I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
I was sharing a story with a new councilor I have. I have felt stuck with growth and praying. So I became part of I am Second.
Last night was the first time I spoke to the councilor. I shared many things that brought me to this place. But it was one story in particular that I shared. I asked above, What Opened the Gospels to you? I can tell you what it was for me.
I had started to come to Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia back in the fall of 1998. It was about half a year in, that I spoke to one of the assistant pastors. I shared a story of losing a child to a miscarriage back in my 20’s. Even though I knew that Jesus forgave me of my past, present and future sins, I couldn’t forgive myself. (I know, how arrogant of me. But I was coming out of the Catholic faith with that understanding - it was skewed I know but there I was.) But that thought of me being arrogant was not taken by this wonderful brother and pastor in Christ. He started to ask me if I believed that Jesus forgave me. I answered yes. Do you believe that he loves you? Yes. Do you love him? Yes. Then if you cannot forgive yourself, you are calling Jesus a liar. If he can forgive you but you cannot forgive yourself, are you better than Jesus that you will hold onto that sin? No. All of this was done in love. I as shocked by what he said and asked how I can come to a place of peace with forgiving myself. His answer was: Pray and talk to the Lord. But not only that, listen to what he has to say and to where you should read from the Bible.
Now this was a little foreign to me after all I was brought up in the Catholic Church. I knew the gospels for the most part. But I don’t think I would get anything out of the 4 books. So I when home and prayed and for the first time, I listened. I opened my Bible and asked where I should read about forgiveness. I was directed to Isaiah 53. As I read, I started to pray and cry. For the first time, I started to understand the gospels. It was there that the gospels were open to me. As I told the counselor, it is the gospel of the Old Testament.
I would not say that I memorized Isaiah 53 but when some is teaching or reciting the chapter, I can stay the words along with them. I have done this many times with my Pastor in communions where he shared from the chapter. And yes, there are times when it will bring tears to my eyes.
Do you have a verse or book that opened the Gospels for you?
“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for ...
“Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD's servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come? Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, ...
