How God changed my life. Jesus Christ changed my life Jesus changed my life

No one can change a life like Jesus Christ does.

“So whoever is in Christ is a new creation; the old has passed away, now everything is new” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Saul, a religious fanatic and murderer, became Paul, a courageous preacher of Jesus Christ, when he met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. Such an encounter changed the lives of millions of other people who believed in Him! I have never seen a prostitute, an alcoholic or a drug addict who could say, “The other day I met George Washington / or Abraham Lincoln / and he changed my life! However, I have met many such people who said, “I got to know Jesus Christ the other day, and He changed my life!” Why? Yes, because He is alive!

Once in Anchorage, I was talking to Ed Perry. Ed suffered from alcoholism, he was a rude and downtrodden person. A staunch agnostic, he was embittered by the misfortune that had befallen his family. In the past, Ed was a semi-professional football player. By the time I finally got to meet him one on one, he was firmly in denial of the gospel.

Much to his and my own surprise, I abruptly ended our verbal fight and said, "Ed Perry, you'll be saved in five minutes!" I went up to him, opened the Bible and explained how to become a Christian. Ed was saved, his bitterness and bitterness were gone forever, his life was completely changed. If you find this story incredible, ask the Reverend Ed Perry, who is now a pastor in Everett, Washington. Ed could have a lot to add to this story. His life was poisoned by sin and shame until Jesus Christ delivered him. What else, or who else, except Jesus Christ, can change a person like that?!

And here is another miracle. John McDowell was a brilliant young man. However, he had a difficult childhood, and his youth was unhappy. MacDowell Sr. was a well-known alcoholic throughout the city. Josh's friends constantly laughed at his father's drunken antics. When friends came to Josh's house, he took his father to the barn and left him tied there. Then he drove the car to the silo and told his friends that his father was not at home! Outwardly cheerful, Josh experienced excruciating internal suffering. Few things could be worse than an alcoholic father, the laughingstock of the town!

Josh was generally an irritable young man, but he hated his father especially! One day he found his mother lying on the manure in the cowshed. Her father beat her so that she could not get up. You can imagine the fury and anger that gripped Josh. The years went by. Josh went to college and met several born-again Christians there. He saw in them something that his heart longed for, but that his mind was not yet ready to accept. So Josh set out to "logically disprove" Christianity and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He resolutely took up the study of the facts. There was a fierce battle going on between his mind and heart. In the end, convinced against his own will, Josh did what he felt was the only honest thing he could do. On December 19, 1959, at 8:30 pm, he retired to his room and asked Jesus Christ to come into his heart and life. It was a calm, without any special feelings, conversion, based on the reliability and reality of the resurrection of Christ. But, having begun so imperceptibly, after some time this change resulted in a grandiose explosion! Josh once recounted a conversation with the head of the history department at a university, when the professor, in an attempt to challenge Josh, asked him to give some concrete examples of the changes that Christ brought to his life. After 45 minutes, the professor was already asking him to stop!

Some of the changes that happened in Josh McDowell's life were that Jesus got rid of his irritability and gave him deep inner peace; self-doubt was replaced by confidence and peace. In addition, the Lord gave Josh a burning desire to bring others to Jesus Christ!

By accepting Christ, Josh experienced another amazing change. Slowly but firmly, God began to cool the hatred for his father that was hidden in his heart. About 5 months after accepting Christ, God's love filled Josh's heart so much that he looked his father in the eye and said, "Dad, I love you!"

Some time later, when Josh was at home, his father came into his room and asked how you can love a father like him? To this, Josh replied to his father that only six months ago he despised him! And then he talked about how Jesus Christ came into his life. He told his father that Jesus had turned his hatred into love and that now he truly loves him. Forty-five minutes later, Josh experienced one of the biggest shocks of his life. The father, who knew Josh and was aware of his hatred, simply said, "Son, if God can do in my life what He has done in yours, I want to give Him the opportunity." And then a miracle happened! Josh's father, an alcoholic, prayed with his son and trusted Christ as his Lord and Savior! His life changed instantly! He stopped drinking. He truly became a new creature in Christ!

Since then, Josh McDowell has gained worldwide fame! Some of his books, such as Undeniable Evidence and New Undeniable Evidence, contain a wealth of historical information about the Christian faith and Scripture and have already become classics. Josh has spoken at over 600 universities. He hosted debates with skeptics, atheists, and representatives of non-Christian religions from all over the world.

Herbert Van der Lugg tells another amazing story about how Christ can change a person's life: “I didn't understand what my grandson meant when he told me he wanted a Transformer. Then the grandson explained to me that the Transformer is a toy that can be turned from a robot into a tank, into a truck, and then back into a robot. When I saw the Transformer, I understood why this toy is called that. But it got me thinking about the major transformation that Christ brings to the lives of all who believe in Him.”

