I Believe - 40 Pack

I was one of the "whosoever" of the book of Romans 10:13 that called upon the name of the LORD.
 
I BELIEVE
 
My life as a young boy was bitter sweet. It was bitter in that I was raised in a home without security and without hope. My father sent three boys to church to serve at the church mass as altar boys, alongside the priest.  I was one of the three.  It was there that I learned to worship the one true God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and to worship him in the language of the church that I attended, Latin.  I spoke and recited words that I did not understand.  In the Bible, Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  I heard the Word of God in Latin, but was not taught the meaning of the words that I recited, so it was unprofitable to me.  
 
The sweet side of my young life was that I felt very close to my Creator while serving at the altar in church.  It wasn't until my mid-twenties and in deep despair that I discovered what true worship was.  I heard the Word of God for the first time in English, and was truly caught off guard that there was love without measure.  John 3:16 proclaims “for God so loved...”  How much love is so loved?  Luke 23:34 recorded that as Jesus, the Son of God, was being crucified for the sins of mankind, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”  John 3:16 goes on to say, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
I was one of the whosoever.  I heard the word of God, and by faith I believed in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  And, at the cross, there were two other whosoever:  two criminals being crucified for deeds that they had done.  Luke 23:39-43 gives us a detailed report of what happened:
 
One of the criminals who were hanged railed (complained bitterly) at Him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”  But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”  And he said, “Jesus, remember me (I believe) when you come into your kingdom.”  And He (Jesus) said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” 
 
Isn't it awesome to know that the God of heaven, the Creator of the universe is waiting for you (like the criminal on the cross) to call upon Him, to admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, to believe that “He is able to save you to the uttermost” (Hebrews 7:25), and to reward you with everlasting life.  
 
Now, realizing that I had been rescued from the penalty of sin and the punishment of hell’s fire (Luke 16:19-31), I wanted to tell someone; so I did, everywhere I could, that is, in the foundry where I worked, at a rich man's table, and even in line at a Secretary of State's office.  I was fulfilling the Great Commission as set down in Matthew 28:19-20, being obedient to the Word of God and powered by the Holy Spirit (Romans 1:16).  
 
One morning that I vividly remember, while down on my knees in prayer asking to be used of God, as the tears were rolling off my face and dropping to the floor, I cried out, “Lord, please use me!”  That afternoon, I went into town and, on the way home, I passed by a person hitchhiking.  As I was driving along, I was convicted by the Holy Spirit, “Weren't you just on your knees this morning asking to be used of Me?”  I kept on driving because I was in a hurry I guess, on the other hand I guess not, because I did stop off at a car lot to take a look at cars that I did not really need.  
 
On my way back to my car, I happen to look up and you will never guess who was waiting for me?  That's right, it was the same hitchhiker that I had passed by 20 minutes ago.  I said to myself, “God is giving me a second chance to be used of Him and to receive His blessing, don't mess this up!”  While we were driving, I introduced him to my Lord Jesus, and he said “I believe!”  I now thought that it would be good to find out how far I was taking him.  I told him the name of the road that I turned off at, and he said that he lived off the same road.
 
As we approached the next road where I would turn to go home, he informed me that his house was right before my turn where I lived about a mile down the road.  Wow!  Talking about seeing the hand of God, and being led by the Spirit of God.  It's an awesome experience to be used of your Savior.  Amen! 
 
The experience was so great that I wrote a song about it, entitled “Lord please use me.”  Luke 14:23 tells us to “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”
Blessings are the reward of obedience.  Amen!  There are many stories (testimonies) of salvation and restoration.  Be sure to share yours with others and let the blessings flow.  Proverbs 11:30 reminds us that “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”
 
Your fellow laborer in Christ,
B.V. Monjarez, B.R.E.