Despite all of the ups and downs that our local church has experienced in the last few months, we have still witnessed the workings and blessings of God in astounding ways.
A few weeks back, I was speaking to one of the "newer" students about his relationship with his girlfriend. Our conversation, however, soon transitioned towards the nature of his relationship with Jesus. This young man, I'll call him "T", started attending our youth ministry in November when his girlfriend brought him to one of our lock-ins. To be honest, I was a little leery about her bringing her new boyfriend to an all night youth event (believe me, we kept our eyes on them). After the lock-in, T began to come to everything we had to offer. At first he just came with his girlfriend, but then he began to come to church even when she didn't! T's knowledge of the Bible and of Christianity was very limited. He was not sure how to use or read the Bible, he had not heard the most common stories and teachings of the Old or New Testament and I am not sure if he had even heard the gospel. For the most part, he was a blank slate when it came to biblical knowledge.
Going back to our conversation, T informed me that he had trusted in Jesus as his Lord and Savior! He accepted Christ after hearing the story of Jesus and the gospel message at a local youth evangelistic concert! What remarkable news!
In the weeks following my conversation with T, I began to notice significant change in his life. He told me that he felt bad using foul language and he had felt the need to live a life that was pleasing to God. In addition to this, T told me, after learning about baptism that he wanted to be baptized! The week before last, Easter Sunday, I had the privilege of baptizing my first student, T, along with two other church members who also wanted to be baptized!
As I look at God's action and work in the life of T, I find myself being at a loss of understanding. I have studied the Bible and the theology of salvation, but when I experience and see the miraculous work of God transforming a person who was His enemy, and dead in sin, to eternal life and peace in Christ I am left in utter amazement. Salvation is an act of God, and it is nothing less than a miracle!
In addition to T's story, last Sunday, a young man decided to trust in Jesus as his Lord and Savior during our Sunday morning worship service! Wow! I don't know all of his story, but during the service he told his mother that he felt the desire to trust in Jesus and ask Jesus to forgive him of his sins. They came to the front and he allowed me to tell the church that he had just placed his trust in Jesus. Upon hearing this, the rest of the church cheered and praised God for His saving work in the life of this young man.
I am so thankful that God has allowed me to be a witness to this miraculous work He is doing.
Romans 11:33-36
"33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
~Trev
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