How I became a Christian

 

I grew up in a Christian family and was taken to church from before I can remember. The church my family attended was quite old fashioned and I found it pretty boring. Thankfully there was a good children’s work there, which kept me connected through my young teens. My parents bought me a Good News Bible when it was first published in 1976 and it had a big impact on me, as I finally read the Bible in a language that I could understand! (I still struggle with poetry and Shakespeare!) I read through the New Testament and enjoyed it, as I finally understood Jesus' teachings in plain English. The practical advice in the New Testament letters became so helpful. I began to pray and I asked God into my life many times, but being painfully shy, I said nothing about it to anyone. It was only when on a holiday with my Grandparents, when Grandad asked me to pray, that I prayed what I had done so many times before and was puzzled when he threw his arms round me. Becoming a Christian was that easy! No exams or qualifications, just an acceptance that I needed God’s help and forgiveness.

My shyness is still there, as it’s the way God made me, but I began to find confidence, as I learnt to trust God to help me though life. He has blessed my life and I’ve been successful, but it’s had plenty of difficulties too. My biggest issue was battling rheumatoid arthritis for about 7 years, which threatened to cripple me and was very painful. Not being able to use my hands, even to dress myself for a couple of days, is a pretty scary problem for a craftsman! I used to have to take powerful drugs to mask the symptoms - Not any more!! I don’t know why it came or how it went, but it has not been active for coming on for 10 years now!! I do know that praying against it and telling my body to function well was part of my healing, however weird that seems. I have battled numerous other problems, including depression, but hung onto my faith that God would help me through it. He has, and he turns these things, which Satan would seek to destroy me with, to make me more patient and understanding. I am still a work in progress, but my inner joy and strength come from my relationship with Jesus to help me negotiate the hurdles of life.

 

The first sketch above shows what most people think will get them to heaven - That it’s weighing up how much good you’ve done against the bad. The problem is that you can never be good enough to get to heaven – it’s impossible because the bad that we’ve all done separates us from a Holy God.

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This second sketch shows the solution, when we ask God into our life through Jesus. Firstly, Jesus takes the punishment we deserve to write off the bad we’ve done. Secondly, when you’ve invited God through the Holy Spirit into your life, he makes you good enough to get to heaven because of what Jesus did. No merit of your own!

 

This prayer could begin your own relationship with Jesus:

“Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. I ask your forgiveness. Thank you for dying on the cross for me to set me free from my sins (selfishness). Please come into my life and fill me with your Holy Spirit to be with me forever. Thank you Lord Jesus, Amen”

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