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Post by valientfortruth on Aug 17, 2004 21:06:47 GMT -5
Hello , glad there is a place on here that we can brag on Jesus so here it goes. I was born, the first child into a Christian family. My parents had only been born again a couple years when I was born. Then when I was 18 mo. we moved to Texas, My father attended Bible seminary there. After he graduated he served several staff positions in Baptist churches before he was called to take a pastorate. When he took the position he found that the church was in a heavy building debt and was unable to pay it. We served in that capacity only a short time when, despite Daddy's hard work and prayers, we lost the building. After that most of the members quit tithing and quit attending, then the remaining members dissolved the church. Disappointed, but not discouraged, we lived around Houston for a while awaiting Gods will. Then Mommy acquired a breathing disorder, due to the heavy pollution in that area and God called us to move. We moved to middle Tennessee in 1996 when I was 9 yrs. old. Here in Tennessee, we found we really enjoyed it, and Mommy's health improved but there is a general spiritual deadness in most of the churches. Having tried many Baptist churches and even an independent Mennonite group, daddy felt led of the Lord in 2001to start a home church group. It was at this time that I being 14 yrs. old I came to the realization that I was living totally for self, outwardly I looked all right, but inwardly I was empty and vile, and holding out, resisting the Holy spirit. Then when I could stand it no longer, I opened my heart, repented and knew that I needed Christ and Christ alone to come into my heart and save me, and when I asked him, he did! It's now been over two years and I am still walking with him. I am not perfect and as the song says, (so often I've failed him, and caused him much shame.........) but as it goes on, (its my desire, to be like Him.) Praise God he does not give up on me, and the longer I serve Him the sweeter it grows. Amen, please pray for me in my walk that I might be a vessel fit for the Master's use.
Benjamin
P.S. Does any body else want to share?
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Post by mommy2bp on Aug 17, 2004 22:56:18 GMT -5
Praise God! What a great testimony! Thank you for sharing, Benjamin. It does get sweeter. His love for you in never ending!
Susie
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Post by hszoo on Aug 19, 2004 1:56:49 GMT -5
Here's my testimony from when I was saved:
It was the second week of July, 1981 and I'd been invited several days in a row by a dear friend to go to a tent revival. I was a good Catholic! I didn't go to such things! Even if I did, I certainly couldn't participate in such a thing. Daily my friend pleaded with me to go, and because I loved her I agreed to go one night with her. It was hot and it was raining cats and dogs. The gravel parking lot was full of cars as we picked our way through them, under our umbrellas. As we stepped inside the tent, the first thing I noticed was a musty odor because this was an old green Army cast-off. But it was very large. I was a Catholic! I was used to more stately surroundings. Metal folding chairs were set up in pew-like fashion. A slightly raised deck provided the staging area for the music and preaching. There were some long benches in front of that, but I didn't know what they were for. There was also some green carpet like you see at funerals, laid out on the staging area and down on the ground in front of it. Every so often, men with brooms would walk through and with the handle, lift up the sagging parts of the tent roof to drain off the accumulated rain water to keep the thing from collapsing on the lot of us. Not being too bold, I convinced my friend that we should sit somewhere near the back. We did, then the music. Old hymns from old red-backed hymnals, which were passed around. A few songs that weren't in there, too. Most people already knew them. Not me. (It was gospel music and I'd never really heard it before.) Being a good Catholic, I did not join in the singing. I also did not pray during the opening invocation and kept my seat while others stood and bowed their heads. A good Catholic simply does NOT participate in another religion's services. It could mean excommunication. The preaching finally started. Everyone but me, it seemed, had a Bible to read from along with the preacher. So, being trapped and a captive audience, all I could do was listen. Every so often, a disruptive person would shout "Amen!" or something along those lines, which I thought was awfully undignified even for "these" people. Some even raised their hands or stood fully to their feet, waving their handkerchiefs!! I was a Catholic! We never would have behaved in such a way. Well, the preacher wound up pretty good. He was preaching about sin and hell and repentance. He was preaching about eternal d**nation vs. eternal life. He was preaching about sin and forgiveness and salvation. I'd never heard these things before, at least not in the loud and lively way he was telling them. He'd pound the wooden pulpit and sometimes I thought he was looking and pointing straight at me, as if there were a sign over my head that said "Heathen Alert!" I was a Catholic! How dare he imply that I wasn't right with God. Then he got down to the personal stuff. How we are all sinners. How no man comes to the Father but by Jesus. How there is NO OTHER WAY. No religion can