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viltglance007
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Brandon.Kohlwes - Iowa.USA
Hello. My name is Brandon Kohlwes and I would like to take the time to share with you the story of how I became a follower of Jesus Christ.
Growing up, my family went to church for the first few years of my life. From that point on, I considered myself a Christian, although I really did not know what constituted being a Christian. It was as if I became a Christian by osmosis...
In High School I was a member of the National Honor Society, I was Student Body President, a member of Student Council, a volunteer bugler for the local American Legion Posts, and what many teachers and citizens of Collins, Iowa would call a very ethical and moral person. I guess what they didn't know about me wasn't hurting them, or so I thought. My life was on a wrong path, although you might not have noticed it on the outside...
I also lead the typical High Schoolers life. I got involved in the party scene and everything that goes on with that that you can imagine. Next, the girl I dated for nearly three years cheated on me... and it destroyed me! I hated my life and saw no reason to continue living. So, one night, I decided I was going to kill myself using one of my father's guns. The problem was, I didn't know how to load the weapon. God allowed His patience with me to continue, even though I turned deeper into sin. I joined a heavy metal band and I allowed sin to rule in my life. I believe that through all of this, God was warming me up for a lifetime of rejoicing and thankfulness.
In April 2001, Jennifer (my new girl) and I were invited to an Easter musical, which we reluctantly attended. It was there for the first time I saw and comprehended that Jesus Christ came to this earth to live a perfect life, be crucified, buried, and rise again for me... personally! At that epiphany of a moment, the sin in my life rushed through my mind, and reflected back to me as being UTTERLY sinful. It was at that time that I was completely enamored by the thought of a Holy God that truly loved me. I was broken and at my wits end. How can I get rid of my sin? How do I say I'm sorry? How can I change my life for the better?
Then, up to the microphone stepped the Pastor. He invited anybody that did not know Jesus as his or her personal Lord and Savior, or anyone that recognized that they needed to be saved to pray this prayer, from their heart...
" Lord, I know that I am a sinner and deserve to be punished for the things I have done. But, Lord, I also believe that Jesus is Your Son, and that He lived a perfect life to become my sin and to die for me personally. But God, I also know that He is now alive because you raised Him from the dead to give to all that call upon His name eternal life in paradise. God, I am calling upon Him today. I pray now that you will come into my heart. Save me from my sins. I need your help right now. In Jesus' name, Amen."
While I was praying this, I felt something very physical that many do not experience. I felt God literally reach into my chest and grab my heart. It felt like two hands just shaking my heart...
I thought I was having a heart attack. Next, I felt the Lord wrap his arms around me from behind in a gigantic bear hug. Finally, I felt like I was being raised into the air. There was no one in the room besides me, the Lord, and my prayer. And all of a sudden an amazing peace regenerated my body. Shortly after these events took place, I grabbed Jennifer's hand and placed it on my chest. She said, "Oh, my goodness are you ok?!" I answered, "I need help." What I didnt realize is that at that moment I received the help that I was searching for. The Lord Jesus did exactly what I prayed. He had entered my heart and had taken away my sins. The day was April 13, 2001. If you were to look back at your calendars, you would see that it was "Friday the 13th", and also Good Friday.
Let me just say that there is nothing in the Bible that says that you will have a physical feeling like I felt, or see a flash of light etc. I dont stand on the physical feeling that I felt, what I stand on is Romans 10:9 For 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. I believe that the physical feeling had to happen in my life to reverse the radical life I was living.
My life did dramatically change. I quit my God hating metal band, I all at once stopped swearing. I stopped looking at women as a piece of meat and began to see all people as a soul that is going somewhereor an eternity, whether that will be heaven or hell is a decision that they will have to make.
My faith was tested earlier this year. Last November, while at church, I slipped down some stairs, broke a bone in my foot, and severely sprained my ankle. On that day and for the next 5 months I walked on crutches. Two doctors could not figure out why my foot was not healing! Finally, after a chance meeting between my second doctor and a specialist, I was diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. This disease is characterized by extraordinary amounts of pain and sensitivity, even to a slight touch or a cool breeze. After being diagnosed, I tried everyday, without prayer, to walk. I could not do it. It was not until I cried out to God for help in a broken state (just like in April 01) that I began to walk again. Today, I can walk, jog and jump, all by God's strength, not my own. The doctor's have told me that I may not get back to 100%, but many people with RSD never walk again, so God has blessed me.
God has also decided to give me the gift of being a Pastor/Teacher. Upon finishing my Transportation and Logistics degree from Iowa State University, I will be going to seminary to be trained as a Pastor. Who would've thought, Brandon Kohlwes, the sinner of all sinners, would become a minister of the Good News!
Satan has done a great job of weaving lies into our society. It seems like everybody believes that if you do enough good things in your life you will get to go to heaven. Believe me Reader, if you are trusting in your own good works to get to heaven, you will NEVER get there. God says that our righteous acts are like filthy rags. God also says that we are saved by grace through faith, not by good works (Ephesians 2:8,9). The Truth is that in order to go to heaven, all you have to do is repent and believe that Jesus Christ lived, died, and is resurrected, and that He chose to do this for you personally. Accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior just as I did.
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 reads: "As God's partners, we beg you not to reject this marvelous message of God's great kindness. For God says 'At just the right time I heard you. On the day of salvation I helped you.' Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION."
