Born in 1970, Joey was first told that he needed to be saved otherwise he would suffer the judgment of God for his sins in the lake of fire for all eternity when he was four. What had struck fear into his young heart most of all was the thought of being separated from his parents when Jesus would come again. He began to have nightmares that his parents were whisked away and he was left alone.
Failing to grasp the central theme of justification by faith in God’s salvation, Joey was living with fear and doubt throughout his teens. More unfortunately, he had come to the point where he tried to push thoughts of God out of his mind when he reached 18. He joined the Navy after his high school graduation. It seemed that all his cares and fears were left far behind as he traveled overseas thousands of miles away from home. He had new friends and plenty of adventure to keep him occupied. He would hung out with the guys, get drunk and do whatever it took to have fun.
After finishing four years of active service, he was far from the former soul-searching child he had once been. His attitude, language, and appetite for fun had all changed dramatically because of drug addiction. By turning 27, he could no longer imagine a future for himself. He even felt that he would die young. Gradually, those who knew him were afraid to be around him. He was controlled by his addiction. On 16th November 1997, he was lying on a dirty carpet because he had overdosed himself with drugs the night before. He started to contemplate his own life ending. Nevertheless, his thoughts were arrested by the question – “Am I saved?” He could not ignore the fear that was beginning to well up deep within his soul: “Where will I be one moment after death?” His heart began to pound as he realized for him it could only be hell.
Joel cried out to God, “God, please save me!” John 3:16 recaptured his heart: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” There it was – Forgiveness and total acceptance in Jesus! He made a decision right away to believe in the Son. He knew from that moment on that he was truly saved. He was a truly happy and changed man when he got up off the floor. From that day onward, he has not touched drugs again. God gave him a true delivery!
(see Sinner's Prayer Messed Me Up - Personal Testimony of Joel Hovey for the original testimony)
Failing to grasp the central theme of justification by faith in God’s salvation, Joey was living with fear and doubt throughout his teens. More unfortunately, he had come to the point where he tried to push thoughts of God out of his mind when he reached 18. He joined the Navy after his high school graduation. It seemed that all his cares and fears were left far behind as he traveled overseas thousands of miles away from home. He had new friends and plenty of adventure to keep him occupied. He would hung out with the guys, get drunk and do whatever it took to have fun.
After finishing four years of active service, he was far from the former soul-searching child he had once been. His attitude, language, and appetite for fun had all changed dramatically because of drug addiction. By turning 27, he could no longer imagine a future for himself. He even felt that he would die young. Gradually, those who knew him were afraid to be around him. He was controlled by his addiction. On 16th November 1997, he was lying on a dirty carpet because he had overdosed himself with drugs the night before. He started to contemplate his own life ending. Nevertheless, his thoughts were arrested by the question – “Am I saved?” He could not ignore the fear that was beginning to well up deep within his soul: “Where will I be one moment after death?” His heart began to pound as he realized for him it could only be hell.
Joel cried out to God, “God, please save me!” John 3:16 recaptured his heart: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” There it was – Forgiveness and total acceptance in Jesus! He made a decision right away to believe in the Son. He knew from that moment on that he was truly saved. He was a truly happy and changed man when he got up off the floor. From that day onward, he has not touched drugs again. God gave him a true delivery!
(see Sinner's Prayer Messed Me Up - Personal Testimony of Joel Hovey for the original testimony)
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