The life of Oscar Cervantes is a vivid testimony to the power of Christ to change human life. As a child, Oscar began to get into trouble. As he got older, he went to jail 17 times for violent crimes. Prison psychiatrists claimed that no one would help him. But they were wrong! In one of the short days spent at liberty, Oscar met an old man who told him about Christ. Cervantes accepted Jesus and became a kind, caring person. He soon returned to prison as a preacher! Chaplain H.K. Warwick describes it this way: “The third Sunday night of every month in Saledad is Oscar Night. Prisoners come to listen to hymns, they sing gospel stanzas with feeling: they listen attentively to him for more than two hours, they boldly approach the church altar ... What doctors and psychologists could not do for Oscar over many years of work, Christ accomplished in one moment repentance.

In the 5th chapter of Mark we read about how Jesus Christ turned a demon-possessed, possessed by an unclean spirit into a calm, normal person! The same power that changed both this demoniac and Oscar Cervantes is available to everyone who believes in Jesus. He is the Greatest Transformer! Has Christ changed your life???

As Josh McDowell emphasizes in his book Not Just a Carpenter, Christ could be either a liar, or a lunatic, or the Lord God. Jesus could not be a deceiver. He was a model of honesty and demanded that people be honest, no matter what it cost them. Everything He taught came true! He gave his own life because everything He said was true! He wasn't crazy. Rather, he was the center of sanity and calm, despite the enormous pressure, false accusations and persecution. His impeccable character and calm demeanor do not allow such a possibility.

What is the only possible choice?

Jesus Christ was and remains the Lord God! Tens of millions of people testified that Jesus changed their lives, solved their deepest problems, answered their deepest aspirations and gave them peace!!! Those whose lives have been changed by Christ include former White House Special Counsel Chuck Colson, scientists Dr. Henry Morris and Dr. Duane Gish, former Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry, professional baseball players Steve Laergent and Roosevelt Grier, professional basketball player "Dr. Jay" - Julius Erving, researcher Josh McDowell, almost 66 million people tortured and killed for the name of Jesus Christ, and millions of other "ordinary" people! And they all say, “Jesus died for me and I love Him! He is alive, He loves me! He saved me, He lives in me! And He changed my life!!!

Has he changed your life?

D.L. Moody was an outstanding preacher of the Lord Jesus Christ. God used him to shake two continents with the message of Christ. Moody was once asked if he felt "the grace of death." Moody replied, "No." And then he added that, on the contrary, he felt “the grace of life,” but added that when the time came to die, he would die in grace. And it was true. Many years later, dying, Moody solemnly said: “The heavens are opening! The earth is moving away... Jesus is coming!!!"

Dear friend, how would you like to die? Life with Jesus Christ is wonderful! Death with Him will lead you to a wonderful new world! And what will your death bring you?

We spoke to both your heart and your mind. We cannot do more. The glory and majesty of Christ defies our description, but we will be overjoyed if the Holy Spirit will do it for us and show you the reality of Christ in such a way that you will want to know Him. Only the Spirit of God can bring Christ to you, but only if you want to see Him. Jesus warns that the day of salvation is TODAY! Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your heart! ( 2 Cor. 6:2).

Perhaps, reading the last lines, you felt insecure or even very uncomfortable. You may have felt that you are being "pressed". My friend, you can hardly walk on tiptoe, afraid to wake your wife and child, if you know that the house is on fire!

When I served in the naval forces on the island of Okinawa, we were constantly attacked by kamikaze pilots, and soon I noticed a peculiar reaction in me, very reminiscent of the reaction of dogs in Pavlov's experiments. We had a siren warning of the start of an attack. After a while, the mere sound of a siren caused a lump in our throat, dry mouth and intense tension long before the appearance of airplanes. And we hated the siren! But if we chose to plug our ears or ignore it, we might die. Each time, our heightened reaction to the siren forced us to rush to the defense of the ship and our own lives even before the enemy appeared. Siren was our best friend and literally saved our lives with fear.

The gospel brings us out of a state of spiritual and mental apathy. We can either close our ears and ignore the siren announcing our sinfulness, or we can react quickly and honestly look at the resurrected Christ who saves us from our enemies. It happens that an alarm signal is heard only once and it is difficult to hear it against the background of the loud noise of the surrounding world. Please don't miss it!!!

No one will ever take care of you like Jesus! One religion is not enough. I have led Bible school graduates, Bible teachers and even missionaries to Christ or salvation assurance. Only a personal acquaintance with Him can bring true satisfaction and make your life complete!

There is a story about a little boy who was ridiculed by an atheist for being overjoyed when his alcoholic father accepted Christ. The atheist reproached the boy for believing too naively in the biblical myth and all that old-fashioned “salvation” nonsense. The atheist ended his monologue with the words: “Baby, you are dreaming!” To which the boy replied, “Mister, my dad used to come home and beat me. I hid in horror when I heard his weaving footsteps. He swore and beat my beloved mother, we often went hungry, we had nothing to wear, and my mother cried a lot. Now dad buys her beautiful things, kisses and hugs her. He sits me on his knees, tells me stories and tells me how much he loves me. Our home has become warm and cozy, and we all love Jesus. Mister, if I'm only dreaming, please don't wake me up!"

My friend, Jesus frees us from enemies more cunning and dangerous than alcohol, doubt, uncertainty, hopelessness, horror, fear, anger, senselessness... He frees us from sin and hell. With His help, we can know and experience the fullness of life.

