The homework that I didn't submit

Ok, I admit it... Nowadays I'm doing some computer files searching/gathering. So just like my post prior to this, I also stumbled upon this file that was my homework last year. I took the Training for Victory (or T4V) course/program in our church where we are thought about the integral topics that we need in making disciples in a simple way. Part of this was sharing your "Personal Testimony". Simply put, a personal testimony is your own story of how you were before having Christ, how did you meet Him and how are you living today with Him in your life. :)

We are told to write our personal testimony as our homework. We should make it short and simple, yet clear and of course Christ-centered. So I wrote it and on our next class the teacher asked us if there are people among us who are willing to share and read their homework. I didn't volunteer. After a few people shared their personal testimonies, the teacher didn't tell us to pass our homework. So after that I just kept mine and after one year (and few weeks), I found it and read it again. Yep, and it made smile. :)

Image from http://www.chilboltonbridgeclub.com

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Mar. 14, 2012
T4V Batch 6 Homework- Personal Testimony

I was born and raised in a Christian household. My parents were already Christians when they got married so it was normal for us to always go to church every Sunday. They also taught us to always pray and read the Bible. I and my siblings went to a Christian school from kindergarten until grade school where we were taught to memorize Bible verses. Even though I grew up in a setting like this, still I live a life of compromise and disobedience. A life lived far from God. I curse and say nasty things to people, I cheat on exams, I tell lies, I was disobedience and sometimes disrespectful to my parents, I drink alcoholic beverages to the point that sometimes I pass out. I know that these don’t please God and I always saw myself saying sorry committing them. It was like I am caught up in a cycle of being sorry for my sin then doing it again. I was living a life with “double identity” --a Christian life with my church mates and family, and a life of compromise with my friends.

Then there was a time in my life when I looked at myself and realized that I am tired of living like this. I realized that God is always been good to me. He doesn’t deserve my life offering if I am not giving it wholly to Him, when in fact He gave His all to me through Jesus when He suffered and died on the cross for my sins. I then accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and surrendered my whole life to Him not on a church setting with many people praying with me, but alone with nobody around. It was just me and God and my awareness that I am not happy and satisfied in living this kind of life. I felt the grace and the love of God overtake me. Since then I see Him not only a God that I visit every Sunday or a God that I have to report to because I committed a sin. I take Him now as my Life, my Joy, my Peace, my Purpose, my Reward, my Friend, my Lover—my everything! The Bible suddenly became alive to me. I don’t see it anymore as a bunch of Bible verses that I have to memorize because someone told me so, but I see it now as God’s love letter to me. I have now this personal relationship with Him that keeps me complete, secured, inspired and in-love through Christ.

Now I am not captive to my past sins anymore, like I am being helpless and can't do anything but to give in to them. I am now living a life of freedom. I speak more blessings to others rather than curses and it is easier now to be obedient and respectful. It is not because of me, but because I am experiencing the grace of God that I have in Christ. Though I am not perfect, I am sure something was changed in me and it was a change for the best. I know that I am happier now and joyful because I received the treasure that is costly yet it is for free, priceless but given as a gift for me and for everyone that breathes on this earth—and that treasure is Jesus Christ.