Those verses I really important for me.
When I made my testimony right before the baptism while I was in the worldwide Church, I quoted them.
I made a translation of this testimony (if you are interested) (Don't think I ever shared it here on the forum..#LackOfMemory#pride?#HopeItsNotPride) (I obsviously first wrote it in french as I'm french, so I apologize for any spelling mistake).
I share it with you but PLEASE remember I didn't know the real gospel at this moment. So there are things in this testimony that Don't correspond to my thoughts today. I was a fetus. I was at the very begining of the path. Hope it doesn't go against the forum's rules. Please moderators let me know if it doesn't fit in. I wrote it in january 9th 2015.
"« God has a plan, for each one of us. And nobody is set aside.
Less than one year ago, I was Calling, for the very first time, Jesus, with all of the strenghts I had left, after willing to quit from this world that destroyed me, that had Nothing to give me, neither in its illusionary pleasures of alcohol, drugs, money, even less in the love humans pretended to offer.
I went throught multiple depressions, hospitalizations, medical treatments, therapies…
For me, there was Nothing more to expect from life, Nothing soothed me. I had lost my daughter’s custody, no more connection with my family, my friends, my coworkers. I was finding myself totally alone. I only wanted one thing : put an end to this nightmare.
After I failed at this umpteenth attempt I found myself recovering again to the hospital. I didn’t Believe in anything at all.
But God has a plan.
Ten years ago, my mother, a little while before her decease, gave me this advice : « Talk to Jesus in your prayers, approach Him. »
I didn’t listen to this advice. For me, Jesus was a tale told to children, a legend, and even if He had been alive, He was undoubtedly dead today, so what could He possibly do for me now !
But the seed was sown. And God made it grow.
Almost one year ago, mid February, when I came back from my last hospitalization, one night when I was in bed, completly prostrated, words of my mum came back to mind. Jesus. I told myself Why not ? What did I have left to lose ? So I decided to talk to Jesus.
I told him : Jesus, hug me tight in your arms so that I can breath again. And I repeated those words, every night, for almost a Week.
I looked for Him. And He granted me to find Him.
He put in my heart this question : how do I address a prayer to God ?
By looking out the answer on the internet, I stumbled upon a website which, in twelve points, intented to explain why God doesn’t Always answer to our prayers.
I found the answer to my question : I didn’t know the True God, even less His Son, Jesus Christ.
The website let me know that if I wanted to know the Lord, I had to read the Bible. I had never read it. For me it was an obscure book, incomprehensible. I had already throw an eye on it, but at this moment, my heart was too hardened and I had quickly gave up.
But God has a plan.
Trusting the Twelve website’s points, I firstly prayed the Lord’s forgiveness for my sins. They had all came back in my mind and I felt an intense shame about it.
Then, owning no paper version of the bible, I downloaded it on my smartphone. I started to read the gospel of Matthew. And the plant started to give fruit.
By reading the Word of God my faith appeared. I was each time touched right in the middle of the heart. My heart really was bounding when reading words and deeds of Jesus.
In march 2014, my life totally changed. I read Matthew chap 11 :27-30 :
« “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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.” »
I read avidly the new testament and the old testament. I was thirsty for Learning to know Jesus. Once again He leaded me towards other websites which brought more Clarity to His Word. I was asking to the Lord to reveal Himself to me, and the more He was revealing Himself, the more my Faith grew up.
God has a plan.
At the end of June, He gave me the need to get closer to a Church. I turned myself to the catholic Church then the Protestant Church. But one thing was missing : I couldn ‘t find a genuine attachment to the Word of God. So I decided to wait for the Lord to guide me.
In the beginning of August, He put in my heart the need of being baptized with the true baptism in Christ. But I didn’t know anymore to which Community I should turn myself to. End of august, while I was reading on the internet a wikipedia page about the protestant reformation, I came to learn more about evangelical Church. And it was Matching with what I expected. And there was exactly one in Rambouillet [the city where I was living at this time].
In september, I then took contact and on the 23rd, I came here for the first time.
God has a plan.
He guided me here by His Spirit. I realize the necessity of every test I went throught in my life, they brought me to Jesus. For He is the Path, the Truth and the Life.
Not that the Lord Always intents to reach us throught tragedies. There are much christians who convert themselves merely because their hearts were touched. But my heart was rough and it needed Something to break it.
Jesus came to get me, while I was in my sins up to the hilt and well above, so how much more now that He got me out of all these and established myself in His Kingdom, and washed by His blood, taking care of me, how much more does He want His plan to be accomplished in my life, keeping my heart at peace, because He holds my life in His hands, and if I keep the faith, all that He said, all That He planned in His heart for me will come to a realization.
God has a plan for us all.
And I thank the Lord for granting me this grace to become part of His plan, offering a place in the body of Christ for His Glory.
Thank you, Lord for this Justice, this Joy and this Peace you put in the hearts of those who love You, You who loved us first.
Alleluia. Amen. »
Love In Christ.