THERE’S HOPE | from page 16 _________________________ Choose your surroundings wisely. I spent years surrounding myself with the influences of the world. I hung out in gay bars and immersed myself in the homosexual lifestyle. It wasn’t long before I became my environment. When I became a follower of Christ, I knew I needed to surround myself with godly influences if I wanted to be like Him. I began attending Bible studies and young adult groups; I also placed myself under the godly mentorship of my pastor. I listened to Christian music, attended church, and devoured the Word of God. As a result, I began to be transformed into God’s image, and the old Adam started to disappear. Make the choice to live for God. For years I had chosen to live the homosexual lifestyle, drink, and do drugs. Today, I choose to live for God. Is it easy? No. Do I still face temptations? Yes. Do I always feel like saying no to these temptations? No. But I don’t live by my feelings anymore. I refuse to give them opportunity to lead me astray. I choose instead to love God and to follow Him. I choose to love my wife and to honor and cherish her as God intends. And with every choice I make, God brings me into a new place of victory. God knows. Hebrews 4:15 says, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.” Jesus knows what you are going through; He understands. He, too, was tempted in every way; yet He stood firm and refused to take Satan’s bait. He can help you do the same in your time of weakness. Never lose hope. To every parent who has a child struggling with addictions; to the spouse of someone who has wandered away from truth—I say, never give up. I was in the homosexual lifestyle for ten years, but by God’s grace and through the powerful, never-ending prayers of my mother, I made it back to the center of God’s will for my life. Pray without ceasing, love without judgment, and know that there is always hope for your loved one. �� Are you experiencing victorious living? Is your life filled with purpose, love, joy, and peace? Do you have hope for your future? Forgiveness for your past? Strength for your tomorrow? Right now you might be thinking, “Are you kidding me? Joy, peace, purpose? Worth, strength, forgiveness? I’ll never have those things! Look at where I am! Look at what I’ve been through. Look at what I’ve done. Look at what has been done to me.” Friend, right now, no matter what your past or present, all of these things can be yours. You can have peace that passes all understanding, joy in the midst of hardship, love and acceptance despite your failures, forgiveness, and a fresh start. Your life can have purpose. It doesn’t matter if you are sitting in a mansion or in a jail cell or somewhere in between, a victorious life can be yours TodaY! How? Through a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. If you do not currently have a relationship with God, begin one right now. Romans 10:8–10 nkjv explains how: “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” As you accept what Christ has done for you and put your faith in Him alone for salvation, you are then free to have a relationship with God and experience His peace, power, presence, and love. You don’t have to do anything to earn God’s love and forgiveness. It’s yours for the asking! After you’ve received this free gift of salvation, guess what? You are then able to step into the life of victory Christ died to give you—an abundant life of peace, joy, worth, love, and purpose. As you grow in your relationship with Him through studying and applying the Word of God and by trusting Him, these things are released in your daily life. Will you pray with me right now and receive all that God intends for you? Dear Lord, I confess that I am a sinner in need of salvation. I thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to save me from my sins. Thank You that He laid down His life for me so that I could have a new life in Him. I receive, by faith, this forgiveness of sin. I now give my life, my past, and my future to You. Guide my steps and speak to my heart, Lord. Amen We hope you’ve enjoyed every page of Victorious Living. Now, imagine how the stories of God’s faithfulness would impact you if you were in prison, isolated from the world, overwhelmed by emotions, and without any hope for your future. Imagine if this were the only evidence of hope that you received from anyone. That’s how precious this magazine is to inmates across the nation. Will you consider sending Victorious Living to an incarcerated man or woman? Visit kojministries.org or see back cover for more information. kojministries.org Issue 3 2017 39
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