My only ambition is to bring you to Jesus now! My friend! Did you feel the beating of His heart? He called to you from the bloody cross, from the threshold of the empty grave, and now He stands at the door of your heart and addresses you: “Let Me into your heart and life. I am Jesus Christ, I love you!!!

Floyd K. McElvin. "Facts You Didn't Know"

“For God so loved the world that He gave His Son
the only begotten, so that whoever believes in him may not perish,
but had eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to judge
the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16,17).

Jesus left heaven, became human, and took the punishment for our sins to give us eternal life.

God showed His love for man in the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. Understanding this made me a different person. The attitude towards people has changed, because every person is beautiful and valuable in the eyes of God, and God loves him just like he loves me. The joy of belonging to God appeared: a sense of significance, the meaning of existence of both my and all the surrounding creation. It (creation) has ceased to be hostile to me. I became a part of him. Everything is enclosed in the loving arms of God. God's creation is my house, in which I am God's child, which means that everything belongs to me, as well as to my Father. I am an integral part of the entire universe and I will always be: I cannot be destroyed, excluded from life. As a result, my attitude towards life and its values ​​has changed. Much of what had value and importance became momentary, not important, empty: worldly pride, selfishness. insisting on one's own, indispensably proving one's innocence, envy, greed, discussion of momentary problems, resentment over trifles, unforgiveness, grief over trifles, anger, fear of the future, fear of death, etc. - everything has lost its meaning.

The world cannot see the beauty, attractiveness, goodness and holiness of Divine truth. Ignorance of the Divine truth and not the desire to know it dooms a person to life in a limited world (both in time and in interests). And in this limited space, a person wants to somehow establish himself, have a value, excel.

A person, to whom God's truths were revealed (through knowledge of God's word - the Bible, through reflection on life, death and resurrection of the Son of God) and who felt himself incorruptible, an eternal particle of the Universe, comes a feeling of freedom, happiness and peace. There is a reassessment of values: many problems simply cease to exist, and much in this fleeting and finite world becomes unimportant and uninteresting.

My worldview has changed. We can learn the truth about the creation of the Universe, earth and man only through the word of God, His revelation given to people through the prophets. No scientific research can reveal the truth, they only partially open the veil of knowledge, either affirming or rejecting their hypotheses, or approaching or moving away from the truth.

Example. How many "fairy tales" there were about what the earth rests on. And in the most ancient book of the Bible (about 3.5 thousand years ago) - in the book of Job, it is written: “ He spread the north over the void, hung the earth on nothing(Job 26:7). And we only recently found out about it.

God asks Job: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you know. On what are its foundations established, or who laid its cornerstone at the general rejoicing of the morning stars, when all the sons of God (Angels) shouted for joy?(Job 38:4-7).

The Bible is a book about God's love for man and all creation. In the word of God I find food for the mind and for the heart. In the love of God I find strength for life and hope for the future.

« See what kind of love the Father has given us so that we can be called and be children of God» (1 John 3:1). " God's love for us was revealed in the fact that God sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might receive life through Him.» (1 John 4:9).

Lord Jesus lived, suffered and died for us, to save us. He became the "Man of Sorrows" to bring us into eternal joy. " The punishment of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed.”(Isaiah 53:5). The immaculate Son of God took upon Himself the burden of sin. Christ was the Mediator through whom God was able to pour out His infinite love on a fallen world. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself” (2 Cor. 5:19).

The Lord Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). " Come to Me, all weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.» (Matthew 11:28). “He who comes to Me I will not cast out"(John 6:37). “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). " This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day"(John 6:40). " And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that you too may be where I am.”(John 14:3).

Great is the love of God for man, and the day will come when And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death; there will be no more crying, no crying, no sickness; for the former is past"(Rev. 21:4). " And it shall come to pass, before they call, I will answer; they will still speak, and I will already hear” (Is. 65:24).

A deep awareness of the merciful love and unchanging care of God brings joy, peace and peace of mind.

Love. The most important, most necessary thing in a person's life is to be loved. Then the time comes when you want someone better than you, even if the only one your heart desires loves you. I met a man whom I loved with all my heart, and he accepted my love and shared with me the needs of life, but he was not interested in what my heart needed. For happiness, it is not enough to love yourself, it is important that you are loved and understood. I've come to terms with what I have.

Once, in conversations about God, I heard that the One Who created everything living and non-living and gave me life, came to earth to atone for my guilt before God and people. He, by Whom and for Whom everything was created, and for Whom nothing is impossible, left the majesty of heaven and came to earth, becoming like a man so that we could communicate with Him. He came to show God's love and died for my (and your) sins so I could live forever with a loving God.

It turns out that there is One Who loves me so much that he died in my place so that He would have the opportunity to live with me forever. That's how much He needs me, that's how much He loves me.

Even in a magical dream, I could not dream it. By that time (I was already 60) I had come to terms with dislike, and life was losing significance for me. I did not know that I was loved not only by someone who is better than me, but by the One Who gave me life, created me for Himself to love and delight me all the long eternal life. My heart got much more than what it dreamed of! I cannot describe my joy to you. But the Lord Jesus filled my life, and there is no one and nothing more important than His presence in my life.