Brandon J. Kohlwes
brandonkohlwes@hotmail.com
Hello. My name is Brandon Kohlwes and I would like to take the time to share with you the story of how I became a follower of Jesus Christ.
Growing up, my family went to church for the first few years of my life. From that point on, I considered myself a Christian, although I really did not know what constituted being a Christian. It was as if I became a Christian by osmosis...
In High School I was a member of the National Honor Society, I was Student Body President, a member of Student Council, a volunteer bugler for the local American Legion Posts, and what many teachers and citizens of Collins, Iowa would call a very ethical and moral person. I guess what they didn't know about me wasn't hurting them, or so I thought. My life was on a wrong path, although you might not have noticed it on the outside...
I also lead the typical High Schoolers life. I got involved in the party scene and everything that goes on with that that you can imagine. Next, the girl I dated for nearly three years cheated on me... and it destroyed me! I hated my life and saw no reason to continue living. So, one night, I decided I was going to kill myself using one of my father's guns. The problem was, I didn't know how to load the weapon. God allowed His patience with me to continue, even though I turned deeper into sin. I joined a heavy metal band and I allowed sin to rule in my life. I believe that through all of this, God was warming me up for a lifetime of rejoicing and thankfulness.
In April 2001, Jennifer (my new girl) and I were invited to an Easter musical, which we reluctantly attended. It was there for the first time I saw and comprehended that Jesus Christ came to this earth to live a perfect life, be crucified, buried, and rise again for me... personally! At that epiphany of a moment, the sin in my life rushed through my mind, and reflected back to me as being UTTERLY sinful. It was at that time that I was completely enamored by the thought of a Holy God that truly loved me. I was broken and at my wits end. How can I get rid of my sin? How do I say I'm sorry? How can I change my life for the better?
Then, up to the microphone stepped the Pastor. He invited anybody that did not know Jesus as his or her personal Lord and Savior, or anyone that recognized that they needed to be saved to pray this prayer, from their heart...
" Lord, I know that I am a sinner and deserve to be punished for the things I have done. But, Lord, I also believe that Jesus is Your Son, and that He lived a perfect life to become my sin and to die for me personally. But God, I also know that He is now alive because you raised Him from the dead to give to all that call upon His name eternal life in paradise. God, I am calling upon Him today. I pray now that you will come into my heart. Save me from my sins. I need your help right now. In Jesus' name, Amen."
While I was praying this, I felt something very physical that many do not experience. I felt God literally reach into my chest and grab my heart. It felt like two hands just shaking my heart...
I thought I was having a heart attack. Next, I felt the Lord wrap his arms around me from behind in a gigantic bear hug. Finally, I felt like I was being raised into the air. There was no one in the room besides me, the Lord, and my prayer. And all of a sudden an amazing peace regenerated my body. Shortly after these events took place, I grabbed Jennifer's hand and placed it on my chest. She said, "Oh, my goodness are you ok?!" I answered, "I need help." What I didnt realize is that at that moment I received the help that I was searching for. The Lord Jesus did exactly what I prayed. He had entered my heart and had taken away my sins. The day was April 13, 2001. If you were to look back at your calendars, you would see that it was "Friday the 13th", and also Good Friday.
Let me just say that there is nothing in the Bible that says that you will have a physical feeling like I felt, or see a flash of light etc. I dont stand on the physical feeling that I felt, what I stand on is Romans 10:9 For 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. I believe that the physical feeling had to happen in my life to reverse the radical life I was living.
My life did dramatically change. I quit my God hating metal band, I all at once stopped swearing. I stopped looking at women as a piece of meat and began to see all people as a soul that is going somewhereor an eternity, whether that will be heaven or hell is a decision that they will have to make.
My faith was tested earlier this year. Last November, while at church, I slipped down some stairs, broke a bone in my foot, and severely sprained my ankle. On that day and for the next 5 months I walked on crutches. Two doctors could not figure out why my foot was not healing! Finally, after a chance meeting between my second doctor and a specialist, I was diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. This disease is characterized by extraordinary amounts of pain and sensitivity, even to a slight touch or a cool breeze. After being diagnosed, I tried everyday, without prayer, to walk. I could not do it. It was not until I cried out to God for help in a broken state (just like in April 01) that I began to walk again. Today, I can walk, jog and jump, all by God's strength, not my own. The doctor's have told me that I may not get back to 100%, but many people with RSD never walk again, so God has blessed me.
God has also decided to give me the gift of being a Pastor/Teacher. Upon finishing my Transportation and Logistics degree from Iowa State University, I will be going to seminary to be trained as a Pastor. Who would've thought, Brandon Kohlwes, the sinner of all sinners, would become a minister of the Good News!
Satan has done a great job of weaving lies into our society. It seems like everybody believes that if you do enough good things in your life you will get to go to heaven. Believe me Reader, if you are trusting in your own good works to get to heaven, you will NEVER get there. God says that our righteous acts are like filthy rags. God also says that we are saved by grace through faith, not by good works (Ephesians 2:8,9). The Truth is that in order to go to heaven, all you have to do is repent and believe that Jesus Christ lived, died, and is resurrected, and that He chose to do this for you personally. Accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior just as I did.
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 reads: "As God's partners, we beg you not to reject this marvelous message of God's great kindness. For God says 'At just the right time I heard you. On the day of salvation I helped you.' Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION."
Brandon J. Kohlwes
brandonkohlwes@hotmail.com
