How Jesus Changed Me - EJ

I am here to tell you that God is good—amazing actually. Up until a few years ago I would have told you that I was saved. That I believed in God and I was a Christian, I mean of course I am a Christian I grew up going to church every Sunday and my parents love Jesus. I went to Christian camps a few times and was always one of the most popular kids. I've wept with guilt over sins that I've committed and certainly said the prayer. And to top it off, I was even baptized when I was 13 years old.Well, truth is as I've reflected on what was, how I used to be, what my pursuits were... what I used to view as ultimate... I quickly see a different picture. To put this in context I must paint a picture of what used to be, of what once was.Things have always come pretty easy to me. School, athletics, making friends, work, quick wit, you name it. To top it off, the neighborhood I grew up in placed a huge emphasis on what you have, what you look like and who you know. My family was not originally from the area and we did not have much by our neighborhood's standards but I always wanted to make it and be accepted. For me, making it was going with the crowd at any cost. So that usually consisted of doing what ever it took to keep up. I would use my wit to cut down people for my own gain so everyone else would think I was funny. Sometimes I would not tell the whole truth if that would save me from getting in trouble. Even if deep down I knew it was the wrong thing to do (by the way, that is called lying). I would get drunk because that was what everyone else was doing and in my head it was not that bad. I was doing things in my relationship with my girlfriend that was designed for my wife (and by the grace of God she became my wife). To top it off, I was in church every weekend listening to the sermons. I knew right from wrong and you better believe that I was quick to tell others when they were wrong. But of course I had way too much pride to ever acknowledge that what I was doing was wrong. Man, looking back at things I can see what an arrogant, hypocritical, self-righteous jerk I had become.This is how life was for many years (college, marriage, work). Then there was a moment when it changed and I will never be the same. It happened at this very church on the first official weekend the doors were opened. 

"What I did not know walking into the church that weekend is that God would completely work over my heart and open my eyes to what I was so desperately in need of, a savior."

 Elizabeth and I had quickly become friends with a couple that were new to town. These people were awesome (they still are) and we were hanging out with them a lot. I over heard my buddy talking to someone that they were looking for a church and were interested in trying out The Village over in Dallas. As it turns out, I had just that week discovered from one of my friends at work that The Village was launching a new church in Fort Worth. As you can imagine, wanting to be awesome I quickly mentioned this news and we made plans to go to church that first weekend.What I did not know walking into the church that weekend is that God would completely work over my heart and open my eyes to what I was so desperately in need of, a savior.  As I've mentioned already, I grew up in church all my life but never once can I recall ever hearing the Gospel. I never knew that being apart from Christ I was spiritually dead and that because God loves me He sent His son Jesus down to the earth to live the life I could never live, to die the death that I deserve and thru his resurrection I can stand before God and all he sees is Jesus. So that means all the sins that I had committed and all the sins I will commit are paid for. Are you kidding me? And you know what, suddenly I loved him for it. It became real for me. I became a part of His story instead of the author of my own. I saw me for what I am, a sinner and suddenly saw him for who he was, is and will forever be—Lord of all. Praise God!To be clear, I don't have everything figured out and I am certainly not perfect. I still sin and am in desperate need of a savior. But because of God's grace, which by definition is unmerited favor, I can stand before you and proclaim Him as Lord. 

"So that means all the sins that I had committed and all the sins I will commit are paid for. Are you kidding me? And you know what, suddenly I loved him for it."

 EJ is a member of the Arlington Heights City Group.EJ was baptized in September. Our next baptisms will be in 2013, contact Nick England if you would like to be baptized.