Independence. There are people who cannot submit to God for fear of losing their independence. As for me, I always dreamed that there was someone nearby who was smarter and stronger than me, so that I could rely on him, lean on him and live in peace, completely trusting him.

I have found support, the most reliable, the most faithful, durable, on which you can rely on everything without looking back. I (my soul) climbed into the arms of the Lord, clung to Him, and what is my independence to me? I am ready to dissolve in Him, completely trusting Him.

The Lord says: And until your old age I will be the same, and until your gray hair I will carry you; I created, and I will carry, support and protect you"(Isaiah 46:4).

Can I not trust Him? If there's anything that confuses me, it's that I'm not a very good gift for Him to enjoy me. He still has a lot of work to do before He can take me in His arms and pull me close to Himself. But I hope that He will cleanse and wash me and make me what He intended me to be and what He wants to see in the host of His children.

Pride. Lord means master. Do we want to be slaves? Someone is embarrassed by this. But I think: it is good to have such a master who loves you and takes care of you, and even died for your fault in order to save you from death.

« Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you» (1 Peter 5:7).

« Will a woman forget her suckling child, so that she does not have pity on the son of her womb? But even if she forgot, I will not forget you. Behold, I have drawn you on my hands (palms)"(Is.49:15,16).

It is good to have such a Mr.

Is there anything I could be proud of? What do I have that I wouldn't get from God?

If I'm proud of anything, it's that God loves me. When I found out about this and believed, then my bent back straightened, then pride and dignity appeared. I am not an insect in the Universe, which exists today, and tomorrow it does not exist. I have a Heavenly Father who loves me, forgives me for everything that I have grieved Him with, and yet, sometimes, I grieve and want me to live with Him forever. Shouldn't I feel proud? It was God's love that changed my life.

Am I proud of other people? No. God does not have two identical people. Everyone is individual, everyone is good in their own way, He has His own plan for everyone, He loves everyone as if they are the only one. Indeed, each person is unique and unique and is loved by God. God has enough love for everyone, just as the sun has enough light and warmth for everyone. And no one can feel left out, and everyone can feel like the only one loved.

Do I have an advantage over the other person? What do I see in other people, besides what lies on the surface? What do I see from what God put into a person, but it was not revealed due to earthly circumstances? And in the Kingdom of Heaven it will open and blossom! Shall I not be ashamed before him and before myself for my pride and contempt. Each person is good in his own way and infinitely dear to our Heavenly Father.

The Lord Jesus died for every person who lived and lives on earth in order to give him eternal life. We are all children of God, it is a pity that not everyone understands that God loves him.

Fellowship with God. In space there is an amazing, delightful miracle, omnipotent and tender, loving man. He is the Creator and He is the boundless love for a person and the desire to give a person full happiness in his existence. And we people do not know what this majestic miracle is, which loves us. We are separated from Him, we do not see Him and do not feel His presence. What separates us from Him, from this loving us, incomprehensible, magnificent, wishing us happiness and good Creator of everything? Only a very few feel His existence when a particle of His love, His spirit, settles in a person's heart.

How can we break through this alienation, touch His love and greatness? Is it possible? Maybe!

What other great good can a man desire if he has fellowship with the infinite God? The weak sinner has the blessed opportunity to speak with his Creator. We speak words that reach the throne of the Ruler of the Universe. We can draw closer to God every moment. When we turn to Him, He answers, "Here I am." The Lord is glorified when we believe in Him, bringing all our difficulties to Him.

« Do not worry about anything, but always in prayer and petition with thanksgiving, open your desires to God.(Phil. 4:6).

What the Lord Jesus did for me

Revealed to me God's plans for people and the earth.

Released from the fear of the unknown.

Filled my life with meaning and love.

He became a friend, assistant, comforter in all the days of my life: good and bad, dark and light.

And most importantly: He atoned for my sins and gave me the joy of fellowship with God the Father.

“Those who did not seek me found me, I revealed myself to those who did not ask about me» (Rom.10:20).

« See, I'm standing at the door(heart) and I knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine(supper) with him and he with me» (Rev. 3:20).

« The Lord is good - a refuge in the day of trouble - and he knows those who hope in Him.(Nahum. 1:7).

The knowledge of God, His mercy, His love, His ardent desire to forgive a person and give him eternal life on a renewed earth, made me a happy person. Life has a meaning and a future.

Back then, when I was young, I did not understand many behind-the-scenes things in sports. I was supposed to go to a tournament abroad, but they didn't let me out. Then I became a member of the USSR National Team, among adults, but even then I was not allowed to go abroad. Paperwork was a lengthy process. Even relatives were carefully checked, none of them should have had a previous conviction or even have any complaints. But in this regard, I was all right. All relatives were in good standing, and for some reason they recognized me as morally unstable. I do not know by what criteria they determined my instability. I wasn't even a bully. This happened 3 or 4 times. It also happened that the Komsomol did not put its seal on travel documents. When we, as part of the USSR national team for adults, were ready to fly to Germany, I was taken off the plane. Another good wrestler was removed from me and others flew instead of us. I felt very sad, I even cried. And then he got very angry at everyone.

