The Story of Bernardo Arjona

On March 18, 2023, after a 13-year addiction to pornography, I arrived at the PLM Residential Program in complete delusion. My goal was to finish the program, pursue the girl I had my eye on, and go on with the life I wanted.

Two weeks into the program, I had a dream in which I was walking in a neighborhood back home and strolled by a chapel with a beautiful stone façade. I walked inside and saw a marble white room. It was full of white idols and creeping things multiplying out from themselves. There was also a single, humming tone in the background. All of it was so creepy that I ran out. When I woke up, I realized God had shown me the idol factory of my depraved heart.

As I lay in bed, my mind was flooded with biblical characters presented with a choice. It began with Elijah calling Elisha to follow him, then the disciples being called by Jesus, and it ended with the rich young ruler and the tragic choice he made as he rejected Jesus. At that moment, the Lord showed me that the real choice before me was between Himself or my idols. It was THE choice presented to all men.

Later in the program, a counselor shared this Scripture with me:“Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart;there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated” (Ps 36:1–2). It cut me to the heart. I didn’t want to see my sin and turn from it.

He encouraged me to begin crying out to the Lord. While nothing in me had the desire or the strength, I asked the Lord to help me cry out. For two months, I went out to the Cross almost every day, confessing my sins and my need to the Lord. As I acknowledged my condition, my faith in His blood and forgiveness began to build. I was seeing who I was, and who He was.

One day, an overwhelming sense of need came upon me. I had no answers or defenses. I quietly cried, “Help me, Jesus.” It was simple, but completely sincere and truthful. He came to me that day, but He was still not my one passion.

A few weeks later, I was baptized, and then weeks after that baptized in the Holy Spirit. After that night, my Christian birth was complete, and the affection of my heart changed.

Now my relationship with Jesus is what I fight for. There are days I see other desires rise up, but I fight. I repent. He draws me to Himself with cords of love. He has captured my heart. In Him I have peace and rest, because I have Him and am in Him.

Announcing our 26th Annual Conference

Earth-life, with all its carnal pleasures and distractions, is always seeking to keep us from pursuing a wholehearted devotion to Jesus Christ. For it is in wholehearted devotion that true spiritual life—power over sin, abundant peace, and overflowing joy—is found. Join us in May as we seek God for a greater devotion to Himself.

Grace in the Middle East

Earlier this year, a veteran missionary reached out to us and asked if we would be willing to come to the Middle East and instruct and encourage men and women who may be struggling in hidden sin. We sent our events manager, Joshua Rowand, who served in that area of the world prior to coming to the Pure Life Residential Program. It is amazing when the Lord can use the worst parts of our stories as the backdrop for his amazing grace! On this three-week trip in May, he visited three major cities in the Middle East:Dubai, UAE; Cairo, Egypt; and Amman, Jordan.

At each location, he was able to meet with missionaries new to the field, share his testimony, and offer teaching sessions to those ministering in that region. One evening he was able to share in a church service in Amman. After the message, one man approached him saying, “No one can understand how shameful my sin is!” During the conversation, Joshua shared all that the Lord has delivered him from, and the way God has used his testimony to help others in the years since.

Another special moment was visiting some historical and Biblical sites, including the Pyramids of Giza, Petra, and Peniel—where Jacob wrestled with the Lord. At the last site (picture located above), there was a good time of exhortation and prayer with the men on the team. Joshua even had the opportunity to meet with OCAH &Wives Program grads now serving abroad!

Equipping Missionaries on the Silk Road

After the first trip, the director of the Live Dead Silk Road initiative reached out and invited Pure Life to come and do a 20-hour training for missionaries on “Walking in Victory.” So in July, Josh traveled to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to teach the class. Represented were missionaries from Ukraine, Colombia, Mexico, Romania, The Netherlands, Russia, and North America who serve in the countries of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, and Israel.

In the training, Joshua taught on spiritual principles related to personal holiness &integrity, resisting temptation, walking in forgiveness, how to help struggling teammates and teenagers, and how to disciple Muslims specifically battling sexual sin. He also got to meet with a local pastor and his wife and encourage them as they endeavor to disciple the young adults of Bishkek. The feedback from the training was very positive. We are so grateful that Pure Life can be a resource to people who are fighting to magnify Jesus in some of the darkest places in the world.

Truth Crossing Borders

We are always willing for believers abroad to translate and distribute our materials in their own country (at no charge, of course), because the need for sexual purity transcends all borders. Recently, a missionary in Nepal used AI technology to produce a Nepali version of the 20 Truths video series, complete with Pastor Steve’s likeness and lip-synced voice! In addition, there is growing interest in translating the 20 Truths 40-Day Study Journal into Arabic. We are thrilled at these developments!

Investing in the Next Generation

We also recently partnered with Called College, a two-year Bible School in Illinois. Ryan Stempien visited on the first day of the fall semester to exhort the students to be vigilant in their battle with sexual temptation and announced discounted rates for our online counseling programs to their student body. We hope much fruit will come from these young men and women as they go through our programs—not only for their sake, but for all to whom they are called to reach.