save you. No good works can save you. You're a filthy rotten sinner from the word go and until you get saved, you will go to hell. None of your good works will cut it with God, because He made a way through Jesus. My heart was heavy and burdened. I was beginning to understand how truly rotten I was, and how I'd depended on my Catholic-ness to get me at least close to heaven - maybe purgatory? But this preacher made it clear it was only heaven or hell, and the choice was ours. Finally, he gave an altar call. If anyone needed to be saved, then come forward and repent, confess your sins, ask Jesus into your heart, and you'd be saved. By that time, I felt like I was in the tent alone except for that preacher. It was as if the whole crowd just fell away to nothing. I went forward. I don't think 10 big men could have stopped me at that point. By the time I got to the front, where the benches were, I could see they were for kneeling at, which I did. A counselor came over to me. I was crying like a little baby. My heart was so broken over my sins that I couldn't bear it, but I only knew the memorized prayers I'd grown up with. I had no idea how to pray from my heart. The counselor helped me with that, not by telling me to repeat words, but by urging me to just pour out my heart to the Lord. I did. Through sobs and tears, I told Jesus I was so sorry for all the sins I'd committed and that I knew my sins put Him on the cross. I asked Him to please forgive me and come into my heart to stay. To please save me. He did! I knew it not because of John 3:16 or 1 John 1:9 (I had no clue about any Bible verses since I was a Catholic and we were discouraged from reading "too much" of the Bible), but because He gave me that particular peace and joy that only comes with salvation. Now I was crying for joy and not sorrow. My friend came up and hugged me and was also crying. We were a mess! But a good mess! Since then, nothing's been the same. There have been trials and I have sinned at times. More and more over the years I've been called a nut, but I just answer that I may be a nut, but I'm screwed onto the right bolt! I know whom I have believed and I know His Spirit dwells within me.
I was a Catholic. Keyword here is "was".
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Post by Brother Ben on Aug 19, 2004 11:35:22 GMT -5
GLORY!!!
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Post by benshelpmeet on Aug 19, 2004 13:43:55 GMT -5
I grew up pretty much heathen being sent on the baptist church bus when I was at my mamas and going to the methodist church when I would visit my daddy.
As a confused rebellious 19 year old hippy girl shacking up with my boyfriend who was a lead vocalist in a heavy metal band we Ben [now my husband of almost 20 years] and I started going to church where he recieved christ I wasn't saved and the Lord clearly convicted my heart that I was lost. I felt desperate to become bornagain like Ben. After he recieved Christ as his personal saviour something was differant very differant. I wanted the Lord to change my heart and make a differance in my life like he had in Bens. Two days latter 2 ladies from another church out soulwinning came to my house I was in the back yard hanging out close and these ladies shared the gospel with me and I bowed my head and prayed and recieved the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal saviour. The Lord from that day forward has been very REAL to me and He has changed my heart , life , and desires. The Lord isn't finished with me yet! I've come a long way and still have a long way to go. The main thing that happened after I became saved was [ the void in my soul was filled] I always had to be around friends , or at a party ,drinking and doing drugs, or have loud music playing, or the tv on, because it filled the void down deep in my soul. When I was all alone and it was quite I felt lonely and empty nothing made sence and there was nothing to live for. Jesus has made all the differance in my life. When I am all alone I feel the Presance of the Almighty God with me the one who created the heavens and the earth the one who created you and me. I now have no fear of an eternaty in hell seperated from God forever. What a blessing! What a Peace He has given me what hope I now have. And also He has given me an abundant life full of Joy in Him. No things don't always go my way, but I have a peace in my soul I just can't explain.Thats the Lord working because I am all female given to emotions and feelings and the Lord overides all that and gives me peace down deep in my soul.
The Lord has been so very good to me how can I give Him second best, I'll give Him my best He gave His best to me. The Lord is my strength! Sister Darlene
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Post by riquie on Aug 19, 2004 22:52:18 GMT -5
Oh Ann!
I can soooo relate to that initial resistance! I, too, grew up in the Catholic church. My sister was the first to leave, and she prayed for me about 10 years. I was the last to leave, even after my parents.
I visited my sister's church quite a few times. I remember thinking, "well, the music is awesome! But all this Amen! shouting is just not for me!" I had never heard the phrase "praise & worship".
One of the times I went, I decided to respond to an alter call. The Holy Spirit so pulled at my heart to go up for prayer. I truly, truly cried out to the Lord and the His glorious welcome to me is something I'll never forget. I will never forget the moment of being born again. Isn't God awesome?