Returning home, I met with my friends, they were fond of marijuana at that time. My friends, in their own way, tried to console me and persuaded me to try smoking. At that time I did not even smoke cigarettes. I don't know how it happened, but I tried marijuana. I wanted to drown out the hurt and anger. When it dragged on, some kind of dope found on me. Now I don't remember exactly what happened to me. Soon I began to smoke marijuana more often. These were strange influences, sometimes I wanted to laugh, sometimes I wanted to eat. Then I tried pills: codeine, noxerone. Further - more and more. At first, everything went well, because was health. But imperceptibly, drug addiction began to appear. I became kind of angry, sometimes I had to fight, but I never wanted to become a criminal. I grew up in a respectable sports family. I had a spirit of leadership, I wanted to be the first everywhere. And on the streets it was necessary to defend their point of view. Soon pickpockets began to invite me to their cases. They were stealing, and I just stood there, and I was ashamed to see how they pull money out of their pockets. I stood and thought - it would be better if we went to some apartment, and I knocked someone out there, and we would take everything we need. The more I got into this trouble, the less I felt ashamed. Gradually, I myself became hardened and went down the path of crime. I began to take bad role models for myself, thinking that in this world this is how it should be done. If they started to growl at you, show your teeth too.

Soon I started stealing myself. Then he got acquainted with gambling and became a professional card player, a cheater-chancellor, sleight of hand and no fraud. I went on tour throughout the USSR. He was acquainted with many authorities. At the meeting, I was assigned to look after the narcotic common fund and I helped the lads in the zones. In our republic, the production of alcohol was strongly established, and they often offered me crazy sums so that I could become a cover for someone. But I considered it a bugger for myself, and I have never been a roof or slate for anyone. When I started to inject, I could not stop. I became angry, literally freaked out. I have never seen anything normal in my life. I literally ran into her.

Repeatedly they wanted to put me in prison, but my uncle pulled me out of there. It was like a competition with him, I did everything to get into prison, and he did everything to get me out of there. This continued until 1984. As soon as my uncle died, they immediately put me in jail. The middle brother was also imprisoned. By that time, I was already tired of everything. When you sober up, you start to regret what you're doing. But the physical dependence on drugs made me go back to this wolf path. I tried to get rid of this dependency. I was tormented, as dry breaking came on. From the wheels I still endured breaking, but from the injections I could no longer. The flesh demanded its own. I got to the point where I didn't know what I wanted out of life. Sometimes I open my eyes in the morning and think, why did I wake up, why do I need this life? Several times I tried to be treated in clinics in various cities, and was treated in Moscow. As the years passed, my health got worse and worse. The younger brother tried to save my life. He began to take me to psychics, fortune-tellers, sorceresses, whispering grandmothers. But there was no result. It got to the point that I could no longer walk, dried up. I was already dying. Many fought for my life, but not myself.

I no longer wanted to live. But, thank God, we have opened a drug treatment center in Vladikavkaz. Alik Gazayev, the chief physician, works there, he is a man of God. A group of Christian enthusiasts also crept up there. They came to me and started talking about God. I looked at them and did not understand what they need from me. They said: "God is love, and He loves me!" But I did not understand the meaning of what was said, because I did not know who Jesus Christ was. But I noticed that these young people are modest. I laughed at them, because in life you need to be bold and arrogant. I used to argue with them that it was impossible to live honestly. I told them: "Let's say I become a believer, I'll get out of here, because I will have to live somehow. And besides cheating, I can't do anything." But they said: "Ask God, and He will give you everything you need." I laughed, of course. How can I ask God, and He will give me. But gradually I began to think about their words and decided to read the Bible. Before that, I read a lot of literature, I liked to read philosophy, science fiction. I thought that any sane person should think about everything.

But it turned out that the real wisdom is found in the Bible. It says that faith comes from hearing the Word of God. The Bible also says that people have eyes and do not see, have ears and do not hear. And it was written about me. Sometimes, I listen to believers, and my thoughts go somewhere to the side, and I start thinking about my affairs. But sometimes enlightenment came, I began to understand what they were talking about, and these words remained inside me. I was taken to a rehab center in the mountains and there I was looked after by believers. They didn't owe me anything, they just wanted to help me. Lying in a hospital bed, I still treated them with a hint of distrust: "Leave me" - I told them. "I have one road - this is death. Don't you see what a terrible state I am in." And then I heard in response the gospel words spoken by Jesus Christ: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." “This is exactly what concerns me,” I thought. Another gospel saying also applied to me: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick."

I thought if the first to be saved was the thief hanging on the cross, the conclusion suggests itself: so can I be saved? Will all my grave sins be forgiven for me too? Right there in the hospital room, I knelt down and accepted Christ as my personal Savior. It has been 1 year and 6 months since then. During this period, I never took drugs again. He has given me brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ who help and support me. These are real friends, not the ones I used to have.

