Everybody's testimony

I was raised by God-fearing parents who went to church every Sunday and, at the age of about 8 or 9, I came under conviction of God's Spirit as the alter call was made. I held out for a couple of weeks but finally went forward. My mom was playing the piano and I first went to her and said I was going to go forward and she motioned, "Well go on then", kept on playing the invitation hymn - I stepped forward and between one step and another I felt a great change in my heart, from that day forth I have known I was saved, a child of God forever! Baptized in due course.

 

I was born into a Catholic family, which meant dad was Catholic and mum a Lutheran, who at her marriage agreed to raise her children as Catholics, a stipulation at the time.
As a young aldult the Catholic Church espoused Ecumenicism and I started looking for a Faith with greater meaning etc. The Baptists were always generous in extending the hand of fellowship and I stayed and strayed. Buddhism was also very attractive as I found the concept of loving kindness and compassion very appealing.
However, this year I find a Catholic church which held the Tridentine Mass and I knew I had found what I had been searching for all my adult years.
God Bless...

 

I too was raised catholic. Mass every Sunday. 8 years of parochial school. Religion class.

At the age of about 24 I was, with a bag of reefer in my pocket, in the process of trying to purchase a porn magazine from a 7-11 store. The store clerk, who eventually lost his job for prosylitising from behind the counter, told me he would give me a dollar not to buy it. In the process of talking with him he shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with me.

I had never heard it before, and it was like cool water to a very thirsty man. I could be completly joined to God and secured for heaven...no strings attached...through faith alone?

That sounded good to me, but...there was this buisiness of this "new life" that he talked about. Living for God, new wants and desires, living rightiously, etc. I was having too good of a time with my weed, drink, bars, and girls...I thought.

I didnt realise it at the time, but I was a goner. It was just a matter of time. For about 2-3 years God kept sending christians my way.

The manager at a pizza shop where I worked.

A next door neighbor at an apartment complex somewhere.

People in a waiting room of a hospital.

They just kept showing up everywhere I went. I was learning all about those "goads" that Paul learned about.

After about 3 years of this, I came to the end of myself. All alone...drowning in a sea of my own tears...at about 3AM in bed, I invited Jesus Christ, however He did it, to begin living inside of me. I knew that all of these christians that I was encountering had....*something*...I didnt know exactly what it was, but it was very good, and for the 1st time I was willing to ask for it. I was a mess, and I wanted to be better.

Well, Jesus Christ did not disappoint. I went to sleep right after that(slept very good by the way), but when I woke up the next day I was a new man...and I knew it!

In time God led me to a good christian fellowhip, I was water baptised, and I have been enjoying, except when ole Mike gets in the way, the fruit of new life that the guy in the 7-11 store spoke of. Its been 24 years since then, and I can say that the Spirit filled and directed life is the best life to live.

I wouldnt go back to the old life for a million dollars. God has been so good to me. He has blessed me in so many ways, my wife being one of the best blessings I could ever ask for. We are part of a good vibrant non-denomonational charismatic fellowship, and Jesus Christ is so very good!

Praise the Lord!

God bless,

Mike

 

I can’t remember ever not having Jesus Christ within me. As a small child, He was my best friend and would always protect me. I always had Mary as my mother and all the saints as my brothers and sisters and friends. I would make “communion hosts” out of Weber’s bread and coke bottle caps and flatten them, until I could get the real thing.

 

Post deleted for violating Rule #3:

Gina

[ April 04, 2004, 02:57 PM: Message edited by: Gina L ]

 

If one sees a point in someone's testimony that they do not like, please start a new thread on it questioning that particular belief as pertains to salvation, as this thread didn't appear to be started for the purposes of debate or anyone having their testimony slammed.
Gina

 

This forum aint no fun anymore. All the challenging Roman Catholics have been kicked off and everyone is getting thin skin. Whats going on?
This forum used to be a battle royale but it is getting boring. Was my statement a false one?

