Every child in a responsible family setup ought to know the story behind his/her birth especially if their is close proximity in the household. Our parents tell many stories with nostalgia to educate us on many things that happened in their past. Some people may even be exposed to the love story between their parents’ courtship or their accidental births.
Everyone’s story differs in life, some are sweet, some are sour but there is always somethings that happened in the past, which must become a story today for you and for me. No matter how bad our past stories may be, the good news is, they are all in the past. The greater news is, we can use those stories to help someone shape their today and their future; not only that, we can as well look back with smiles on our faces to say….”I Am An Overcomer.”
So, it is always good and a win win for us to reminiscence on what we had experienced.
MY SALVATION STORY
Luke 5:32 “I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” The reason Jesus was birth into our mundane is to change our story. So, in His lifetime on earth He open Himself to embrace ex-criminals with assurances of forgiveness, acceptance, love and eternal life and many of them did well with good testimonies afterwards. Amongst them was Mary Magdalene, Paul of Tarsus, Short Zacchaeus, Bisola Hephzi-bah Johnson. You can add yours as well.
Paul of Tarsus
Lessons from his life:
“For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it” Galatians 1:13.
No one is “too lost” for God to convert (Acts 9). Paul wasn’t just apathetic to the gospel. He persecuted believers with a vengeance. God miraculously intervened in his life to save him. God can and does do the same today. Therefore don’t give up praying for and witnessing to your families and friends, even if it seems hopeless. Paul kept a clear focus in his life on what was really important. He knew that money, esteem, fame, power, a home, and even a normal, secure, steady life and marriage are secondary to serving God. The chief purpose in life is glorifying God and Paul lived that out. Perhaps God has a steady home, job, and marriage planned for us, but if He doesn’t, we should still follow Him wholeheartedly. So is the story of Paul, the Apostle.
Zacchaeus is a very important character in the Bible because he is a concrete example of a sinful man who was changed by Jesus Christ’s compassion over sinners. Luke 19 describes Zacchaeus as a tax collector in the City of Jericho). He was known as a corrupt tax collector who collected more than he should have collected. Because of this, he had a negative reputation in the community, but it came a time in the life of this scumbag of the society that he became desperately hungered and thirsty for a better life. Jesus already knew that Zacchaeus needed to invite him to stay, not just in his home, but in his heart. After all, Jesus came to the world to save us from our sins so we could stay with Him forever. Though, this did not please the crowd and made them question Jesus’ decision of associating Himself with a sinful man like Zacchaeus. Nevertheless, Jesus stilled pursued staying at Zacchaeus’ house and, as a result, changed the course of Zacchaeus’ life.
1. Mary Magdalene,
The story of Mary Magdalene teach us to let our roots grow down into Him, and our lives be built on Him. Then our faith will grow strong in the truth we were taught, and we will overflow with thankfulness.” Mary Magdalene was one of the first people to share gospel truth with a broken world. Her testimony urges us to do the same.
Mary Magdalene was a woman who was healed by Jesus, and she never took this for granted. She followed Him and listened carefully to His teachings. She couldn’t go back to her old way of life—not after she had been set free. Mary Magdalene probably did not seem like anyone special during her lifetime. She was probably just referred to as Mary, since they didn’t not use last names in this time period, and there were many other Mary’s. But, because of her faith and her example, her name has lived on in history far beyond her earthly life, so she is known today as Mary Magdalene.
She is also believed to have been the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus. Mary was a woman of strong faith who had been healed of seven demons by Jesus, and her loyalty to him was unwavering. She was one of the few female disciples of Jesus and played an important role in the early Christian church. Let’s look at 6 lessons that we can learn from Mary Magdalene’s story.
1. Gratitude Should Drive Us
Mary first met Jesus when he healed her by casting out seven demons from within her (Luke 8:2). We don’t know anything else about her life. The Bible never refers to her as a prostitute. It’s also only rumors that insinuate that she was also the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’s feet with her tears (Luke 7:36-50).
2. Your Past Doesn’t Matter When You’re in Christ
We don’t know much about Mary Magdalene’s life before demons were cast out of her. But from how other characters in the bible are treated when they had demons, we can guess that she wasn’t the most popular woman in her town. She was probably rejected, isolated, and hopeless. She may even have experienced deep shame from being possessed. But none of that stopped Jesus from healing her. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord has the opportunity to be set free from many demons (fears, doubts, loneliness, rejection, anxiety, hopelessness, etc., etc.).
3. Remember Jesus Calls You by Name
When Mary Magdalene heard her own name spoken by the risen Lord, her doubts melted into peace. She heard an audible voice but even today we can hear Him speaking our names. We sense Him saying, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). A whisper within our souls that lets us know that He is indeed with us. As the song goes, “He knows my name. He knows my every thought. He sees each tear that falls, and He hears me when I call.”
4. Seek First the Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus also asked her whom she was seeking. Was she seeking a man that was crucified and buried? Or was she seeking the Lord who was crucified, buried, and risen again? It matters what we’re seeking. This is an important question for all who call on the name of Jesus. And it is of utmost importance for people who haven’t believed yet. Do you see him as a good man and a good teacher? Or do you see him as the King of Heaven? When we seek first his kingdom and truth, the rest of our journey will fall into place (Matthew 6:33).
5. Go Forth and Tell the Good News
Throughout history, women have been treated as less than the equal partner that they were created to be. They weren’t even thought of as reliable witnesses in a court. But Jesus gave women the opportunity to be the first witnesses of his resurrection. He trusted them to pass this marvelous good news on. And they did. Mary lived these words from Colossians 2:6-7:
There are many others out there including myself
Bisola Hephzi-bah Johnson
I will not desire or ask for your empathy because I am certain that everyone here on earth has their past events either good or bad it doesn’t count. What matter most is what are you today and what direction are you heading to?
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Mary Magdalene was one of the first people to share gospel truth with a broken world. Her testimony urges you to do the same. People all around you are lonely and feeling hopeless.
Why not today? Won’t you go and tell?