People who live without God prefer money over man. On the surface they seem prosperous and decent, but inside they are all rotten. They don't have anything good inside. Of course, they can live as they like, but I'm already sick of this life. I am glad that I am in a sober state, I can joke, sing songs, and before, without drugs, not only to sing, I could not speak. Jesus delivered me from smoking, and much more. I am glad that I have come to know this God and Savior of all souls, Jesus Christ. I try to get to know Him more and more. I pray to Him and thank God for everything. Right in the morning I thank you for the new morning, for the air that I breathe. I ask that He always abide in me and I in Him. I ask Jesus Christ to lead me in ways where I can do things that bring Him pleasure and glory. God changed me a lot and I thank Him that He also changed my friend and now my brother in Jesus Christ, Vitaly Kozyrev, with whom we are now witnessing to people together about how Jesus Christ saved us. Together with him we work in a drug treatment center in Vladikavkaz, and help people, with the help of the power of God, to get rid of drug addiction. When the sick come to the clinic, we pray and read the Bible with them from morning to evening. So every day. We see what miracles God does. People with a long history of drug addiction get freedom from this addiction.

Many of my friends died and my soul hurts a lot for those who are in this addiction. I fully understand their pain in every part of the body. After all, I experienced it all myself.

Now doctors are able to remove many physical pains, but mental pains are much stronger, and only Jesus Christ heals them. I would very much like to see Christians of the Evangelical faith allowed into hospitals, drug treatment centers, prisons so that they bring people the truth about Jesus Christ. People need to know the truth about eternity, heaven and eternal torment in hell.

For as long as I can remember, I have always believed in God. As children, my younger sister and I were baptized in the Orthodox Church. Every year my grandmother took us to church to take communion. Although I didn’t really want to go to church, I went because my mother and grandmother wanted to. When my sister and I got older, my mother and grandmother no longer insisted that we should go to church. So our trips to church stopped, which I was glad about. I didn't understand: why go to church? I already believed in God and prayed when I needed it. And, most amazingly, the Lord helped me and answered my prayers, but, unfortunately, I quickly forgot about it.

I never wondered: does God like the way I live?

I made a lot of mistakes and stupid things. I didn't get along with my family. I did not consider their opinion. I did what I wanted and did not think that I was hurting them with my behavior. I wondered: "Why don't they talk to me, what have I done to them?" In my family, I felt completely alone and unnecessary to anyone. I didn't realize it was my own fault. But at that moment I blamed anyone but myself.

I had girlfriends. Then I thought that I have no one closer to them. We constantly got together, smoked and drank, went to discos, walked according to the "full program". I thought that there was nothing wrong with that, that it was good and fun. It never crossed my mind that it was a sin. I was blind.

Yes, I believed in God, like many now, but their life is far from corresponding to the life of a true believer. They either do not consider the will of God for their lives, or they simply do not know how God wants them to live. So I did not know the will of God for my life, no one ever told me about how God wants me to live. I have never read the Bible or heard about salvation and the happy life that only God can give.

In the last years before Jesus came into my life, I was in constant depression. Relations with relatives did not improve, my friends stopped calling me and we hardly saw each other anymore. I felt lonely and unhappy. I was not satisfied with my life. My heart was crying and could not find peace. My heart longed for love and happiness, which I so lacked. There was nothing in my life that could fill the void that filled my heart. I saw no light in the tunnel of my life.

By that time, I graduated from the university (again, with God's help, despite my lifestyle, the Lord answered my prayers) and could not find a permanent job. I experienced failure after failure.

After leaving my third job in July 2003, my younger sister called me to church. I heard that she goes to some kind of church, but since we did not communicate with her, this did not interest me much. But I agreed to go. So I attended several meetings. And on August 10, 2003, Jesus entered my life.

And everything has changed. My eyes opened. My outlook on life has completely changed.

My sister and I became best friends. I saw all my sins and mistakes. I realized how wrong I was and how wrong I was. Relationships with parents have also changed. I realized how much I love them.

The Lord delivered me from the desire to drink and go out with my girlfriends. Today I don't drink or smoke. The Lord completely freed me from this. Glory to Jesus!

With His blood He washed away all my sins and gave me a new life full of love and happiness. God's love filled my heart!

Now I know for sure that in the heart of every person there is a place that is intended only for God, and until He enters your heart, you will feel this painful emptiness. Until God takes a place in your heart, you cannot be completely happy, because the place intended for Him is still empty. Can you say with complete certainty that you are happy? I can! I am happy because my Savior and Lord lives in my heart!

Glory to Jesus! He completely changed my life!

The very next day, after I accepted Jesus into my life, He provided me with a good job, where I still work. And that was not the end of His miracles and blessings in my life.

Remembering today about the past, I do not believe that all this was. That once I lived without God And I did not know the love of Christ. But today the Lord is my Savior, My Defender and Redeemer, My Mentor and He is my Teacher, My Purpose in this life and Meaning. Without Him, it is not known what would happen? How would my life be then? And today I am God's creation. I have Christ's salvation. I am a born again child. I am a child in the hands of Christ. I am under His protection. He surrounds me with care, Answers my prayers. Heals me and saves me. He fills my heart. Gives joy, love. Gives peace and tranquility. My Lord - this is what I was looking for for a long time, What I needed for so long. That I've been waiting for so long. And now He is with me. He is with me forever!