 

Whether it was true or false wasn't the point.
I know many people see arguing and fighting as entertaining and fun, but it would be a lot nicer to see true debate when needed and kindness otherwise.
Like I said, you can debate parts of people's testimonies by starting a new topic, but let's keep this one for people to simply be able to state their testimony. Can you imagine giving your testimony at church and people start standing up and arguing with you over it? It would be rude, they should take you aside privately or talk to you about it elsewhere, right?
That said, if you have any more comments or questions about it please pm me instead of posting it on this thread so that it can stay on topic, ok?
Gina

 

Jesus Christ is my Lord and my God. He is my Savior. He is my life. He has been my life for as long as I can remember.

 

I was 15 in 1975. Experimenting with drugs and alcohol as most teens did at the time I suppose. I lived with my 86 year grandfather because I couldn't get along with my stepdad. He threw me out and I never went back.

My grandad had a cabinet full of drugs he took for his ailments and I sampled most of them. Valium was my favorite, although I never could get enough of his pain pills. I don't know what they were. I took 11 of them one night and found out why they call them pain pills! I was sick almost to death for a whole week. My grandmother thought it was stomach flu, and I let her believe it.

I lived on the street most of the time and slept at whatever place there was a party going on. It didn't matter at least I wasn't home where I was in constant fights with the "ole man".

I had two jobs that I worked after school, the bowling alley where I set pins for 7-15 dollars a night in the winter and in the summer I worked at the cemetary mowing grass for 2.10 an hour. I was never short of money for a 15 year old so I had lot's of friends as you might guess.

Some where along the lines I got addicted to the valium. I would take them 4-5 at a time and wash them down with whatever alcohol was handy. I stumbled around the hallways in school most of the 9th grade. It was bad to set in my first class and see 3 or 4 of the same teacher. Only once was I ever questioned about my passing out and tripping over things. Strange now that I think back on it.

I always had a big bottle of valium in my pocket and would sell them off to buy different drugs. I sold 11 or 12 to my friend early in the day at school, and told him not to take them all at the same time. He didn't listen of course.

I got home (grandad's) and took a bunch of pills and passed out. I woke up when my grandad started yelling and shaking me. Sometime during the night I must of woke up and took more and drank a whole bottle of "lectra Shave". I don't remember any of it, but I still get sick when I smell that after shave!!!

Next day at school, my best friend came up missing. I didn't know where he was all day. My mother came over and told me he was arrested and the police wanted to talk with me so, off I went to the station. there was my friend waiting to go to jail (he was 16). The guy I sold the pills to the day before almost died from them and spent some time in the hospital.

That wasn't the real ordeal though, that came later that night after my mother's crying and the "ole man" throwing me around the house for fun. All that seems like nothing compared to what happened next.

My mother (God bless her) dragged me over to this "preachers" house! That's when I met God! I have to tell you that was an awesome thing I will never forget!

This "preacher" I'll just tell you his initials (Dan Todd) talked real quietly and read John 3:16 out of the bible...his voice kind of trailed off to a wisper and I began to feel a boiling in my chest. I mean a real honest to goodness tempest in there...I was scared!!! I got up and ran out of there as fast as I could. What was this that was going on?

I couldn't stop thinking about it when I got home and didn't understand what had just happened. All I could do was give in to Jesus and I did! That was Feb. 15, 1975 and I've never been the same. Praise Jesus!

Since then I've had my ups and downs got married became a dad got divorced and had my child wisked away. I've walked some lonely paths through the years but there has always been a small still pool of calm in my soul that can only be Jesus and believe me I've leaned on him alot! He's always been there for me and I just know he always will.

My daugther claimed Jesus as saviour when she was 6 years old and has since grown up and got her own place. She thanks me all the time for not being like other dads that don't talk and share things with their kids. I can't claim that it comes from me, because I know it doesn't.

