My Testimony (part 3)

Vicki Norris

Jun 29, 20197 min read

I was a slave to sin and the world’s fleeting pleasures. I rejected the precious Jesus I cherished in my childhood, as well as His commandments. I chose to follow the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who was at work in me, and all those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:2)

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)

I found myself picking and choosing what I wanted to believe. (2 Timothy 4:3) I discounted hell, and fabricated my own idea of heaven. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. (James 3:15) I was darkened in my understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that was in me due to the hardening of my heart. (Ephesians 4:18)

“But ... the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

“Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.” (1 John 2:22)

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God" ... (Psalm 14:1)

"Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)

I prayed to God - but, because I allowed the world's popular beliefs to fan the flame of my confusion, I was blind to His sovereignty. I claimed to know God, but by my actions, I denied Him. (Titus 1:16) My 'prayers' were mere wants and wishes. When I asked, I did not receive, because I asked with wrong motives, that I may spend what I got on my pleasures. (James 4:3)

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)

Mark 8:36 “Aim at Heaven and you will get Earth ‘thrown in”: Aim at earth and you will get neither.” ― C. S. Lewis "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." – Jim Elliot

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (Proverbs 11:2)

At a stranger's invitation, I attended a church gathering. It was there that I humbled myself before the Lord. (James 4:10) The Holy Spirit washed away all my doubts, and opened my eyes to the reality of Jesus Christ … I was given a new heart and a new spirit.” (Ezekiel 36:26) I turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that I could receive forgiveness of my sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus. (Acts 26:18) By submitting to my Father's will, I have been set free. (John 8:32) "For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin." (Romans 6:6) “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

The Lord says, “if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.” (Ezekiel 18:21)

I blindly chose my own path before my eyes were opened to the truth. In my ignorance and pride, many years were wasted ... But, I found the hidden treasure ... I found the pearl in the oyster! (Matthew 13:44-45) What I now have is priceless, and I want to share it with you! Take it, it's free! And, it is far more precious than anything imagined!

“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 John 5:3-5)

I testify to the fact that it doesn’t matter what you have done, or who you are, God has loved you through it all. He wants you to turn to Jesus ...

"For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." (Acts 28:27, Matthew 13:15, Isaiah 6:10)

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

“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.” (Romans 10:9)

"The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17)

Matthew 5:16 "Don't shine so others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him." ― C. S. Lewis

I do all this for the sake of the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:23)

“I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24) Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

We are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (James 4:14) Jesus revealed the only way to heaven, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) Open the door and “enter through the narrow gate. Allow Jesus into every aspect of your life. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” (Matthew 7:13)

Jesus promises, “The one who is victorious will be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and His angels.” (Revelation 3:5)

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in His holy people,” (Ephesians 1:18)

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“He Himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by His wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

Jesus said, “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

“Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:24)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

When you know the truth, you too will want to share the source of your newfound joy and contentment! Fix your eyes on Jesus, seek Him in His Holy Word and in all things and He will open your mind and reveal the secrets of His Kingdom - and your name will be in the book of life.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. (Matthew 13:9-16)

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-30)

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

"To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 24-25)

My Testimony (part 3)

“But ... the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

“Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.” (1 John 2:22)

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God" ... (Psalm 14:1)

"Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (Proverbs 11:2)

The Lord says, “if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.” (Ezekiel 18:21)

I testify to the fact that it doesn’t matter what you have done, or who you are, God has loved you through it all. He wants you to turn to Jesus ...

"For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." (Acts 28:27, Matthew 13:15, Isaiah 6:10)

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

“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.” (Romans 10:9)

"The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17)

I do all this for the sake of the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:23)

Jesus promises, “The one who is victorious will be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and His angels.” (Revelation 3:5)

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in His holy people,” (Ephesians 1:18)

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“He Himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by His wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

Jesus said, “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

“Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:24)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

When you know the truth, you too will want to share the source of your newfound joy and contentment! Fix your eyes on Jesus, seek Him in His Holy Word and in all things and He will open your mind and reveal the secrets of His Kingdom - and your name will be in the book of life.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. (Matthew 13:9-16)

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

"To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 24-25)

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