| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
Testimony
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
I was raised Roman Catholic
and remember as a youth being filled with questions about
God, as well as fear of God. I didn't get answers in church
or in my religion classes in school. I didn't see people around
me living the same way they said Jesus talked about living.
When I was a sophomore in high school I was asked on a religion
test if I believed the Roman Catholic Church was the one true
church. Incensed by the hypocrisy I perceived, and, not knowing
any other church, I answered “No, because I don't believe
there is a God.” Then I obliterated the answer on the
paper, but not in my heart. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
After high school I went
into the Air Force, still believing there was no God, and
living foolishly and carelessly. After arriving at my permanent
duty station in Southern California I began using drugs,
mainly marijuana, on a daily basis. I really didn't care
about anything, especially not my own well being. Despite
knowing about the possible side affects, I tried PCP a couple
of times. Afterward I would periodically become filled with
paranoia and fear. I started looking for a way out.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
I ran into a girl at the mall
who invited me to check out the Church of Scientology.
I went to hear what it was about and ended up signing up for
a class. No drugs was their rule, so I stayed clean for awhile.
During this time one of my good friends, Joe, accepted Christ
as his savior. He told me about his experience. He invited me to
a big, outdoor Christian concert being put on a by a church he was
going to. I went. It was interesting. I still didn't believe in God.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
In May of 1978, shortly
after these events, I was on my way to Hollywood one evening
to buy tickets for a concert at one of the theaters there.
I drove past the place and kept going. I ended up on some
California highway, driving nowhere. Led Zeppelin's “Stairway
to Heaven” came on the radio. As I listened and sang
along I was suddenly filled with the knowledge of God's
existence. I knew He was real. I knew He had sent his Son
to die for my sins. I knew if He was real I had no choice
but to obey and serve Him. I'll never forget the exhilaration
of that moment. The night was beautiful and clear, not yet
socked in by the summer smog, and the moon and the stars
were bright. I cried with joy at the beauty of His creation
and His revelation.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
I didn't tell anyone right
away what happened that night, but Joe invited me to attend
another Calvary Chapel service. This was at an area lake,
and would be a baptism service. I knew immediately I would
be a participant, and I decided to make that my first proclamation
that Jesus was my Lord |
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