That's my story the way I remember it anyway. I have to thank my Lord Jesus, Dan and Jan and my mom for dragging me to their house so Dan could introduce me to an awesome God!

So, if your ever to introduce anyone to this most awesome God of ours and they up and run away from you, don't worry about it. I can tell from experience that the Holy Spirit is still on the job! Just keep praying for them...Amen!

 

I almost forgot. I can't tell what lies ahead and I don't worry to much about it. As I've gotten older and look back to see where I've been. I can see where God has sown his threads in my life throughout the past. This only makes me more willing day by day to let him lead me and guide my footsteps. I feel I'm in good hands. Where will I be next week? Doesn't matter, I'll just keep putting one foot in front of the other and let Jesus handle the rest.

Thank you friends for letting me share that with you. I've never done that before.

Poncho

 

I feel you there Kathryn. I also never said the sinners prayer of anything when I was young or a teen. I have always had faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior as along as I can remember. He is my Brother, my Savior, and my King, and I trust that through the Lord I was brought into His family despite any work I had ever done or ever could do.

Glory be to God.

Bro. Adam

 

I grew up as a Roman Catholic. My mother was a deeply religious person and i think she was influenced by my grandmother who is a strict catholic who leads the prayer rosary club in our community. My mother sincerely believed that the way to God is by being a true catholic. She was very devoted as far as church activities are concerned. I remember the time that we were to wake up early at 4am just to prepare to go to church.

As a boy I believed the repetitive prayers ( the glorious mysteries, mother of perpetual help and many other latin prayers) was the way to ask petitions of God. So i never mind the very tiring and long prayers that we were doing. The best thing I know is God was pleased with us because of our prayers and sacrifices. And through that somehow i could earned my way to heaven.

My mother became more zealous as a catholic when my father (also a catholic)found another woman. She believes that through her devotion to "Mary" our lady of salvation, my father would change. I also believed that through devotion, our family would still be united.

Inspite of these devotions and sacrifices our family still the same. Much worse my father became drunkard to the point that He would battered my mother and i'm in the midst of them during that ordeal. Despite all these i never lose faith in my religion. I took my first communion at an early age and my faith was confirmed by a bishop.

When i was in High School i have a classmate and friend who is a baptist. He was an outspoken christian. He brought with him his bible and shared to us the Word of God. Since i am a deeply religious person i listened to him. He invited me to his house and shared with me the gospel. The verses that he used to explained salvation is taken from Eph. 2:8-9. And as i remember that time i was convinced that God saved me on the basis of my faith and not of works.

After this experience i started to read the bible. As a catholic i could not remember that the priest encouraged us to personally study our bible. I know a lot of catholic prayers and every aspect of the mass and i'm very attentive to the priest's sermon. I also knew many kind of latin prayers which i don't understand.

Anyway, as i began to study my bible (i'm not yet a baptist, my friend never invited me to attend their church), i began to question some of my practices. First, the repetive prayers which i used to recite. Next the graven images i used to bow down. I noticed that many of my practices as a catholic were against the plain teaching of the Bible. So in our catechism, i asked the priest about it. But his answer never satisfied my questions.

Inspite of these i never renounced completely my religion. But deep inside there were many doubts and questions i want to have an answer.

So i began to search outside the catholic church. From time to time i attended other sects. I found sympathy in other groups such as Jehovah's witnesses and the locally founded "church of Christ". I also attended pentecostal fellowship. But i still looking for something which i could not know that time.

It was in college that i decided to be part of the church. My friend and classmate, a Bible Baptist(not the one that shared me the gospel) fully explained to me the way of salvation and he discipled and brought me to his church.

And to make the story short, my questions about faith and practices were all settled. Thanks to God for using our beloved pastor to expound the Word of God. Praise God for His Words and his true church. I'm, not the only one but all of our family became members of a local Bible Baptist Church.

