Love to hear from and know who is listening
Viktor fell into the drug dealing business in his twenties. He ran a major drug operation during the 1990s, which smuggled drugs into Central Asia where he lived. The job offered plenty of easy money, along with loads of adventure. And best of all, Viktor was good at it. So good, in fact, Viktor's operation expanded. But it only takes one bust to ruin everything. And that's exactly what happened to Viktor. In 1996, Viktor's success ended. Authorities caught him with nearly 9 pounds of heroin, which sent him straight to prison. To Viktor, it seemed like the end. But really, God was just getting started!
Viktor's long sentence behind bars dragged on. His mental state continued to deteriorate until he was suicidal. And that's when God got a hold of him! Viktor's cell mate received the New Testament Gospel of John from his mother as a gift. He offered to let Viktor read it, but he refused. But one sleepless night, Viktor decided to give it a try. At first, it made no sense, so he gave up. But more sleepless nights followed, so Viktor tried again. This time, as he read about eternal life, he felt God moving. Viktor was a changed man. And it showed when some fellow inmates offered him some smuggled drugs. The old Viktor would have jumped at this. But the new Viktor turned the drugs down. Being saved doesn’t mean an end to our troubles, however. Viktor got some bad news. Doctors diagnosed him with a terrible disease, and told him he had about a year and a half left to live. The news should have crushed him. But instead, he had a joy that confused his fellow inmates. Viktor, confident in his newfound relationship with Jesus, had no fear of death. He knew it led to Heaven. So, instead of despair, he found hope!
2 Peter 3: 8-9 NIV But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
There’s just something about a story. We all love to hear tales of transformation. We are moved to tears by the testimonies of sinners transformed into saints. But what if your testimony is boring? Maybe it sounds like mine, a little something like this . . . I was raised in a Christian home by Christian parents and attended church on a regular basis. I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior as a young boy. I made some pretty bad choices as a teenager and young adult, but I stayed out of trouble for the most part and now I attend church on a regular basis along side my parents once again. Nothing to moving or spectacular about my story. It is really kinda vanilla. It doesn't shock or awe you in any way. It’s not the kind of testimony that people are line up around the block to hear, but I still need to tell it often! If your testimony feels underwhelming, you need to tell it, too! Here’s why.... If you were born into a Christian family, that’s because God is good!!! If you avoided the trappings of sin, that’s because God is good!!! If you heard the gospel at a young age and responded to it, that’s because God is good!!! If you grew up in a home where your needs were met, that’s because God is good!!! Being raised in a Christian family is a rare thing today. According to a 2021 survey done by Statista. 31% of Americans never attend church, 25% seldom attend, 11% attend about once a month and only 9% attend almost every week. So in my humble opinion that makes your vanilla testimony pretty darn spectacular! We all need Jesus. From the homeless crack addict living on the streets to the straight “A” student. Sure, our sins may look different, but we all ha