Saul, a religious fanatic and murderer, became Paul, a courageous preacher of Jesus Christ, when he met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. Such an encounter changed the lives of millions of other people who believed in Him! I have never seen a prostitute, an alcoholic or a drug addict who could say, “The other day I met George Washington / or Abraham Lincoln / and he changed my life! However, I have met many such people who said, “I got to know Jesus Christ the other day, and He changed my life!” Why? Yes, because He is alive!
Once in Anchorage, I was talking to Ed Perry. Ed suffered from alcoholism, he was a rude and downtrodden person. A staunch agnostic, he was embittered by the misfortune that had befallen his family. In the past, Ed was a semi-professional football player. By the time I finally got to meet him one on one, he was firmly in denial of the gospel.
Much to his and my own surprise, I abruptly ended our verbal fight and said, "Ed Perry, you'll be saved in five minutes!" I went up to him, opened the Bible and explained how to become a Christian. Ed was saved, his bitterness and bitterness were gone forever, his life was completely changed. If you find this story incredible, ask the Reverend Ed Perry, who is now a pastor in Everett, Washington. Ed could have a lot to add to this story. His life was poisoned by sin and shame until Jesus Christ delivered him. What else, or who else, except Jesus Christ, can change a person like that?!
And here is another miracle. John McDowell was a brilliant young man. However, he had a difficult childhood, and his youth was unhappy. MacDowell Sr. was a well-known alcoholic throughout the city. Josh's friends constantly laughed at his father's drunken antics. When friends came to Josh's house, he took his father to the barn and left him tied there. Then he drove the car to the silo and told his friends that his father was not at home! Outwardly cheerful, Josh experienced excruciating internal suffering. Few things could be worse than an alcoholic father, the laughingstock of the town!
Josh was generally an irritable young man, but he hated his father especially! One day he found his mother lying on the manure in the cowshed. Her father beat her so that she could not get up. You can imagine the fury and anger that gripped Josh. The years went by. Josh went to college and met several born-again Christians there. He saw in them something that his heart longed for, but that his mind was not yet ready to accept. So Josh set out to "logically disprove" Christianity and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He resolutely took up the study of the facts. There was a fierce battle going on between his mind and heart. In the end, convinced against his own will, Josh did what he felt was the only honest thing he could do. On December 19, 1959, at 8:30 pm, he retired to his room and asked Jesus Christ to come into his heart and life. It was a calm, without any special feelings, conversion, based on the reliability and reality of the resurrection of Christ. But, having begun so imperceptibly, after some time this change resulted in a grandiose explosion! Josh once recounted a conversation with the head of the history department at a university, when the professor, in an attempt to challenge Josh, asked him to give some concrete examples of the changes that Christ brought to his life. After 45 minutes, the professor was already asking him to stop!
Some of the changes that happened in Josh McDowell's life were that Jesus got rid of his irritability and gave him deep inner peace; self-doubt was replaced by confidence and peace. In addition, the Lord gave Josh a burning desire to bring others to Jesus Christ!
By accepting Christ, Josh experienced another amazing change. Slowly but firmly, God began to cool the hatred for his father that was hidden in his heart. About 5 months after accepting Christ, God's love filled Josh's heart so much that he looked his father in the eye and said, "Dad, I love you!"
Some time later, when Josh was at home, his father came into his room and asked how you can love a father like him? To this, Josh replied to his father that only six months ago he despised him! And then he talked about how Jesus Christ came into his life. He told his father that Jesus had turned his hatred into love and that now he truly loves him. Forty-five minutes later, Josh experienced one of the biggest shocks of his life. The father, who knew Josh and was aware of his hatred, simply said, "Son, if God can do in my life what He has done in yours, I want to give Him the opportunity." And then a miracle happened! Josh's father, an alcoholic, prayed with his son and trusted Christ as his Lord and Savior! His life changed instantly! He stopped drinking. He truly became a new creature in Christ!
Since then, Josh McDowell has gained worldwide fame! Some of his books, such as Undeniable Evidence and New Undeniable Evidence, contain a wealth of historical information about the Christian faith and Scripture and have already become classics. Josh has spoken at over 600 universities. He hosted debates with skeptics, atheists, and representatives of non-Christian religions from all over the world.
Herbert Van der Lugg tells another amazing story about how Christ can change a person's life: “I didn't understand what my grandson meant when he told me he wanted a Transformer. Then the grandson explained to me that the Transformer is a toy that can be turned from a robot into a tank, into a truck, and then back into a robot. When I saw the Transformer, I understood why this toy is called that. But it got me thinking about the major transformation that Christ brings to the lives of all who believe in Him.”
The life of Oscar Cervantes is a vivid testimony to the power of Christ to change human life. As a child, Oscar began to get into trouble. As he got older, he went to jail 17 times for violent crimes. Prison psychiatrists claimed that no one would help him. But they were wrong! In one of the short days spent at liberty, Oscar met an old man who told him about Christ. Cervantes accepted Jesus and became a kind, caring person. He soon returned to prison as a preacher! Chaplain H.K. Warwick describes it this way: “The third Sunday night of every month in Saledad is Oscar Night. Prisoners come to listen to hymns, they sing gospel stanzas with feeling: they listen attentively to him for more than two hours, they boldly approach the church altar ... What doctors and psychologists could not do for Oscar over many years of work, Christ accomplished in one moment repentance.
In the 5th chapter of Mark we read about how Jesus Christ turned a demon-possessed, possessed by an unclean spirit into a calm, normal person! The same power that changed both this demoniac and Oscar Cervantes is available to everyone who believes in Jesus. He is the Greatest Transformer! Has Christ changed your life???
As Josh McDowell emphasizes in his book Not Just a Carpenter, Christ could be either a liar, or a lunatic, or the Lord God. Jesus could not be a deceiver. He was a model of honesty and demanded that people be honest, no matter what it cost them. Everything He taught came true! He gave his own life because everything He said was true! He wasn't crazy. Rather, he was the center of sanity and calm, despite the enormous pressure, false accusations and persecution. His impeccable character and calm demeanor do not allow such a possibility.

