Claude_Joyner
MY LIFE AND ATTITUDES BEFORE FOLLOWING CHRIST.
I grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, but spent the majority of myadult life living across the country, from one ocean to the other. Idid pretty much whatever I wanted to do, with little regard for anyoneelse, and without giving Christ any credit. God had blessed me with anabundance of physical and mental ability. I was an extremely arrogantyoung man with interests that were centered around sports and sensualpleasure.
HOW I REALIZED GOD WAS SPEAKING TO ME.
In 1961 I was baptized, but did not at that time make a commitmentto Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Growing up in a praying Christianfamily I heard the Gospel many times, but it never got hold of me. Iproceeded to live any way I wanted, figuring that being baptized meantI was a Christian, and assured of going to heaven. I reaLized God wasspeaking to me, and he really got my attention when I was diagnosedwith Hodgkins Disease on 9-9-69.
The diagnosis was Hodgkins Disease stage 4A in the summer of thatyear. More times than not stage 4A is fatal. I entered Yale New HavenHospital which was using an experimental three stage treatment programfor Hodgkins disease. It consisted of a stage of pills, starting with15 a day for awhile, then 12, then 9, then 6. The second stage involvedregular cobalt radiation treatment. The last stage was chemotherapy andneedles, sometimes administered in the hospital overnight. Thisschedule was to be repeated three times, or for three cycles.
Just as I knew I was ill before the diagnosis, I knew I was healedbefore the treatment was completed. Against the advice and direction ofdoctors and parents I ended the treatment after the second cycle. I wastold that if I lived 5 years, they were reasonably assured that thedisease was in remission. I was never told that I was cured until 1985.
HOW I BECAME A CHRISTIAN.
He finally got through to me 10-13-85 through the preaching ofPastor David Durham. A friend invited me to Mt. Sinai Baptist Churchwhere the Holy Spirit said “this is your church home”. During thesermon the Holy Spirit said “you’ve run long enough, it’s time to comehome.” I had to stop committing the sin of trying to control my ownlife. It scared me when I was informed that sin’s penalty wasseparation from God for now and eternity. It brought tears to my eyeswhen it sunk in that Christ paid the penalty for sin when he took mysin to the cross, accepted the judgement for it, and made it possiblefor me to be accepted by God.
Receiving Christ meant acknowledging I was a sinner, acceptingforgiveness from Him, inviting him in to enter my life as Lord andSaviour, and trusting him to do for me the things I could never do formyself.
WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANS TO ME.
I’m not perfect, just on the right track. I’m not without problems,I just have resources to handle them that I didn’t have before. I nowhave Jesus on my side, and my problems are not mine when I give them toHim. II Corinthians 12:9 makes sense now when God tells us through theApostle Paul “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: formy strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will Irather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest uponme.”
My purpose in life is to glorify God, and to be a witness to what Hecan do with a converted and committed life. I desire to learn and doGod’s will, through prayer, faith, study, and application. I spend moretime doing work for the Lord and not for man. I pray more and I am moremindful of being a better steward of God’s money. I’m not afraid to dieanymore because I know how fragile and temporary this human body is andthat this earth is not my home. I understand what the Apostle Paulmeant when he said in Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live [is] Christ,and to die [is] gain.”
I am just a pilgrim passing through on my way home to Heaven.Christian friends greatly help the journey with fellowship and prayer.My level of tolerance is much higher, minimizing the frustrations.Failure on my part represents an opportunity for God to display hispower. I’m truly thankful now for the little things, like being able tosee the sun shine, and to hear the birds sing.
Unto Him be the glory, for now and always.
Claude Joyner