I have been given a burden for back slidden christians. I have two older brothers in this condition. And I myself was once there.I would refer to this as a testomonial sermon. Ezekial 18:24 "But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfullness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die."I was raised in a christian home. My mother took me to church every sunday. I accepted Christ at a very early age. But some how, as a teenager will do, I rebeled. I thought I could handel life on my own. I was my own man. I was married at the age of tweenty. My wife gave birth to are first born less than one year later. At tis time I had all I could ask for.Or so I thought. Little did I know God was about to bring me to my knees where the only place I could look was up. Just as my son was about to be born I got in a diagreement with a supervisor at work. And just as befor I rebeled. I quit my job that night because I thought I cuold do what ever I wanted and it did not matter to me who got hurt.
Now I was unemployed and about to be a father. Shortly after I quit I found a temporary job.I thought every thing would be alright. We were behind on some bills, but it was not bad,YET.Just befor my hire date would arive there was a need for a temporary to be let go. Guess what I was the one.For the next thirty days I would have no income.I tried desprataly to find a job but no one was hiring at the time.To beat it all it was the week of christmas. The company that let me go did hire me back full time in february.But by then it was just about to late. All the bills were behind. One of my cars was repossed.For about one and a half years we strugled every week just to buy food for that week.By this time I was just about completely out of church and did not care either.I spent my weekends with a pack of ciggerets a deck of cards and a bottle of liqure and/or beer.
Now remember the bills are still behind. Well Stumbeled across a great way to get rid of those bills. There was a consolidation place that contacted me and wanted to help.Of course I accepted.I did not know that I was about to be scamed.This place told me to stop paying on my bills and that they would work it all out for a payment to fit me.All I had to do was send them a processing fee of 300$. That would be given back when I completed the program. I did as I was told. However I did not send the money because I was suspicious. Well my suspicions proved me. Turns out they had no intintions of paying my bills off.
So now I was stuck with all bills past due and on thier way into collections.My wife contacted the church that we rarely attended.They imediatly wanted to help.The church that we neglected did not neglect us. They helped with food, rent, and most importantly prayer. During all this I obtained a second job. Things were turning around. We started going to church on a regulre basis. We became active in the church in all services. And became members of the church. We must not have been where God wanted us because he allowed me to go through one more trial. At work one night, on my second job, a girl showed up that thought I was hot stuff. And I fell right into the devils little trap. I now thought that I neede to get divorced and that my wife and I should not be together any more. So I came home and told my wife that I wanted a devorce.To make a long story short we stayed together. But God brought me to my knees that week. I spoke with a christian that I worked with that helped me understand what was going on. So that week I asked God to come back into my life. I wanted more. I wanted a relationship with God. I wanted to give my all to christ. After all he gave his all to us.
To some it all up I was a christian early in my life and had sure shot heven.But I let the devil get the best of me and was on my way to the firey pits of hell.however, Christ loved me enuogh to bring me to my knees at the bottom of the pit and accepeted me back as his son just like the parrible of the lost son.when the son turned his back on his father and later returned after loosing all he had, his father welcomed him back with love and open arms.
All this is being told to you so that you might not have to go through what I did. Live for Christ now and never turn back to the ways of the wicked man. Love God as he first loved you. Worship daily with God and stay in the word. And tell everyone there is only room for one God in your life.
