How Jesus Changed My Life

I have been a born again Christian since summer of 1979 when a friend introduced to me the Lord Jesus Christ in a new light. I knew that He was God and He was born of the Virgin Mary and that He died 2000 years ago on a cross by crucifixion.

All these, I had learned as a child from my mother and from the Catholic school I had attended. I was a good child when I was little always trying to please my mother. My father left us when I was 4 years old and my little

 sister was about 2 years old. I tried to study hard at school hoping to get a scholarship knowing that my mom won’t be able to send us through college.

When I was 15 however, my mother got married to a Filipino with an American citizenship and was able to migrate to the US. Left alone with my sister, we were put into custody of my uncle and his wife who have five children of their own. My mother kept sending money for our sustenance, allowances and tuition fees.

It was in college that I got influenced by my friends to try smoking, drink alcohol and smoke pot. Like the lost son, I rebelled and lived the way I pleased. Eventually, I dropped out of school. In 1979, I enrolled again and decided to reside in a dormitory. My sister, who had also dropped out of school, had left the house to be with a cult group that once came to our house and conducted lectures about mysticism.

It was on that summer night of 1979 when after a couple of beers, we were singing some folk and country songs to the accompaniment of a guitar that I was suddenly asked a question: if I were to die that night where would I spend eternity? I don’t remember who asked the question but there were four of us, Jun and his younger brother, Leland, my friend Vic and I. I had known Vic for quite some time for he was a classmate of mine.

The two brothers started to share the gospel to us with Jun talking to Vic while Leland sharing God’s love to me. That night my friend pointed out that, yes, Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world but most especially, He died for MY sins. He pointed out that the Word of God says, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

My friend said that I could receive that gift if I wanted to. Of course, I wanted it. That’s eternal life we were talking about! But first, he said that I had to ask Jesus to come into my heart. I had to invite Him by faith to be my personal Lord and Saviour and that I had to acknowledge that I could not save myself through good works.

I didn’t find anything wrong in all of these and I found myself thirsting for God. Suddenly, I found myself longing for Him and I could sense emptiness inside me that I knew right there and then that only Jesus can fill… [More]

Tags: bible, Christ, Christians, church, Fellowship, God, God's Love, grace, jesus, Jesus Christ, life, Life Church, life in his word church, love, Pastor, Savior, soul, Testimony, Worship