Hello friend,
Today I want to share with you a testimony from a beautiful Christian woman who grew up “Christian”. Through her journey she was able to realize that growing up “Christian” was not enough. Often times growing up “Christian” can lead us to being lukewarm for God and His ways. We take our relationship for granted in some ways and although we do all the things that good Christians do – we often lack the most important aspect of being a Christian. We lack – relationship with God. When we lack having a relationship with God – we end up being lukewarm.
Angela’s Journey From Being Lukewarm to Hot for Jesus
I Was Always a Believer
There was never a time in my life when I didn’t believe in God. For my first 12 years, I grew up living with my mom and step-dad in Nebraska. My mom wasn’t (and still isn’t) a believer, so I really only heard about God in passing with extended family on her side and when I spent the night with my dad’s mother. My YiaYia (Greek for grandma) taught me to say a prayer before I went to bed, “Now I lay me down to sleep…”
Then I Prayed the Prayer of Salvation
When I was 12 years old, my dad remarried and invited me to live with him in Texas. He started taking me every Sunday to the Greek Orthodox church. My best friend in middle school was a Baptist preacher’s daughter, and she taught me a phrase that I had never heard before: “being saved.” She said I had to ask Jesus into my heart for Him to save me, so I did. I did it again at 14 and probably a few more times over the years because I never felt changed.
Fast forward to my twenties. I was married and trying to raise my children right. The thought crossed my mind that I was “lukewarm,” but I shrugged it off. I thought to myself, “I go to church every Sunday, I pray every day and listen to Christian music on the radio. In addition, I don’t lie, cheat, or steal – I’m fine.
I Woke Up to the Times
Fast forward again to my early 40’s. I was divorced and living with my soon-to-be-second husband. One day, I was listening to a conservative talk radio show, and I heard an ad for Stansberry Research about the collapse of America. I did some research and ended up listening to Alex Jones for a little while. Everything that was happening in society was moving us toward the one-world government, economy, and religion of the coming Beast system. I started looking into news and prophecies that all confirmed the end times.
God Had a Message for Me — Lukewarm…
Then one day when I was in my bedroom, I had the thought again. “You are lukewarm.” But this time, it came with something else. “Get hot, or I will spit you out of My mouth.” I knew it was truth. I walked out of my bedroom, a little in shock, the fear of God shooting through me. Then I heard Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.”
No Longer Lukewarm, I Got Hot
Suddenly it was clear. I wanted God. All of Him. I wanted Him to come in, and I wanted to be His with everything I had. By this time, I had moved from Alex Jones to Christian-focused news and Bible prophecy shows. Stan Johnson from Prophecy Club said he had something called a “prayer closet,” so I would make one too. I cleaned out the spare-room closet at the bottom, threw a blanket and pillow in there, and set a schedule to spend time in the Bible and prayer every single night.
God Gave Me His Spirit
Very soon, God gave me the Holy Spirit and began to do very quickly what 41 years on my own could never do – He changed me. He made God my focus. In fact, I still remember the night I was pondering my new thoughts and their intensity. (I thought about God ALL the time, like an obsession). Then it hit me, “God is my God!”
Looking Back, It’s All Clear
Now looking back, I see that for all those years, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I thought talking to the ceiling once or twice a day, going to church on Sunday, and being a good person was all there was to Christianity. I had NO IDEA that when God comes to live in your heart, He changes your focus; he changes what you want and what you care about. He also changes the conversation from one-way to two-way. John 14:21 says, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
When Jesus knows you, He shows Himself to you. He helps you understand the Bible and speaks in His still small voice.
Examine Yourself
Does He know you? Do you hear Him speaking? Is He your greatest love and the focus of your life? Have you been changed? Examine yourself today.
~~ Angela ~~
Angela has a blog where she shares lessons and encouragement that God has shared with her. I encourage you to check it out. Nolongerlukewarm.com
She also has published a beautiful devotional:
Accept His Invitation?
God desires a relationship with you too. No matter what it is that you are walking in right now, He wants to help you walk through it. He doesn’t want us floundering alone in the struggles of life. A relationship with Him starts with a tug in our heart and yearning to know Him better. He is offering us salvation, forgiveness, acceptance, grace, mercy, love, kindness, healing and guidance. He is the giver of miracles.
I am inviting you to pray the “prayer of salvation”. This is the most important prayer that we will ever pray. In this prayer we acknowledge that we are ready to trust Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we pray the prayer of salvation, we’re letting God know we believe His Word is true and we are inviting Him to take the lead of our lives.
Romans 10:9-10 ~ “if you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Biblegateway.com
Prayer Of Salvation
Dear God,
I come before you today and admit that I am a sinner. I know that there is nothing that I can do that will save myself. Many times I have done things that I know didn’t please you. I have been selfish and lived my life in selfish ways. For this I am sorry, and I ask for Your forgiveness.
I am ready to trust You as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe that You are the Son of God, that You died on the cross for my sins and that after 3 days You rose again.
You did for me what I could not do for myself. Today I come to you and ask You to take control of my life. I freely give it to you. Help me to live every day in ways that please You.
I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you.
In Jesus’ name ~~ Amen
Prayer Of Rededication
Father God,
I come before You today to ask You to forgive me for being lukewarm. I have taken You for granted way too many times. It has been pressed on my heart that my relationship with You has grown cold and lukewarm. I understand that being lukewarm is not pleasing to You. Lord, I ask that Your Holy Spirit meet with me and reveal to me Your truth. Change me. I invite You to light the fire within my heart and I choose today to follow You. Help me grow and flourish.
I am ready to faithfully follow You and invest in building relationship with You. Take control of my life as I freely give it to You. I love you Lord.
In Jesus’ name ~~ Amen
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Additional Christian Testimonies
–Alex- Restored From Addiction
–Kevin- Medical Miracle
–Renee- Solution is in Him
–Amy- A Little Face Changed It All
–Helena- Lies Squashed By Truth
– Carla – Breaking free from yoga/ new age
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Did Angela’s Christian Testimony encourage you? Do you have a Christian Testimony that you would like to share? Did you pray the salvation prayer? Or Did you pray the rededication prayer?
I would love to hear from you in the comments as well as pray for you.
Be blessed 💞💞💞
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