We were all united as a family and my father who was a burden to our family was being used by God to reach his brothers and relatives to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

God have blessed our testimonies and my auntie and uncle were saved and brought to the church. By the grace of God, I became an instrument to lead many souls for Christ. One of my fruit who is my joy in the Lord is my best friend and classmate who is now a long time pastor.

In Christ alone will i glory!!!
Praise Him for His Salvation.
God changed me and given me a new life when i completely put my trust in Him.

"Not by works of righteousness, which we have done but according to his mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost" Titus 3:5

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature old things have passed away, all things became new." 2cor. 5:17

 

I grew up in an IFB home.

I remember as a little girl I carried my little NT Bible with me everywhere. I even slept with my Bible and I wanted to grow up and marry Jesus.
I loved Jesus with all my heart and I knew that he died on the cross because of my sins and I had faith in God.

At the age of 3 I used to go around the house and preach about Hell fire and brimestone. My mother had no idea where I had heard about that because she knew that our Sunday School teacher wouldn't freak out kids with teachings such as that. She knew that we all had learned that Jesus was love and that he died for our sins.

Every night I said my prayers and told Jesus that I loved Him and I thanked Him for dying on the cross for me. However, my mother told me that I wasn't saved because I hadn't prayed the sinner's prayer and asked Jesus to live in my heart instead of my head. (I still don't see where anyone in the Bible was saved by praying the sinner's prayer.) So when I was 5, I went forward in church and prayed the sinner's prayer and was baptized.

At the age of about 13 or 14, I started having doubts about my salvation. I went forward in church for reassurance of my salvation and was told that since I was 5 when I prayed the sinner's prayer, I probably didn't really mean it and I wasn't saved (what?) I was told that I had to pray the sinner's prayer again and be rebaptized.

I started having doubts about Christianity in the IFB Church. Everywhere I looked people where pious, arrogant, and had a holier than thou attitude. I had always been drawn to the Catholic faith, but I had been told that they were all a bunch of idol worshippers and weren't even Christian. I never really bought it.

I attended an IFB school up through the 10th grade. I was fed up with the whole attitude that only people who were wealthy were right with God because He would bless the righteous. My family was not wealthy and my father did manual labor, so people at church looked down on us.

I went to a public school my Jr. and Sr. year and people really started looking their noses down on my family. I had quite a few friends who were Catholic. They truly showed the love of Christ in their lives. I brought a few of my friends with me to youth group activities and I was shocked at how rude the Baptist kids were to my friends from school. I guess I couldn't really blame these kids because they were only following the example of their parents and other adults in church.

Despite my love for the Lord and my desire to give Him service by being involved in various church ministries, I was often used as an example in the youth pastors sermons as an ungodly woman. He never said my name but I knew that he was refering to me because I was the only girl in youth group who went to a public school, had a summer job at the amusement park, brought worldly boys to church and shaved the left side of my head (only about 2 inches above my ear and 2 inches back) and these were the exact examples that he would cite when giving evidence of an ungodly woman.

Needless to say, I was completely turned off to Christianity. I became a "Sunday Christian"

This past year, I decided to send my children to the local Catholic school because I did not want to send my daughter to the public Jr. High. I thought that I should really study what my children would be learning about in religion class. What a shock!!!! The Catholic faith was not at all what I had heard about all these years.

I praise God for His love and mercies and for bringing me back to him. My daughter had her confirmation last month and I have seen such a change in her. Her brother is preparing for his first Holy Communion. They both have had a big change in their lives as well. They try with God's help to show Christian love to one another and to other people around them. They both encourage each other to pray everyday and to pray for the lost.

My husband and I will be confirmed and will come into full Communion with Christ and the Church during this year's Easter Vigil. PTL for HIs love and mercies that endure forever!

 

Living4Him,

What does IFB mean?

I'll take a stab at it and guess...

Independant Fundamentalist Baptist.

Is that close?

Thanks,

Mike

 

D28guy,
Yes that is correct.
L4H

 

Poncho, thank you so much for sharing that. God is beautiful.
Gina