David Magiera

My encounter with God

This story begins on November 27, 1976. Everything I believed in was in ruins. My life seemed completely destroyed! I was 30 years old and had tried for years to make something good of my life and failed in every area. My marriage was a nightmare, and my business was failing, too. I was broken, empty and desperate for help. I hadn't been in a church in over ten years, but I had always maintained a belief that there had to be a God. I believed that the earth and all its natural wonders, the sun, the stars, the vastness of the universe, just couldn't have been an accident. Finally, as tears poured down my face, I cried out, "Oh God, please help me -- I can't take it anymore!"

Having heard my cry from eternity, God had been preparing my heart to receive His Son, Jesus, through the ministry of a Christain television program. On a Sunday morning, November 27, 1976, I totally surrendered my life to Jesus. Satan did his best to try to stop me from making that decision. Right at the very moment of my decision, he filled my thoughts with the fear that my life would be forfeited -- lost somewhere in a forsaken mission field -- with all my aspirations of success gone forever. In a split second, Satan was able to present that entire picture. But he lost the battle! I said to my God, "Even so, Lord, I will go if that's what You want for me."

There was no altar call, just a broken man praying in front of his TV, surrendering his life to Jesus while the love of Jesus poured into his empty heart. It was absolutely indescribable! In that moment, Jesus came into me and filled me with His Spirit. It was the most incredible feeling of peace and joy that anyone could possibly experience. And it lasted for over six months! Only later did I learn from fellow believers that I had been "born again" and filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Lord eventually eased me back into my life. I had to experience the painful task of growing up all over again, but this time with Jesus -- the Living Word of God, the Water of Life -- in my heart -- this time with the Holy Spirit helping me "overcome" my "self" to become the new me, a new creation in Christ. For the next three years, I was devoted to reading the Holy Bible and praying to God. I probably read through the New Testament a dozen times. I couldn't get close enough to my Father -- my Creator! I would set my alarm clock for 1 a.m. and get on my knees and talk to Him and pray for everyone I knew. I'd pray for hours until I fell asleep on my knees.

One night, several months into my nightly vigil, something extraordinary happened. I was on my knees with my hands stretched towards heaven when I felt God touch me! I can't explain it any other way. The index and middle finger of my right hand felt like they had connected with a current of electricity! I know what that feels like. I've had the misfortune of touching 120 volts before. But this "current" wasn't painful; it was exhilarating! In my drowsy state of mind, I almost didn't believe what had just happened. But in that instant, God made Himself more real to me than I had ever known. His reality was magnified within me. Everything I had learned by faith had suddenly become even more real.

On November 27, 1979, three years later -- to the day -- I encountered one of the "servants" God speaks of through the prophet Joel:

"In the last days, I will pour out of My Spirit on all people. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on My servants, both men and women, will I pour out My Spirit in those days." (Joel 2:28)

I was working in my office when Linda, a young woman who worked for the building's secretarial service, knocked on my office door. At the time I was an advertising consultant creating collateral materials for a few small companies. I had only noticed Linda a few times when picking up my messages. In fact, I had never met her or spoken to her before this moment. In a very timid, nervous voice, she said, "Excuse me, David, I really don't know what to say except that this is for you." She handed me a folded sheet of paper and quickly escaped from my doorway. I found out later that Linda was extremely nervous about giving me that folded sheet of paper. Though she had walked in the "gifts of the Spirit" for years, this was the first time God had ever given her a message for someone she didn't know.

What was written inside had changed my reason for living forever. It was a "word of knowledge" which God had given to Linda for me. It was a "word" from the Lord given on the exact day of my birth in Christ. What a birthday present! The essence of the "word" was this: God said that my talents would be put to the test and held up for all to see. Can you imagine? Here I was, a nobody, hardly able to survive in this complicated world, and the Lord is saying this? He also said that He was my talent, and everything I did must be for His glory! The Lord also gave the following Scripture verse to confirm the word of knowledge:

"...like clay in the hand of the potter, so you are in My hand..."(Jeremiah 18:6)

Like clay in the hand of the potter! Do you see the wonderful, if not prophetic, irony? Thirteen years later I would be working in clay creating the sculpture titled The Rapture. Can you imagine the odds of all this being a coincidence? Linda didn't even know me, let alone whether or not I was a believer -- and then for this "word" to be written on the exact day of my birth in Christ. It was no accident! Just as he had done on the day of my conversion, God had prepared my heart to receive his "word of knowledge" with complete faith and acceptance.