What is the only possible choice?

Jesus Christ was and remains the Lord God! Tens of millions of people testified that Jesus changed their lives, solved their deepest problems, answered their deepest aspirations and gave them peace!!! Those whose lives have been changed by Christ include former White House Special Counsel Chuck Colson, scientists Dr. Henry Morris and Dr. Duane Gish, former Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry, professional baseball players Steve Laergent and Roosevelt Grier, professional basketball player "Dr. Jay" - Julius Erving, researcher Josh McDowell, almost 66 million people tortured and killed for the name of Jesus Christ, and millions of other "ordinary" people! And they all say, “Jesus died for me and I love Him! He is alive, He loves me! He saved me, He lives in me! And He changed my life!!!

Has he changed your life?

D.L. Moody was an outstanding preacher of the Lord Jesus Christ. God used him to shake two continents with the message of Christ. Moody was once asked if he felt "the grace of death." Moody replied, "No." And then he added that, on the contrary, he felt “the grace of life,” but added that when the time came to die, he would die in grace. And it was true. Many years later, dying, Moody solemnly said: “The heavens are opening! The earth is moving away... Jesus is coming!!!"
Dear friend, how would you like to die? Life with Jesus Christ is wonderful! Death with Him will lead you to a wonderful new world! And what will your death bring you?
We spoke to both your heart and your mind. We cannot do more. The glory and majesty of Christ defies our description, but we will be overjoyed if the Holy Spirit will do it for us and show you the reality of Christ in such a way that you will want to know Him. Only the Spirit of God can bring Christ to you, but only if you want to see Him. Jesus warns that the day of salvation is TODAY! Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your heart! 2 Cor. 6:2.
Perhaps, reading the last lines, you felt insecure or even very uncomfortable. You may have felt that you are being "pressed". My friend, you can hardly walk on tiptoe, afraid to wake your wife and child, if you know that the house is on fire!
When I served in the naval forces on the island of Okinawa, we were constantly attacked by kamikaze pilots, and soon I noticed a peculiar reaction in me, very reminiscent of the reaction of dogs in Pavlov's experiments. We had a siren warning of the start of an attack. After a while, the mere sound of a siren caused a lump in our throat, dry mouth and intense tension long before the appearance of airplanes. And we hated the siren! But if we chose to plug our ears or ignore it, we might die. Each time, our heightened reaction to the siren forced us to rush to the defense of the ship and our own lives even before the enemy appeared. Siren was our best friend and literally saved our lives with fear.
The gospel brings us out of a state of spiritual and mental apathy. We can either close our ears and ignore the siren announcing our sinfulness, or we can react quickly and honestly look at the resurrected Christ who saves us from our enemies. It happens that an alarm signal is heard only once and it is difficult to hear it against the background of the loud noise of the surrounding world. Please don't miss it!!!
No one will ever take care of you like Jesus! One religion is not enough. I have led Bible school graduates, Bible teachers and even missionaries to Christ or salvation assurance. Only a personal acquaintance with Him can bring true satisfaction and make your life complete!
There is a story about a little boy who was ridiculed by an atheist for being overjoyed when his alcoholic father accepted Christ. The atheist reproached the boy for believing too naively in the biblical myth and all that old-fashioned “salvation” nonsense. The atheist ended his monologue with the words: “Baby, you are dreaming!” To which the boy replied, “Mister, my dad used to come home and beat me. I hid in horror when I heard his weaving footsteps. He swore and beat my beloved mother, we often went hungry, we had nothing to wear, and my mother cried a lot. Now dad buys her beautiful things, kisses and hugs her. He sits me on his knees, tells me stories and tells me how much he loves me. Our home has become warm and cozy, and we all love Jesus. Mister, if I'm only dreaming, please don't wake me up!"
My friend, Jesus frees us from enemies more cunning and dangerous than alcohol, doubt, uncertainty, hopelessness, horror, fear, anger, senselessness... He frees us from sin and hell. With His help, we can know and experience the fullness of life.
My only ambition is to bring you to Jesus now! My friend! Did you feel the beating of His heart? He called to you from the bloody cross, from the threshold of the empty grave, and now He stands at the door of your heart and addresses you: “Let Me into your heart and life. I am Jesus Christ, I love you!!!
Floyd K. McElvin. "Facts You Didn't Know"