King James Bible
King James Version (KJV)
Testimony: God\\\'s Arm Is Not Shortened That It Cannot Save
Joy's testimony "God\\\'s Arm Is Not Shortened That It Cannot Save" on 1/18/2015, 6:20pm...
Isaiah 59: Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
I have been a born again Christian since I was 14 years old. I lived a carnal life, but never lost faith that Jesus was my Lord and Savior. I went to church and sang on the choir for years. But when in my mid-twenties I met someone who taught me astrology. I began to study voraciously because I believed that astrology was true and that God would never deny us access to the truth.
My life was often riddled with disappointments and hardships. I also learned how to read tarot cards and would refer to them often. I thought I had a relationship with God and it took me years to realize that I did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Oh, I said the sinner's prayer all the time in church, but I thought that the metaphysical and new age I studied, along with the astrology and tarot completed the package of spirituality.
I guess you could say that, for me, Jesus was not enough. One day I was driving down the street and heard this preacher on the radio who referred to astrology as witchcraft. He said to go home and throw all of it out and never refer to it again. I did and unbelievably my whole life began to change. I got a better job, better home, good friends and my prayers seemed to always be answered. Before then, it seemed like a lot of my prayers did not get answers. I grew in the church and served God the best I could for the next 25 years. I had not seen my friend for most of those 25 years, but ran into her again.
She said she was looking for me because she was always amazed by how strong my faith was and she wanted some spiritual support. She was still studying astrology and, once again, I got back into it with her. I also began reading the cards again and studying about energy and dreams. For the next 7 years my life fell apart. People were always asking me for readings, but I rarely gave them because I would tell them to trust God.
I almost lost everything I had. My family fell apart. My man didn't seem to want me anymore. My job life was terrible. I developed addictions that cost me tons of money. All the while, I was praying to God and thought I was trusting in Him. But one day I realized that while I had faith in God, I did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I thought Jesus was the Son of God, but I thought I could bypass Him to get to God, the Father.
My prayers were always material and self-serving and it seemed like God was no longer listening to my prayers. It seemed that it all started when I began studying astrology again. There was so much pain in my spirit that it seemed like God had stopped listening to me. When that happened I began going to readers who filled my "itching ears". I began hearing voices which I believe were spirits and believed what they said even though I know that there are lying spirits. I thought I would lose my mind.
Then one day it occurred to me that we really are what we eat. For most of my life I had filled myself with the Word of God, reading the Bible. But now the only thing I ate was metaphysical science, astrology and mysticism. I had quenched the Spirit. Back to Jesus -- all this time, even believing is Him, he was not my personal savior because I had not let Him be the Lord of my life. In all my knowing, I had not grown in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His resurrecting power. Then I realized that it was not God who had been unfaithful, but me.
I had backslid. It was not that His arm was shortened, but my sins had separated me from Him. I remember saying to someone that I believed in Jesus but I wasn't a fanatic. Now I know that to believe in Jesus you have to be a fanatic -- a true Fan. I put away all my books and got on my knees. I asked Jesus to truly come into my heart and be my Lord and savior and I could feel the warmth of His Love and Mercy as He truly entered my soul. When things get a little rough, I slay myself and let His Spirit have its way. Jesus is Lord. He is the Solid Rock.
Everything else is carnal and sinking sand. My disobedience and pride almost cost me my life. Trust God and let Jesus rule in your hearts. The wisdom of this world truly is foolishness to God - the Creator of all life in the Universe and the absolute Universe. It traps the foolish in their own cleverness. Today I count myself as lost for Jesus Christ. There is none like Him. Jesus is real. His Blood really saves and His Resurrection Power really gives you a life above and beyond all you can hope and imagine. But, best of all, his Mercy endures forever. To God Be The Glory through Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son. Amen.