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one is given the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge by means of the same Spirit..." (1 Cor. 12:7,8)

I found myself prostrate on my office floor, weeping with tears of joy and gratitude to my Lord, my Savior, my Creator! Oh what an awesome moment that was. Thank you, Father! Thank You for Your intimate fellowship and presence. Thank You for Your great mercy and forgiveness. May You be glorified in my life.

During this time, the Lord gave me an insatiable desire for the book of Revelation. Over the years, I have poured over the text in search of His truths and a better understanding of His revelation to John. In the process, He has given me a deeper understanding and the realization of the importance of the second-coming parables and the letters to the seven churches. But this is where the prophesy ends and the growing begins. I was such a long way from being the person I needed to become -- to be useful to Him. I first had to learn about love, God's incredible Love. And I also had to learn about my ugly pride. These have been lean years -- painful learning years -- but I have seen God's miraculous hand of provision -- sustaining -- providing every need.

It is now eleven years later, and at the age of 43, I've been inspired to begin creating fine art sculpture -- in clay! This was the first time I had ever attempted to do such a thing. To my amazement, I found that I could create whatever I could visualize in my mind. So over the next two years, I created my first seven pieces, in nearly as many styles. But this was to be only a preliminary exercise which would prepare me for the creation of "The Rapture."

It is now 1992. January of this year was an especially difficult time for me financially. I had been fasting and wrestling with God for a week during the earlier part of the month and asking Him to show me the way out of my difficulties. On January 19, 1992, I was filled with a wonderful and glorious inspiration for a sculpture -- the symbolic representation of the rapture. The inspiration for the sculpture came like a rush of wind! All the time I had spent in the Word was now pouring out of my mind. The entire work, with all its symbolism, was conceived and illustrated that afternoon. I actually saw the entire piece in just a few minutes and then worked up the illustration over the next few hours. On the following day, I began preparing the clay for the sculpture. I couldn't work fast enough to satisfy the thrill I was feeling in my spirit. The preliminary work was completed in just three weeks. Molding, casting and final finishing took another seven weeks. In all, it took nearly 500 hours to complete the 21" and the 37" tall editions. The 11-foot-tall edition required over 1,500 hours to complete!

The Rapture sculpture is like a candle -- to be placed on a pedestal -- lighting up the truth of our Lord's soon return. The Rapture was only the eighth pedestal sculpture of my brief career as a sculptor. I've never had any art training -- I learned as I went. My only instructor has been the Holy Spirit and my desire to push myself towards His highest goal -- no matter the obstacles and difficulties.

During these years, the Lord encouraged me to journal His insights and revelations. My book titled Oh God! Prepare me For Your Coming is the result of two decades of writing and editing.

In 1995, after many years of marriage -- and becoming the father of three daughters and a son (Jennifer, Natalia, Camila and David Jr.) -- I found myself single again! Devastated and determined to rise through the pain, I pressed into God once again. Then, after two years of trusting God and standing on His promises, I was given the opportunity to call a beautiful woman who lived in Texas -- I lived in Minnesota! Just three months into our telephone relationship, I proposed -- over the phone -- and within two weeks, I shipped my belongings to Texas, bought a one-way airline ticket and flew to Texas with wedding rings in my pocket!

In 1998, just prior to completing the book "Oh Lamb of God! Prepare Me As Your Bride," my twenty year labor of love, something quite extraordinary happened. While praying in the Spirit and worshiping the Lord in the shower, song lyrics began pouring into my spirit. I knew nothing about writing music, playing music, or songwriting when it happened. On that morning, the Lord gave the melody, the chorus and the verses to a song I knew was to be called The Wedding of the Lamb. The song is a lyrical summary of 12 years of journaling -- and the essence of the message contained in "Oh God!." The Wedding of The Lamb is a song that was written in heaven to help prepare the church for His soon coming... to bring unity and restoration... to help prepare the "bride" for our soon coming Messiah. is the result of that unction, and it reflects His mandate upon my life -- to share the message it contains. It is supported from cover to cover by the Word of God.

God has called me to deliver His bridal message -- to prepare His bride in PRAISE, WORSHIP AND DANCE -- To roar… and prepare the harvest of His brides! Read my book "Oh God!" and you will understand what it means to be ready as His bride.

“God is the source of our life and our talents. All that we do should be for His glory. It is by His good pleasure that we move and breathe.

Our every breath, every step, every thought and every desire should reflect His love, His excellence and be done unto His total and absolute glory!

It is my deepest desire that Bride of Christ Ministries, and all that the Father has revealed, touch your soul for the sake of His kingdom.

The unfathomable sacrifice Jesus endured for each of us is beyond our imagination.

Truly, there is no greater knowledge and achievement than to meet our loving Savior at the foot of His cross, and enter into His 'spirit-filling' intimacy and love." - DM