A Good Catholic: But on his way to Hell
Hi my name is Patrick and if you are a catholic I pray that you might take a few minutes to read my testimony on how JESUS CHRIST saved me from going straight to HELL.
I was born and reared in Limerick City. My parents would have been devout Catholics. I can even remember my father going up to read at mass on the odd Sunday. I am 53 years old and for all that time I was a catholic. I got married and we had two children, a daughter and a son and we raised them in the catholic tradition.
One day my son announced to my wife and I that he was after becoming a Christian. He started to talk about the bible and it being Gods word and promise to save the world and he quoted John 3:16 (For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. that who so ever shall believe in him will not perish but have eternal life). I replied Yes son that’s fine and continued watching TV.
Everyday my son would mention something about Jesus and the miracles he preformed. He also told me that Jesus was the only intercessor between man and God John 14:6 (“I am the way, the truth and the life.
No one comes to the father except through me”) I didn’t show any interest, I thought I had heard it all before. By this time my daughter had become a Christian and now there were two of them. I started to get worried and tension grew at home about what our children had gotten themselves into. I could see it wasn’t just a phase and it wasn’t going away.
At this point I started to question where my own personal beliefs came from. Though I didn’t want to listen, a thought kept niggling away at me about hell. Did I really know God? You see my children kept asking me how I knew where I was going after I died. I realised, to me this was a very big question and it wouldn’t leave me alone. How could I be sure I was going to Heaven? Well I thought I was a good person. I always helped others out when I could and I certainly wouldn’t harm anyone. I was very good to my parents and always did what jobs they required of me, when they were alive. I was a good person in my own eyes and I thought all the good deeds I was doing over my lifetime would be enough for me to get into heaven. I soon discovered how wrong I was. You see the bible says very different Romans 3:23 (“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”).
The tension was getting higher in the house and a simple discussion would turn into an argument. The only way I could see around this situation was for to go and see for myself what this Christian church was all about. I told my son and daughter that I would go to the church and see what it was like. They were so pleased and very soon I realised why. My wife had started to go a few weeks before so I had an idea of what to expect. It started off with people expressing their love for God and lifting up their hands in praise. Then there were worship Songs and then the Pastor would ask everyone to open their bibles, of course I didn’t own a bible. Well I listened to that pastor, talk about the Lord Jesus Christ, and to me, it seemed as if he was Jesus’ best friend and knew him intimately. I couldn’t describe the way I felt after hearing that sermon. I can never remember a catholic priest to sound like that, this man spoke so lovingly and so personally of God. He read God’s word straight from the bible and I can tell you, I was totally confused after this and I couldn’t wait to leave.
Well my wife was the next to be saved and to give her life to Jesus. She said to me that I had to ask Jesus to forgive me my sins Romans10:9 (“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”). Now I had three people talking about the lord Jesus Christ and the many wonderful miracles he has done and is still doing today.Hebrews13:8 (“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”).
I got a bible and after reading some of it I thought, what was I thinking? How could I have been so easily mislead. I was relying on what I had been told as a catholic and just followed blindly. I never read and investigated for myself and I was so surprised at what I was discovering about the true word of God. It was teaching me how Jesus lived his life on earth and what an example he is to us. Receiving Jesus into our lives gives us complete forgiveness when we repent. After all Jesus is the way to eternal life and if you don’t know him no amount of good deeds will get you into heaven. Jesus died on the cross already to achieve this. Call on him today. Anyone can receive him and his free gifts. You will receive forgiveness if you repent. You will have true peace in your heart and the gift of knowing that your salvation is secured.
One February Sunday morning (2012), while in the Church at Limerick at the end of our service the pastor asked if anyone would like to come up and give their life to Jesus. I went up and the pastor put his hand on my shoulder and asked me to repeat the prayer of salvation. As I was saying that prayer the emotion and joy that I was feeling was tremendous. The tears were rolling down my face, my heart was filled with the love of Jesus right there and then. My whole body was just a mass of happiness and an overwhelming desire to rejoice and praise Jesus for my salvation. My thoughts of hell were no more from that moment on. Jesus had set me free (John8:36) “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”.
Before that moment I thought that being at the birth of my children was the most wonderful thing I had ever experienced, but just try to imagine something so much more powerful, supernatural!!! When Jesus hears your cry for forgiveness, and he will if you mean it with all your heart, Jesus’ amazing truth will set you free from the pressures struggles and worries of your daily living. Read (Mathew 11:28). “Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. Jesus didn’t punish me for all my sins, but gave his life willingly to die on the cross for everyone’s sin so that whoever believes will not perish but have everlasting life.
