I was submitted under Pastor Jeff’s ministry for 3 years before God called me to serve Him in the Air Force, thus my wife and I moved. When I first came to, then Freedom Church, I was coming out of the world, fleeing from drugs and wild lifestyle and had recently experienced the true POWER of the Holy Spirit, and met some friends who then led me to brother Jeff. The reason I stayed with freedom church, was mainly because of his wife, Larissa. The first time I met both of them was actually their house, at a night of worship, and she prayed over me and prophesied a powerful word from the Father that manifested itself through the years. I’ve never heard the revelatory word that brother Jeff has been given, and is continuing to be given from the Father, by anybody else. I have been receiving revelations on my own based on the teaching I heard from Jeff. The Father is wanting you to realize who you are in Jesus, Jeff and Larissa helped me to see what scripture says about who I am and how Jesus has finished the work He started, and now I’m complete in Him!
I had grown up going to church every weekend. Even from a young age I enjoyed reading the childrens’ Bible my parents had given me. When I turned 15 I made myself a vow that I would be even more devoted to God, reading my Bible and praying each morning and night. I wanted to become a man after God’s own heart, like David. I tried my best to follow what I thought was right, to tell the truth, to obey my parents, to keep my eyes pure. But despite all my efforts I was very unhappy, and I had a great problem with anxiety. I just couldn’t relax, I always felt there was more I could be doing, I could be reading the Bible more, trying harder in school, showing kindness to more people. To escape from anxiety I sometimes turned to pornography, sometimes to alchohol, yet I always vowed that I would try harder the next time to avoid these things. Eventually I got to the point where I said to myself, “I am a miserable, anxious person despite all my effort to be close to God. I am done with this.” So I stopped trying to be good. I did whatever I felt like for the next year and half, and what I felt like doing was very evil. I said that I only believed in what I could see with my eyes, maybe there was a God and maybe there wasn’t, but either way he had nothing to do with everyday events. My decisions alone decide my own fate. But the fun of this way of thinking quickly gave way to dark depression. I saw no reason to live anymore. I remember being at my parents’ house over Christmas, considering going into my dad’s gun safe. I could go out back onto the dock and end my lonely, empty life. The only thing that stopped me that night was fear. I would have said that I didn’t believe in hell, but I felt the fear of hell that night. When I got back to my apartment after Christmas, I cried out to God to save me. And I felt a slight glimmer of hope. I tried to read the Bible again, and at first I could only read a line or two before throwing it down in disgust. But slowly I began to read more of it. I went back to church for the first time in a long time with one of my friends. I was still skeptical, but God was starting to fill me with light. When someone invited me to Freedom Church, I was amazed at Pastor Jeff’s teaching. The very first day he preached on the passage in Scripture where Jesus says “You have heard that it was said to those of old,[c] ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[d] 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” I had always taken this as a command. But really Jesus was making it impossible to enter heaven through human effort. Verses like these had plagued me for years, because they really are impossible to follow (without Christ of course). I saw that becoming righteous was not by means of effort, but only by faith in the Son of God. As I went to Freedom over the course of the next few months, God revealed to me many more things through Pastor Jeff’s teaching. He preaches the true gospel, of the finished work of Christ. Sin has already been defeated, when the man who knew no sin became sin so we could become the righteousness of God. I was baptized, this time with a full understanding that I had already been baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ when I believed in Him. I recently moved to Pennsylvania for a job, and I am very involved in the local church up here. God is changing many lives. Life is tough sometimes, but I know God is always by my side, and He fills me with peace and joy. I am a new creation in Christ, and the dark times are no more! I am so grateful that God led me to Freedom Church during my time in Pensacola. God is using the Hemleys’ ministry to touch many lives. Praise be to God!
-Nick
I am writing this testimony in response to your enlightenment of scriptures. The messages are extremely liberating! I have experienced a freedom every week that has sincerely given me and many others, “times of refreshing.”
I have graduated, completed and participated in many biblical studies. Yet none of them have revealed these truths of the New Covenant!
My life was constantly a struggle even as a believer, bound to addiction, religion and fears of rejection or failure; desiring to do right but in consistent bondage to my own ways – stubbornness even rebellion. Also I was bound with lust of the eyes and the flesh.
But when your messages reach my ears, there seems to be an overwhelming presence of peace and revelation of God’s understanding that brings this sigh of relief. This is not by any means a flattery response but an honest one from a young man who wants to see Christ live through me as a Father for my children, a husband to my wife and a servant to all in the measure of His Fullness.
My prayers now are based on two scriptures, “that I may Know Him and the power of His Resurrection” and “come into the unity of The Faith and The Knowledge of THE SON OF GOD.” (Phil 3:10; Eph 4:13).
I see so many things in the Word of God now that put me in awe and praise of His Purpose For LIFE! Again Thank you for your diligence of service!!!
Wow, to God be the Glory. Great things He has done!!! Thank you Sidney for our amazing testimony. I am so blessed to be able to come and share the real Gospel with you all!!!
