April 2007
It is always a privilege
to share how Jesus Christ came into my life.
Those who live around us know if our testimony
is true. I call this the testimony of Jesus
Christ, because I take no credit for what
He did to change my life. He initiated my
salvation and I responded. You have the
opportunity to do the same today.
My Early Years
My parents took me to church
regularly beginning a few days after I was
born, but like a lot of children, I rebelled
during my teenage years. I was successful
in school and sports, but my faith in God
was not strong enough to keep the gods of
this world from blinding my mind. 1 These
gods were booze, illicit sex and rock music
that kept me from seeing the light that
comes from God's Word about the blood of
Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
I was not a true believer so, I was powerless
to break the hold the world, the flesh and
the devil had on me.
I entered college with
a fear of failure. I was fearful of failing
my parent's expectations. I felt my acceptance
from them was based upon my performance,
which was never good enough. I medicated
my pain with a greater dosage of booze,
sex and by joining a local fraternity. I
didn't know God accepted me because of the
finished work of Jesus Christ at the cross.
2 I was ignorant of the fact that God loved
me, and that His perfect love casts out
all fear. 3 The spirit of fear can drive
us to do many foolish things when we don't
understand the power of God's love and of
a sound mind. 4
Driven to California
My parents begged me not
to move to California in 1967, but I wouldn't
listen. I was too immature for leaving home.
after playing a fool during college. I was
running away from my family and the pressure
I felt from failing. I promised my parents
that I'd finish my senior year by enrolling
in the University of California, but it
wasn't long until I dropped out of college,
giving priority to my job, women and marijuana.
In the summer of '68, while
driving to my beach house near Malibu, I
picked up a hitchhiker named Dennis Wilson,
the drummer for the Beachboys. I drove him
to his home where Charles Manson was visiting.
I fell right into Charlie's trap. His song
lyrics made fun of parents and childhood
memories, suggesting a new-rebellious identity
in his family. The drugs made it easy to
go on his magical-mystery tour as the Beatles
sang.
I was brainwashed to believe
in his Helter Skelter philosophy that after
a black and white race war occurred, we'd
escape to the desert to experience a utopia
on Earth. When Helter Skelter didn't happen
as prophesied, he sent us out to start it
with the murders. Clues were left so it
would be blamed on the blacks, who in turn
would destroy the whites. I was sickened
by what I had done. I didn't realize it
at the time, but fear was the root of the
anger that came out during the crime. If
it were not for me, seven innocent people
would possible be alive today. I caused
there families and mine tremendous pain
because of my deception. As Job said in
chapter 3, verse 25, "...the thing
which I greatly feared [failure] had come
upon me."
Death to Life
I ended up on Death Row
at San Quentin. The LORD assured me while
in county jail, that whether I lived or
died, I was His. I did not find this Scripture
until later, which says, "...Christ
both died, and rose, and revived, that HE
might be LORD both of the dead and living."
5 I had been listening to the jail chaplain,
who brought me a small Bible he had received
from my mother. For the first time, I was
listening to a man of God. I thought if
God had a balance scale with my good on
one side and my evil on the other side,
I was in trouble. The chaplain assured me
that heaven was a free gift from God through
Jesus Christ. "For by grace [God's
ability] we are saved through faith; and
that not of ourselves, it is a gift of God,
Not of works, lest any man should boast."
6
After nine months on death
row, the death penalty was overturned by
the U. S. Supreme Court as cruel and unusual
punishment. I didn't think it was too cruel
for what I had done, but I was relieved
to be out from under it. I was transferred
to California Men's Colony, which like a
resort compared to San Quentin. I was ashamed
of my crime and I had no peace. I was lost,
confused and looking for direction when
a girl from Germany, who had seen me during
my trial, began to visit me. While visiting
one weekend, I overheard a lady share John
3:16 with her visitor. I got excited and
turned to my girlfriend and said from memory,
"God did so love the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believes in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life." 7 She said, "You
don't believe that!" She had a bad
experience with a priest in Germany, so
she didn't want to hear it.
In the early months of
1975, Christians came to me from all directions.
My mom and Dad turned to the Lord even more
after my crime and never stopped talking
about Jesus. She contacted Chico Holiday,
a converted Las Vegas nightclub singer,
who came to share his testimony with me.
Christian brothers invited me to chapel
services to see the outside guests. Chaplain
Ray, from a well-known international prison
ministry, came to tell me about two former
Manson family members who had come to Christ.
Everyone told me about God's love, but not
until the last night of a chapel revival
in May 1975, did I receive Christ into my
heart. I returned to my room that night,
looked into the mirror with my face glowing,
and said, "This is ten times better
than drugs!" Years later I found the
Scripture that says the wisdom and understanding
of Daniel and his friends was ten times
better than all the magicians and astrologers.
8
Life In Christ
I experienced God's love
and freedom from fear for the first time.
"God commanded His love towards me,
in that, while I was yet a sinner, Christ
died for me. 9 What really blew my mind
was that God had a Lamb (Jesus Christ) slain
for my sins before the foundation of the
world. 10 That means if you confess you're
a sinner, God is faithful and just to have
already provided forgiveness and cleansing
from all unrighteousness 2000 years ago.
11 All I did was respond to what God had
initiated long ago.
God put all of our sin
upon Jesus and gave us Christ's righteousness
at the the cross. 12 Our righteousness is
as filthy rags. 13 And when Christ returns,
a!! that will matter is if we have received
Christ's righteousness by faith. Righteousness
is right standing God, or the ability to
stand in the presence of God without any
fear, guilt or inferiority.
For the past 32 years,
I have grown in the grace and knowledge
of our LORD Jesus Christ. 14 I have a new
identity. I don't call myself a sinner,
since God's word calls me a Saint. 15 I
am "...a new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness.”16
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new
creation, old things have passed away; behold,
all things have become new."17
The prophet Isaiah says,
"...the work of righteousness shall
be peace; and the affect of righteousness
is quietness and assurance forever."
18 Would you like this work and effect of
righteousness in your life today?
"I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power
of God unto salvation to everyone that believes;
to the Jew first, an also to the Greek.
For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith to faith: as it is written,
The just shall live by faith." 19 Have
you received Jesus Christ as your righteousness?
If YOU haven't: Will you
receive Jesus Christ as your righteousness
today? This is the requirement for salvation.
"If you shall confess with your mouth
the LORD Jesus Christ and shall believe
in your heart that God has raised Him from
the dead, you shall be saved... For with
the heart man believes unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation...For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the LORD shall be saved."
20
A Prayer for You...
Father. I need You. Thank
You for the sacrifice of your Son, whose
blood brings forgiveness of my sins and
for offering me your righteousness and resurrected
life. I now accept by faith Your gift of
salvation. Through Your Holy Spirit, teach
me about Your love and grace and about the
new life that You have given me. Begin the
work of making me into the person You want
me to be. Amen!
Scripture References:
1. 2 Cor. 4:4
2. Eph. 1:6
3. 1 John 4:18
4. 2 Tim. 1:7
5. Rom. 14: 8,9
6. Eph. 2:8,9
7. John 3:16
8. Dan. 1:20
9. Rom. 5:8-13:8
10. Rev. 5:8 – 13:8
11. 1 John 1:9
12. 2 Cor. 5:21
13. Isa. 64:6
14. 2 Pert. 3:18
15. Eph. 1:1, etc
16. Eph. 4:24
17. 2 Cor. 5:17
18. Isa 32:17
19. Rom. 1: 16,17
20. Rom 10: 9,10
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