I'm a born again believer in Jesus Christ which means I was crucified with Chris

t over 2000 years ago and raised with HIM on the third day. That is my past. C
urrently it is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me. That is my pr
esent. Some day I will be in the New Jerusalem looking with my own eyes at GOD
in a resurrected body. That is my future. This is who I am in Christ. Now let
s talk about who I was in the flesh. I was once a high school football star tha
t enjoyed nothing more than to be cheered by others. I had a low self esteem ov
erall and was trying to find approval and ccontentment in sports achievements.
I was sprinkled by the Lutheran church, dunked by my pentecostal granny, and wat
ched puppet shows with the folks from the Church of Christ. I don't say this to
be rude or offend anyone. I just want to explain what led me to receiving Chri
st as my LORD and Savior. I had a respect for God and the Bible from an early a
ge because of these good Christian influences. I saw God empower my dad to quit
drinking(something I thought would never happen as a young child). So at the a
ge of 17 or 18, sorry it is hard for me to remember, I accepted Christ as not o
nly the Lord but my Lord and was born again. I guess the first evidence that so
mething had taken place was the revelation I received when reading the Bible. I
didn't understand it all, but it was more than just words, it was alive. It sp
oke to me, and that was exciting. Christian maturity doesn't happen overnight,
but I slowed the process down with my refusal to surender daily to Christ, and m
y neglect of studying His Word. Soon I had grown cold towards the Lord, and had
grieved the Spirit of God. As a loving Father does God allowed me His prodigal
son to go see what the world had to offer me. Unfortunately I had more than on
e trip to the pig pen. I actually went to the PEN twice and served a total of 6
1/2 years in prison. Never the less God taught me to cry out to Him and most i
mportantly to trust and obey Him. My flesh today isn't any better than it was o
n that May afternoon I cried out to God for salvation and accepted His death in
my place. God didn't redeem my carnal nature, He crucified it. Even greater th
an that though He came to live in me by His Spirit. So if I can offer any advic
e from my almost 20 years of living as a believer it would be this. Quit trying
to live like a Christian and start allowing Christ to live in you. Don't get c
aught up in who you were, or who you want to be, just die that Christ might live
in you. If you aren't a believer, I urge you to call on Jesus, He will give yo
u eternal life. Since God alone is eternal, that means God will pour His very l
ife into you. Mike Pannell