Testimonies
I would like to describe to you some of the incredible things that God has been doing in my life as a result of my Journey to the Heart odyssey.
I came to the Northwoods believing that I was a “pretty good” Christian, and that I had most of my ducks lined up. I knew inside that there were some things in my life that weren’t honoring to my parents, but I was at the place where I was comfortable with my individuality and with who I felt I had become. Some of the philosophies that I subscribed to were very “emerging church” oriented, with the whole “style over substance” concept that is becoming so popular in today’s evangelical youth. Although I probably would not have openly admitted it, I had bought into the philosophy that there was no real absolute truth, and it felt cool to fit in with the “hip” crowd, and have Christianity neatly tied up in a comfortable little box that fit what I wanted to do.
The whole “emerging church” idea began as a way to patch up what I had become disillusioned with in ATI, while still maintaining my Christianity.
The problem was that I was viewing ATI and the truth of Scripture in the same boat, and a lot of the standards that ATI espoused because of Scripture were dumped along with my disgruntled outlook on the organization. I viewed the ability to do what I wanted to do as “freedom” from IBLP and ATI, when in reality, the ideas that I was eating up from books on the “emerging church” were only feeding my own desires to do what I wanted along with providing a “Christian” leader who supported these ideas.
To be straight, I was deceived, and the only reason I felt comfortable with this theology was because I had become very adept at turning off in my mind what the real truth of Scripture is. I really didn’t think there was a whole lot wrong with me. I thought that I was a good guy, and I openly criticized people who I felt were too straight-laced and puritanical.
As a photographer, I had convinced myself that taking pictures of and viewing girls in immodest dress was just fine because, after all, it was my personal preference, and I was still able to control what I looked at. After all, I wasn’t okaying pornography. But still, the temptation to occasionally view pornography was there, and succumbing to it also happened on a more and more frequent basis. I was guilty, and I would tell my dad in a roundabout way that I was struggling with my eyes, but I never would really come out and tell him that I had actually looked at pornography. Rock music also was my main “music feed” and I listened to anything that struck my fancy.
Upon arriving for my Journey to the Heart, God began to do a powerful work in my heart, soul, and mind and really convicted me of the rock music, sensual thoughts, and sensual pleasures that I had been so readily taking part in. God began to show me the truth of His Word, and I was shocked to see an effect of scales basically falling off my eyes as I dug into Scripture.
I began to see that I had not been loving God with all my heart, I had not been honoring my parents, and I had been excusing so many things that were contrary to Scripture.
It was not easy for the first few days of the Journey to begin to pull up the roots and weeds of deception that had become firmly entrenched in my mind. I struggled with my decisions to let go of rock music completely and to come totally clean, and Satan really attacked me.
But being secluded up there in the constant fellowship of young men seeking the Lord, and Mr. Pierpont’s spiritual mentorship continued to pull my thoughts and mind toward things of God, and I began to see more and more the deceptiveness of the lies I had subscribed to, and I cried out to God for His divine intervention in changing me from a sensual man to a spiritual man.
As the week went by, it was more than incredible for me to see the beauty of a relationship with Jesus Christ unfold, as I responded to God’s grace and was broken by Him. Revival has taken place in my heart, and every day I see more and more of how beautiful and glorious it is to continue striving for Godliness, and how joyous and thrilling it is to be able to have a completely clear conscience and to know that I am obeying the Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to say that my heart is bursting at its seams with a joy that I have never, ever experienced. I used to be cynical about hearing others describe such a feeling, because I didn’t believe it was possible, but I know now that it is, and that I only want more of Jesus Christ, more of His love, and more of His grace and presence in every nook and cranny of my life.
This cannot really begin to describe the myriad of expressions that I have for proclaiming the beauty of walking in true fellowship with a Savior whose love for me is matchless.
I don’t want to sound put on, artificial, superficial, or fake—this is really how I feel! I am so excited that God has allowed me to be on this incredible expedition, and I cannot wait to tell others so they too can experience this freedom and release of the Spirit that makes a typical life spent in self-service look like a colorless, empty, boring way of existence.
To know God is to know LIFE and life abundant and free.
—Jared Mosher