I was submitted under Pastor Jeff’s ministry for 3 years before God called me to serve Him in the Air Force, thus my wife and I moved. When I first came to, then Freedom Church, I was coming out of the world, fleeing from drugs and wild lifestyle and had recently experienced the true POWER of the Holy Spirit, and met some friends who then led me to brother Jeff. The reason I stayed with freedom church, was mainly because of his wife, Larissa. The first time I met both of them was actually their house, at a night of worship, and she prayed over me and prophesied a powerful word from the Father that manifested itself through the years. I’ve never heard the revelatory word that brother Jeff has been given, and is continuing to be given from the Father, by anybody else. I have been receiving revelations on my own based on the teaching I heard from Jeff. The Father is wanting you to realize who you are in Jesus, Jeff and Larissa helped me to see what scripture says about who I am and how Jesus has finished the work He started, and now I’m complete in Him!
Wow Justin! Praise God for your testimony. We pray that the revelation of His Finished Work with stay with you every day of your Life in Jesus Name!
I had grown up going to church every weekend. Even from a young age I enjoyed reading the childrens’ Bible my parents had given me. When I turned 15 I made myself a vow that I would be even more devoted to God, reading my Bible and praying each morning and night. I wanted to become a man after God’s own heart, like David. I tried my best to follow what I thought was right, to tell the truth, to obey my parents, to keep my eyes pure. But despite all my efforts I was very unhappy, and I had a great problem with anxiety. I just couldn’t relax, I always felt there was more I could be doing, I could be reading the Bible more, trying harder in school, showing kindness to more people. To escape from anxiety I sometimes turned to pornography, sometimes to alchohol, yet I always vowed that I would try harder the next time to avoid these things. Eventually I got to the point where I said to myself, “I am a miserable, anxious person despite all my effort to be close to God. I am done with this.” So I stopped trying to be good. I did whatever I felt like for the next year and half, and what I felt like doing was very evil. I said that I only believed in what I could see with my eyes, maybe there was a God and maybe there wasn’t, but either way he had nothing to do with everyday events. My decisions alone decide my own fate. But the fun of this way of thinking quickly gave way to dark depression. I saw no reason to live anymore. I remember being at my parents’ house over Christmas, considering going into my dad’s gun safe. I could go out back onto the dock and end my lonely, empty life. The only thing that stopped me that night was fear. I would have said that I didn’t believe in hell, but I felt the fear of hell that night. When I got back to my apartment after Christmas, I cried out to God to save me. And I felt a slight glimmer of hope. I tried to read the Bible again, and at first I could only read a line or two before throwing it down in disgust. But slowly I began to read more of it. I went back to church for the first time in a long time with one of my friends. I was still skeptical, but God was starting to fill me with light. When someone invited me to Freedom Church, I was amazed at Pastor Jeff’s teaching. The very first day he preached on the passage in Scripture where Jesus says “You have heard that it was said to those of old,[c] ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[d] 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” I had always taken this as a command. But really Jesus was making it impossible to enter heaven through human effort. Verses like these had plagued me for years, because they really are impossible to follow (without Christ of course). I saw that becoming righteous was not by means of effort, but only by faith in the Son of God. As I went to Freedom over the course of the next few months, God revealed to me many more things through Pastor Jeff’s teaching. He preaches the true gospel, of the finished work of Christ. Sin has already been defeated, when the man who knew no sin became sin so we could become the righteousness of God. I was baptized, this time with a full understanding that I had already been baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ when I believed in Him. I recently moved to Pennsylvania for a job, and I am very involved in the local church up here. God is changing many lives. Life is tough sometimes, but I know God is always by my side, and He fills me with peace and joy. I am a new creation in Christ, and the dark times are no more! I am so grateful that God led me to Freedom Church during my time in Pensacola. God is using the Hemleys’ ministry to touch many lives. Praise be to God!
-Nick
Praise God Nick! Thanks for sharing!!!
I am writing this testimony in response to your enlightenment of scriptures. The messages are extremely liberating! I have experienced a freedom every week that has sincerely given me and many others, “times of refreshing.”
I have graduated, completed and participated in many biblical studies. Yet none of them have revealed these truths of the New Covenant!
My life was constantly a struggle even as a believer, bound to addiction, religion and fears of rejection or failure; desiring to do right but in consistent bondage to my own ways – stubbornness even rebellion. Also I was bound with lust of the eyes and the flesh.
But when your messages reach my ears, there seems to be an overwhelming presence of peace and revelation of God’s understanding that brings this sigh of relief. This is not by any means a flattery response but an honest one from a young man who wants to see Christ live through me as a Father for my children, a husband to my wife and a servant to all in the measure of His Fullness.
My prayers now are based on two scriptures, “that I may Know Him and the power of His Resurrection” and “come into the unity of The Faith and The Knowledge of THE SON OF GOD.” (Phil 3:10; Eph 4:13).
I see so many things in the Word of God now that put me in awe and praise of His Purpose For LIFE! Again Thank you for your diligence of service!!!
Wow, to God be the Glory. Great things He has done!!! Thank you Sidney for our amazing testimony. I am so blessed to be able to come and share the real Gospel with you all!!!