Tag Archives: alcoholism

My Honest Testimony and Sunday Sermon Notes from 9/22/13

Testimonies Never Expire, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This was my recap of my Sunday sermon notes for “Contagious Testimony.”
The scriptures for the sermon were from John 4:1-42.  People from the congregation were selected to give their very personal testimonies. God gets the glory for all He has done in our lives.

God delivered you out of the hand of the enemy. When was the last time you told someone? People need to know they’re looking at a miracle. You’re holding it in and not sharing it. Knock down the barriers that keep you from telling your story. You don’t need a license. You can be an evangelist and a missionary. Testify!
When Jesus met the woman at the well He tore down the Wall of Separation, Wall of Confidence, Wall of Pain, Wall of Experience, and Wall of Expectation. It wasn’t about the water, but the testimony.
Nobody can tell your story like you can. Take advantage of every opportunity to tell someone what the Lord has done for you so they will run to Him. God will send someone in your direction. Tell them how:
He healed you,
He delivered you from addiction, depression, and crazy relationships,
He kept you from having sex before marriage,
He was your Provider when you were broke,
He kept you when you were homeless,
He mended your marriage and your broken pieces,
He saved your children when they were running the streets,
He returned your children when they were taken away,
He made a way out of no way!
What’s YOUR story?
You’re a survivor and your praise should reflect what He’s done for you. There’s power in telling your testimony. If God did it before, He can do it again. He wants you to be His spokesperson. Run and tell somebody! Spread the word in the barbershop, the beauty shop and wherever you go! Contagious Testimony! Withholding Nothing!

So, after this powerful sermon I looked back and got a testimony I posted last year on my birthday. I don’t care how few people are reading this blog. I’m going to re-post that right now. Why should I be ashamed of how good God has been to me? This is a testament to what He can do for you too. This is why I started this blog, to share and hopefully others would share too. Here it is:

Lord, Your Grace And Mercy Brought Me Through…childhood sexual abuse, sniffing rubber cement and nail polish remover, the kinky, freaky and horny years, fornication, whoring, adultery, sexual movies, books and magazines, masturbation, cigarettes, marijuana, PCP (tac), free-basing cocaine, crack, pills, beer, wine, cognac, scotch, bourbon, whiskey, over-proof rum, tequila, champagne, brandy, vodka, long island ice tea, cursing, being a bitch, negativity, dark depression, evil thoughts, revenge, the daily game, the midday game, guilt, shame, condemnation, low self-esteem, self-consciousness, insecurity, rejection, loneliness, selfishness, feeling ugly and worthless, taking risks, the love of money, credit card abuse, confrontations, and lust. I still have issues, but I’m not what I did. The Lord still loves me in spite of my past. He forgave me. If He delivered me from all of this, He can do anything for you. Nothing is too hard for God! Not going to share the stories here, but I don’t look like what I’ve been through. God gets all the glory for me making it to today. Grace, Mercy, and Favor. Hallelujah!

 

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Cheers

Testimonies Never Expire, ,

I started typing my Sunday sermon notes and stopped after two paragraphs. That’s not what this is supposed to be about. This is supposed to be a testimony blog.
Earlier tonight I posted several songs on my Facebook page that were all about being grateful to God for His many blessings and all He’s brought me through.  I listened myself into a spirit of gratitude and posted the same songs on Twitter. Hopefully, someone else will listen and think about God’s goodness. I have to praise Him because He’s been a mighty great God. That was one of the songs: How Great Is Our God.

I remember a time when I used to hang out regularly at a bar called ‘Siblings’. It was like that show called “Cheers.’ You wanted to go where everybody knew your name. Some people knew my name but the regulars recognized my face, for sure. I would practically close the place down and be one of the last ones out after a night of drinking hard liquor and beer too. Rather than make a list of everything I drank, let’s just say I drank everything except gin. I was a mixer and had many a headache and hangover the next day. It was pitiful. I drank because I was depressed and I was depressed because I was drinking.
Sometimes I drank to get drunk and then couldn’t remember too much the next day. Blackouts are real. How many times have I had to ask someone: What did I do? What did I say? How did I act? How did I get home? Again, pitiful.

Back then I would stay in a bar for hours and close them out. That was my odd social life when I didn’t stop to get my own booze to take home. I thank God after so much drinking for 20+ years my liver is still intact.  That was a long time ago. Now, I enjoy being in church and staying there long after service is over. I can’t get enough of having a relationship with God rather than the routine of religion. What a big difference! Thank You Lord for leading me to a new place in You!

In the past, I had all kinds of relationships with all kinds of things and all kinds of people. BUT GOD! I don’t look like what I’ve been through. Hallelujah!