Testimony — Ephesians 2

0:00 Because I only started attending this church regularly, about two months ago in in early August, brother Ray asked if I would take a few moments and share my testimony or a part of my testimony And I hope that in doing that, the body will be encouraged and ultimately the Lord will be glorified. So Ephesians chapter two and much like Jim Bingham said, how uncanny some of the cross references are that occurred during our Sunday morning fellowship hour and then the connections that are made during this hour. So I hope Noah is here, if he is not, if Mr. Eapen you will tell him. I am going to read Ephesians chapter two verses eight through 10.

0:43 So for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. I grew up in a in a suburb, much like Westlake actually, in Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis known as Minnetonka. From an early age, I attended a non denominational mega church that was very community oriented. They were very seeker friendly and I believe they failed to really instill in the members kind of a strong conviction for the word and for the gospel.

1:32 So by that, the holiness and the right standing with the Lord of the body definitely suffered. I also attended from kindergarten through eighth grade, a Christian school that my mother was a teacher at. All that to say is that the Christian ethic and Christian morality were something that I was very familiar with, something that I knew very well. But as the Bible continually tells us, knowledge without faith is is ultimately completely blind. It wasn't until high school when my parents and I decided that I should attend a public school where the true nature of my soul was revealed, not only to me but to those around me.

2:13 I only attended a public school for four years, but but year after year, I fell deeper and deeper into into sin and iniquity that that revealed what I truly desired and what my heart truly wanted. I I occasionally felt the conviction of the Lord, what the author of Hebrews, I would say, says the tasting of the spirit is, where where the Lord would occasionally convict me for my sins, but much like the famous preacher, American preacher, Albert Martin, so convictingly says, I I would scratch my hand and I would scratch around my eyeball, but I wouldn't even begun to to cut off or pluck out and I would go back with my my hand and my eyeball firmly attached, still still sinning all the more. Through God's divine sovereignty, I I ended up at a Christian school, Taylor University, through the the encouragement of one of my believing friends. At that time, I thought I was a Christian and I enjoyed being around Christians because of their their kind heart and their their joyful spirits, but... So I thought I would fit in just fine.

4:22 I remember sitting in Redeger Auditorium a few hours after after pastor Williamson spoke and I was completely alone and I I remember burying my head within my knees and and a pool of of combination of snot and tears accumulated between my feet on the cement floor, just thinking about about all the aspects of my life that needed to now change and just confessing sin after sin to the Lord. And and I felt his his indwelling spirit, just... And I haven't... And that hasn't been removed. It wasn't just a tasting, it was a completely full substantial meal, that to this day, I still now feel.

6:13 Ultimately, the Lord blessed me time and again, and then it wasn't until senior year where where the Lord introduced me to Christa. And, as you know, that is entirely why I'm standing here today. His his sovereign will and divine plan, worked marvelously in my life and led me to to a career, to a church, to, you know, a new family, and and that has been a wonderful blessing. In closing, I wanted to thank all of you for what a blessing you all have been. Not only the Garin Joan Markovich, Wood Small clan, but but every family that makes up Westlake Bible Fellowship.