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PROGRAM outline is below.
(Musical introduction - "A Love Song to Jesus")
You are listening to ComfortForToday.com, a radio program named after the website of the same name - ComfortForToday.com.
Today I shall be reading from a book I have written called "Overcoming in the End-Time Church." Last week I read from chapter one and today I shall continue on into chapter two which explains how I became a Christian. The usual way is to say a prayer, but in my case God knew my heart was willing to let Him come in, and this chapter tells how it happened. After today, I will be broadcasting only one more program. I am sorry to leave this area of ministry, but I believe the Lord wants me to concentrate on writing for the website at this time.
So now I shall read to you from chapter 2 of "Overcoming in the End-Time Church about my
VISITATION FROM HEAVEN when my Christian life began.
When my children were very young, an event took place which changed my life for all time. Let me tell you about it.
The minister in the church I attended was conducting a Bible study course for Sunday school teachers in the home of one of the members. I recall the evening so clearly; I could even tell you where I sat.
Because the denomination I attended did not take the miracle stories of the Bible literally, the "born-again" experience in John 3:7 was considered nothing more than a self-righteous human decision to live a better life. On this particular evening I discovered that being born into the world of God's Spirit is much more than a human decision; it is a miraculous experience.
Just as God's Holy Spirit breathed the life of Jesus Christ into the womb of Mary, He breathed the life of Jesus into me. That evening I becme a member of the true church of Jesus Christ.
I had already considered myself to be a Christian. After all, I taught Sunday school, and I had always lived a clean moral life. Yet that night I discovered that being a Christian was much more than living a good life, it was allowing the Spirit of the resurrected Christ to live within me. The Christ was no longer hanging on a cross and I could feel His warm presence within my body.
That evening, as I sat looking into the face of my minister, I could not comprehend what was taking place. Not until the next day did I realize that this new burst of spiritual life within me had not come from my minister, but from another source. It had begun the moment my eyes had become fixed on the following verses in Matthew 11:28-30:
COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME, FOR I AM GENTLE AND LOWLY IN HEART AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT."
Rest for my soul indeed?
How could an over-burdened heart find rest?
What did it mean to take upon me His yoke?
I was filled with many questions, yet something strange had happened to me.
I had come to Jesus at His invitation.
I had been "born again"...
I was a brand new Christian.
Following this act of God, His Holy Spirit began to teach me many new truths as I Corinthians 12:13 says He will. For the next few days I could think of nothing else but those verses in Matthew. As I did my housework and cared for my small children, the answers to my questions began to flood into my mind. I remember feeling the presence of God for the first time as I began to talk to Him.
It was such a beautiful experience!
A new joy began to surge within my being.
I knew I was not alone; another One stood beside me.
I was like a new-born infant in God's perfect loving care.
My life had been changed forever!
For a time, all went well. But I had no idea of the dark storm-cloud of trouble which loomed ahead of me.
That is the end of chapter 2 of my book. If you wish to order "Overcoming in the End-Time Church" written by me, Doreen Palmer, you may write to: Comfort Books, 27 Dominion Gardens Drive, Georgetown, Ontario Canada L7G 6B2. The cost is $10 Cdn funds or $8 US funds, postpaid. You may also order my other book "The Lost Ark is Found (formerly "Life from the Ark") for the same price. Both books are presently being translated into other languages - they are on the website in Spanish and Arabic.
I shall now read a prayer which is not included in the book, but which seems fitting to end this chapter.
Dear Lord, Your death and resurrection have made it possible that when I pray the following prayer, I can make some exchanges that I may stand blameless before you, a God of perfection and holiness.
Dear Lord, I exchange my sin for your righteousness;
I exchange my guilt for your forgiveness.
I exchange my human will for your will;
I exchange my pride for your humility.
I exchange my unbelief for your faith;
I exchange my weakness for your strength.
I exchange my sadness for your joy;
I exchange my fear for your peace.
I exchange my anger for your love;
I exchange my mind for the mind of Christ Jesus.
I exchange my life for your life.
Thank you for dying that I might be blameless in your sight.
Prayer