Testimony of Claude Joyner

MY LIFE AND ATTITUDES BEFORE FOLLOWING CHRIST.

I grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, but spent the majority of my

adult life living across the country, from one ocean to the other. I

did pretty much whatever I wanted to do, with little regard for anyone

else, and without giving Christ any credit. God had blessed me with an

abundance of physical and mental ability. I was an extremely arrogant

young man with interests that were centered around sports and sensual

pleasure.

HOW I REALIZED GOD WAS SPEAKING TO ME.

In 1961 I was baptized, but did not at that time make a commitment

to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Growing up in a praying Christian

family I heard the Gospel many times, but it never got hold of me. I

proceeded to live any way I wanted, figuring that being baptized meant

I was a Christian, and assured of going to heaven. I reaLized God was

speaking to me, and he really got my attention when I was diagnosed

with Hodgkins Disease on 9-9-69.

The diagnosis was Hodgkins Disease stage 4A in the summer of that

year. More times than not stage 4A is fatal. I entered Yale New Haven

Hospital which was using an experimental three stage treatment program

for Hodgkins disease. It consisted of a stage of pills, starting with

15 a day for awhile, then 12, then 9, then 6. The second stage involved

regular cobalt radiation treatment. The last stage was chemotherapy and

needles, sometimes administered in the hospital overnight. This

schedule was to be repeated three times, or for three cycles.

Just as I knew I was ill before the diagnosis, I knew I was healed

before the treatment was completed. Against the advice and direction of

doctors and parents I ended the treatment after the second cycle. I was

told that if I lived 5 years, they were reasonably assured that the

disease was in remission. I was never told that I was cured until 1985.

HOW I BECAME A CHRISTIAN.

He finally got through to me 10-13-85 through the preaching of

Pastor David Durham. A friend invited me to Mt. Sinai Baptist Church

where the Holy Spirit said "this is your church home". During the

sermon the Holy Spirit said "you've run long enough, it's time to come

home." I had to stop committing the sin of trying to control my own

life. It scared me when I was informed that sin's penalty was

separation from God for now and eternity. It brought tears to my eyes

when it sunk in that Christ paid the penalty for sin when he took my

sin to the cross, accepted the judgement for it, and made it possible

for me to be accepted by God.

Receiving Christ meant acknowledging I was a sinner, accepting

forgiveness from Him, inviting him in to enter my life as Lord and

Saviour, and trusting him to do for me the things I could never do for

myself.

WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN MEANS TO ME.

I'm not perfect, just on the right track. I'm not without problems,

I just have resources to handle them that I didn't have before. I now

have Jesus on my side, and my problems are not mine when I give them to

Him. II Corinthians 12:9 makes sense now when God tells us through the

Apostle Paul "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for

my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I

rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon

me."

My purpose in life is to glorify God, and to be a witness to what He

can do with a converted and committed life. I desire to learn and do

God's will, through prayer, faith, study, and application. I spend more

time doing work for the Lord and not for man. I pray more and I am more

mindful of being a better steward of God's money. I'm not afraid to die

anymore because I know how fragile and temporary this human body is and

that this earth is not my home. I understand what the Apostle Paul

meant when he said in Philippians 1:21 "For to me to live [is] Christ,

and to die [is] gain."

I am just a pilgrim passing through on my way home to Heaven.

Christian friends greatly help the journey with fellowship and prayer.

My level of tolerance is much higher, minimizing the frustrations.

Failure on my part represents an opportunity for God to display his

power. I'm truly thankful now for the little things, like being able to

see the sun shine, and to hear the birds sing.

Unto Him be the glory, for now and always.




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