Only By His Grace - The Personal Testimony of Rod Proefrock

He knew me before I was conceived.  He knew my prideful, arrogant, selfish attitude that would bring Him dishonor and cause others pain and heartache.  He knew the decisions I would make that would hurt others and benefit myself.  He knew my lust for sex, money and success that would cause fornication, abortion, debt and undeserved position and power.  He knew my anger that would cause broken hands, hearts and bloody faces.  Yet through it all He loved me.  He pursued me. He met with me.  On that day as I came face to face with His Grace my heart was crushed by the reality of my sin. He didn’t scold me for my wrong.  He didn’t shame me for my acts.  He didn’t point and wave the finger of disappointment.  No, Oh no!  He stretched out His bloody hands and pulled me into his beaten body and wrapped me up In His loving arms and whispered in my ear and said...It’s ok, I got you, you are covered, I love you, it is Finished.  Now come, come follow me.  I have some work for you.  I have a purpose and plan that is not of this world.  It is not going to be easy or even make sense at times but it’s not about you anymore.  It’s for Gods glory, others blessings and your eternal benefit.   You are going to give like you have never given, You are going to love like you have never loved,  you are going feel compassion like you have never felt, you are going see like you have never seen, hear like you have never heard, smell like you have never smelled, speak like you have never spoken.  Your battle is different now.  It’s not with flesh and blood anymore.  But I want you to know that I have Won the war.  So he took my guilt, my pain, my lust, my greed, my pride, my selfishness, my anger, my bitterness, my unforgiveness and wrapped me in His Peace, Joy, Love, Kindness, Gentleness, Longsuffering, Faithfullness, Self Control and Goodness.  My life has never been the same and never will be.  For I know and am fully convinced that Almighty God met with me, despite of my sin,  at an appointed time and by the power of the Holy Spirit illuminated Jesus Christ and Him Crucified and Risen and eliminated my sin forever.  Now I have no other choice but to be zealous, compelled only by His love for me, for the cause of the one who purchased me by His blood…Jesus Christ!.  This is the Grace that has gripped my life.  This is the Grace that causes me to bury self daily and allow Him to live through me.  This is the Grace that gives me hatred toward sin and a Love for that which is good.  This is the Grace that unlocked the truth that set me free. This is the Grace that can Save, Sanctify and fully Redeem a human soul.  Red, instead of Green, is my favorite color now. 

Everyone has a testimony.  The detail of that testimony varies from person to person depending on how the sin manifested itself.   Whether in appearance you are an adulterer, murderer, liar, stealer or cheater, the reality is we are all of these in our heart and sin has come forth from there.  We can try and have tried many “things” to contain sin, but there is only one antidote that can fully kill and heal it:   The Blood of Jesus Christ.