My Testimony

Hi there. My name is Paul Shippy, and I am from Tempe, Arizona.

Like anyone else, I sometimes ask tough questions about life, questions like "Why do people do wrong things?" and "Where did people originally come from?" And while it's sometimes easy to ignore these questions, the answers I've found have changed me, so I hope you don't mind if I share them.

Why do people do wrong things? It really doesn't make sense if we're all basically good, deep down. The only answer I've found that makes sense is that we do bad things because we want to. In other words, we are basically evil. Sounds pretty bad, doesn't it?

The second question is "Where did we come from?" I believe that we were created by a personal God who sets the standard for right and wrong and who is completely good and just.

Now, if God is good and just, he can't ignore evil, can he? Certainly not. But what does that mean for mankind? For me? I'm certainly no exception to the basically evil rule. I've lied to my parents, cheated in school, and done many other things that make me feel guilty. For that matter, I lust after women just about every day. So how can I relate to God, who is completely good?

The answer is I can't. Now that sounds really bad. Until…you consider Jesus Christ.

I was taught about the Bible at an early age. But it wasn't until I was about 12 that I came to really understand my hopeless situation and God's solution. I realized that Jesus Christ is the only answer to the problems of my life. He died to take my punishment and forgive my sin. And then He rose from the dead, giving me the hope of eternal life. Even though I did nothing to deserve His love, He loved me anyway. It is that love that has changed me.

I admit my life is definitely not easy. And I still do wrong things and think wrong thoughts every day. But I know that Jesus has forgiven me and is always working to make me a better person. His Word has given me an understanding of the past, a peace in the present, and a hope for the future.

How about you? Do you know, for sure, what will happen when you die? Have you found the solution to the ultimate problems of life? Are you completely satisfied, or is something missing? Could it be Jesus?