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I am Pedro Archuleta, and this is my story.In 1995 I was hooked on alcohol and drugs and was in very much trouble. My marriage had ended in divorce, and I found myself in jail. My life was miserable, and there appeared to be no hope for me. Today, I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that I was put in jail because it was there that the Lord found me. I was so miserable that I knew that I had to change. My life was such a mess that I figured only God could straighten me out so I started to go to church services. I went to Catholic, Protestant and Baptist services. It didn't matter who was there or what they were preaching. I knew I needed God. However, the services in the jail were in English, and I am Spanish. Even though I tried to listen and learn, but I couldn't understand too much.
One day as I sat in a service in the corner, the inmates in the service began passing a book around the room. When it came to me I saw that is was a brand new Spanish Bible. God had prepared that Bible just for me. I took that Bible, and began to read it. It was like getting hot bread out of the oven or like a fresh tortilla off of the stove. It was so wonderful. It surely was bread for my soul. I continued to read and to go to the church services, but no one ever told me how to get saved. One day, on a Wednesday, Pastor Harold Chiolero of Temple Baptist Church in Santa Fe, New Mexico came to the jail to preach. He preached the word of God so clear, and at 3:00 pm that day he showed me from the Bible how to be saved. He didn't speak much Spanish at that time, but it was obvious that he cared so much for me and my soul. He tried the best he could to show me about Jesus. God used him, and I called out to the Lord Jesus Christ to save my soul. O what a happy day! O Hallelujah!
Later I got out of jail, and I began to work as a cook in a local cafeteria. One of my coworkers began to teach me and to read the Bible to me as we would take our breaks during work. He asked me to come to his church, and I agreed to come. It was also on a Wednesday that I came to the church. I came early, and no one was there except the Pastor. He was standing inside the door like a soldier big and tall. When I opened the door and saw him, I realized that it was the Pastor that had come to the jail and preached to me when I had trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. I went over, hugged him and was crying as I did. I said, "Do you remember me? I was the guy in the jail that asked the Lord to save me." He said, "Yes, I remember you." What a wonderful reunion this was to me.
I looked around for something to do for my Lord in the Church and so I began to serve with Chano, who is our Spanish Preacher, in the Church. Well, since I had been saved, I had always wanted to sing for the Lord Jesus Christ. We now sing Mariachi style songs for the Lord.
It would please me so much if you were to come to know the Lord and start attending our church. The Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul and changed my life. He gave me something worth living for. Gloria a Dios!
After I was saved, I started attending Temple Baptist Church in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I had led such a wicked life before I was saved that my wife had had to divorce me after ten years of marriage. Now that I was saved, I began to start making things right in my life.
It had been ten years since our divorce when I called out to the Lord Jesus Christ to save me. I had hit the very bottom of life, and had even ended up in jail as I related to you earlier in this tract. The day that I was saved was a glad day. The Lord had saved my soul, and I wanted to tell my ex-wife what God had done for me. I was free from the drugs and alcohol that had taken me to the bottom of life and to jail. I had no desire for the sinful things of life. I was truly free at last! Gloria a Dios! My wife, Lucy, and my son, Peter, had moved about 30 miles from Santa Fe. I drove over to see them and walked up to the door with a Bible under my arm. I used to come home with a six-pack of beer under my arm. Now I was carrying the word of God. I told Lucy that the Lord Jesus Christ had saved me, but it seemed like a fairy tale to her. She thought that I was trying to trick her. I witnessed and shared the Gospel with her, but she didn't believe me. I went back to the church and asked if someone would go and witness to my wife. Brother Lou and BeeJay went over to her house and shared the Gospel with Lucy.
Listen to the words of my wife Lucy:
Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
I was amazed and finally believed that the Lord had truly changed my husband. I started going a church in Espanola, but was working at a job in Santa Fe. I then started attending Temple Baptist with my husband. After about a year we were married again. Praise the Lord! Now we are happily married again and serving the Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple Baptist Church of Santa Fe. The Lord Jesus Christ is so good! Gloria a Dios!
Proverbs 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.Now Pedro says, God has given us a wonderful life and many opportunities to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. I am a baker now in a local Community College cafeteria, and still sing Mariachi style songs in Spanish whenever I can. God has opened up opportunities to sing in churches for our Lord Jesus Christ. I am learning the English language, and hope to soon be able to sing in both languages for our Lord. My life is so full with the blessings of God. He has been so good to me and my family.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
When I was lost, I found that Satan was a thief – He robbed me of my family, my health, my friends. Now I have an abundant life in Jesus Christ. He is my God, my Lord, my Saviour, and He will never leave me.
Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Some may say, "Pedro, you're crazy. You are a religious fanatic." Let them mock and laugh at me. I know that Jesus Christ is my Lord, and I will not fear their laughing and mocking because God is on my side. Some day they will answer to the Lord for their unbelief.
Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.What will you say when you stand before Him at the Judgment? — Will Jesus Christ be your Lord or will He be your Judge?
Would you like to know how you too can receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour? The Bible says that we must come to the end of ourselves.
Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.You must come to the understanding that only the Lord Jesus Christ can save you.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.Call upon the Lord Jesus Christ right now.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.My favorite verse is:
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.Won't you please trust Jesus as your Saviour?
Pedro and Lucy ArchuletaPedro and Lucy Archuleta attend:
Temple Baptist Church
Pastor Jim Velasquez
2103 Yucca Street
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
Old Paths Baptist Ministry
