months each Sunday one of us would be sharing our testimony with the congregation. I looked around the room and realized that they had all come to the Lord as adults, or were \u201cnew converts.\u201d<\/p>\n

I, on the other hand, was a \u201cbiological,\u201d a term meaning that I was raised by Christian parents. They all had dramatic \u201cbefore\u201d stories. I did not. I declared, \u201cI can\u2019t do it. I don\u2019t have a testimony. I didn\u2019t have a conversion. No U-turn. When I was seven, I decided that I wanted Jesus to be MY personal Lord and Savior. I have always walked with God\u2014I just used to hold my parents\u2019 hands to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

With glistening eyes, Pastor Jim said, \u201cYou do have a story to share. Your testimony is the one that we all hope our children will have.\u201d Those words empowered me to boldly, proudly tell of what God has done in my life.<\/p>\n

Webster\u2019s lists a testimony<\/strong> as something that someone says, especially in a court of law, while formally promising to tell the truth; proof or evidence that something exists or is true.<\/em><\/p>\n

Not everyone who comes to Jesus can point to some horrible past life, but we have all sinned. Not everyone did a U-turn in life, but we have all been changed. Not everyone remembers life without Jesus, but He has made a difference in all our lives. Not everyone has a dramatic testimony, but we all have our story to share about what Jesus means to us\u2014and that IS dramatic. I truly can say, \u201cWithout Christ I would have no good thing. He is my life, my love and my hope. I have accepted Him as my personal Lord and Savior and endeavor to live a Christian life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Precious Jesus, thank You for my believing parents and the Christian foundation they gave me. Forgive me for focusing on myself and my fear, rather than on YOU and what YOU have done in and through me. Help me to share my story of Your love whenever I have the opportunity. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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