Jesus has changed my life forever-more and he can do the same for you. Just believe and call on him. I know Jesus is the only one who will never let you down. Trust Jesus in all things AMEN.
I was born and reared in Limerick City. My parents would have been devout Catholics. I can even remember my father going up to read at mass on the odd Sunday. I am 53 years old and for all that time I was a catholic. I got married and we had two children, a daughter and a son and we raised them in the catholic tradition.
One day my son announced to my wife and I that he was after becoming a Christian. He started to talk about the bible and it being Gods word and promise to save the world and he quoted John 3:16 (For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. that who so ever shall believe in him will not perish but have eternal life). I replied Yes son that’s fine and continued watching TV.
Everyday my son would mention something about Jesus and the miracles he preformed. He also told me that Jesus was the only intercessor between man and God John 14:6 (“I am the way, the truth and the life.
No one comes to the father except through me”) I didn’t show any interest, I thought I had heard it all before. By this time my daughter had become a Christian and now there were two of them. I started to get worried and tension grew at home about what our children had gotten themselves into. I could see it wasn’t just a phase and it wasn’t going away.
At this point I started to question where my own personal beliefs came from. Though I didn’t want to listen, a thought kept niggling away at me about hell. Did I really know God? You see my children kept asking me how I knew where I was going after I died. I realised, to me this was a very big question and it wouldn’t leave me alone. How could I be sure I was going to Heaven? Well I thought I was a good person. I always helped others out when I could and I certainly wouldn’t harm anyone. I was very good to my parents and always did what jobs they required of me, when they were alive. I was a good person in my own eyes and I thought all the good deeds I was doing over my lifetime would be enough for me to get into heaven. I soon discovered how wrong I was. You see the bible says very different Romans 3:23 (“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”).
The tension was getting higher in the house and a simple discussion would turn into an argument. The only way I could see around this situation was for to go and see for myself what this Christian church was all about. I told my son and daughter that I would go to the church and see what it was like. They were so pleased and very soon I realised why. My wife had started to go a few weeks before so I had an idea of what to expect. It started off with people expressing their love for God and lifting up their hands in praise. Then there were worship Songs and then the Pastor would ask everyone to open their bibles, of course I didn’t own a bible. Well I listened to that pastor, talk about the Lord Jesus Christ, and to me, it seemed as if he was Jesus’ best friend and knew him intimately. I couldn’t describe the way I felt after hearing that sermon. I can never remember a catholic priest to sound like that, this man spoke so lovingly and so personally of God. He read God’s word straight from the bible and I can tell you, I was totally confused after this and I couldn’t wait to leave.
Well my wife was the next to be saved and to give her life to Jesus. She said to me that I had to ask Jesus to forgive me my sins Romans10:9 (“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”). Now I had three people talking about the lord Jesus Christ and the many wonderful miracles he has done and is still doing today.Hebrews13:8 (“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”).
I got a bible and after reading some of it I thought, what was I thinking? How could I have been so easily mislead. I was relying on what I had been told as a catholic and just followed blindly. I never read and investigated for myself and I was so surprised at what I was discovering about the true word of God. It was teaching me how Jesus lived his life on earth and what an example he is to us. Receiving Jesus into our lives gives us complete forgiveness when we repent. After all Jesus is the way to eternal life and if you don’t know him no amount of good deeds will get you into heaven. Jesus died on the cross already to achieve this. Call on him today. Anyone can receive him and his free gifts. You will receive forgiveness if you repent. You will have true peace in your heart and the gift of knowing that your salvation is secured.
One February Sunday morning (2012), while in the Church at Limerick at the end of our service the pastor asked if anyone would like to come up and give their life to Jesus. I went up and the pastor put his hand on my shoulder and asked me to repeat the prayer of salvation. As I was saying that prayer the emotion and joy that I was feeling was tremendous. The tears were rolling down my face, my heart was filled with the love of Jesus right there and then. My whole body was just a mass of happiness and an overwhelming desire to rejoice and praise Jesus for my salvation. My thoughts of hell were no more from that moment on. Jesus had set me free (John8:36) “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”.
Before that moment I thought that being at the birth of my children was the most wonderful thing I had ever experienced, but just try to imagine something so much more powerful, supernatural!!! When Jesus hears your cry for forgiveness, and he will if you mean it with all your heart, Jesus’ amazing truth will set you free from the pressures struggles and worries of your daily living. Read (Mathew 11:28). “Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. Jesus didn’t punish me for all my sins, but gave his life willingly to die on the cross for everyone’s sin so that whoever believes will not perish but have everlasting life.
Jesus has changed my life forever-more and he can do the same for you. Just believe and call on him. I know Jesus is the only one who will never let you down. Trust Jesus in all things AMEN.