Riquie
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Post by valientfortruth on Aug 24, 2004 1:52:14 GMT -5
PRAISE THE LORD! What a blessing to hear of Gods work. He is mighty to save! He is strong to deliver. Such a loving savior. It grieves me to think at times I've resisted his wooing. Let us always be open to him, so he may be glorified through us. Benjamin
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Post by manateelynn on Aug 24, 2004 15:35:10 GMT -5
Here's my testimony.... I grew up in the Southern Baptist church. When I was 2 weeks old, my Grendeddy carried me to church for the first time. I grew up in the Samoset First Baptist church in Bradenton, Fla. My parents divorced when I was either 10 or 11 and my sister and I went to live with my dad's parents, Ma and Grendeddy. Grendeddy was a Deacon at our church and served as chairman of the deacons a record number of times. They were both active in everything....from teaching Sunday School to teaching VBS, and RA's. I was't allowed to dance....one time grendeddy took me to the FFA Christmas party and caught me dancing with my boyfriend....and dragged me home....funny...I was allowed to ride the bucking barrel, but not dance...oh well. On Tuesday and Thursday nights I attended church with my boyfriend at his church...the Samoset Penticostal Church of God. They were into modest dress, although the members of the church did as much gossiping as they did praying. My grandparents worried that I might be too involved with my boyfriend and end up married to him and stay at that church. They need not have worried....I was saved at my boyfriend's church one night. After going to my own church everytime the doors were open...it took going to a differant church to see what I really needed....the Lord leading my life. Not long after that, my boyfriend dumped me for a 15 year old and married her. Of course, I was heartbroken....but I knew God had someone for me. I just had to wait. As I grew in my walk with God, I stopped going to the Church of God and stayed at my own church, where I began teaching VBS, and singing with a youth emsemble during the service sometimes. In 11th grade, a young man came into my life. The boy I wanted to ask me to the prom...didn't. (I found out later he was gay), so I went with the kid named Steve.....and had a rotten time at the prom...bored out of my mind. He took me home and I said I had a cold coming on and ran into the house....I lied. Well...the next day, who shows up at Sunday School....STEVE..and sits right next to me. I promply got up and moved to sit between to friends. After class, I went into the santuary and sat in our favorite pew. I sat next to the wall...then came my sister...then my grandmother...then my grandfather....then.... Steve slid past their knees and sat right beside ME. I got up and walked home. My grandmother asked me after church how I could be so mean to such a nice boy. He didn't give up and we got engaged in 12th grade and married 6 months out of high school. Steve hadn't been raised in any church and didn't know anything about it. Before the end of 12th grade he asked the Lord into his heart and was baptisted. For years after we married we when to churches in both Fla and Canada, where we had moved. But we couldn't find the right one until we came to Va 13 years ago, and found our current church...Potomac Baptist. We have grown in the Lord a lot in the past 13 years. Steve is now a Elder at our church and we both work with the youth group. We lead the youth for 6 years until we hired a new youth minister. I'm singing in the choir and Steve is also running the sound board for our chior and the praise team. I do want we are needed to do. We both share the gift of Service and teaching and want to do what the Lord leads us to do. For now...it's to leave the youth group and move on to another ministry. He will be more busy with being an Elder and helping to plan the coming changes in our church and I will be working with a new program called Mainly Music for pre-schoolers and their moms in the church neighborhood. God is good and He has blessed us with 2 wonderful daughters and 2 awesome grandsons. He's not done with us yet. I have decided in the last month to start dressing modestly....it's still a fight not to put on my jeans everyday, but the skirts are slowly winning. As for covering....let Steve get used to the dresses first. God will tell me when its time to cover. There you have it....my testimony...I've left a lot of problems out....my other grandmother's murder and that of a close friend, my mother's mental problems, my father's drinking and turn around, and other things. Those I'll tell about later....maybe... Lynn
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Post by hszoo on Aug 24, 2004 16:22:44 GMT -5
Lynn, thanks so much for sharing a piece of your life with us here. It's a blessing to see how people grow and change through the years, and it's a real blessing to see people come to this forum!
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Post by glenda on Sept 2, 2004 15:54:27 GMT -5
WELL I GUESS THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO GIVE MY TESTIMONY. I WAS BORN AND RIASED IN FLORIDA. MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE GOOD PARENTS THEY DID THE BEST THEY COULD DO UNDER EVERYTHING THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH. I AM ONE OF THREE GIRLS. I AM THE OLDEST. WE ALSO HAD OUR GRANDPA , GRANDMA, MY MOTHER'S SISTER AND BROTHER THAT LIVED WITH US. IT WAS NOT EASY GROWING UP MOM DID NOT HAVE MUCH TIME TO SPEND WITH US. SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES WITH US AS SOMEONE HAD TO BE THERE WITH MY MOM'S SISTER AND BROTHER. THEY HAD MENTAL DISABILITIES. IT WAS LIKE HAVING TWO SIX YEARS OLD AT HOME ALL THE TIME. THERE WAS A LOT OF ANGER IN OUR HOME. EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBER WOULD COME IN AND PULL KNIVES ON EACH OTHER IT WAS JUST A MESS. MY MOM AND DAD DID NOT GO TO CHURCH. BUT THANK THE LORD GOD IS GOOD HE GAVE ME A GRANDPA THAT WAS IN CHURCH EVERYTIME THE DOORS WERE OPEN. AND BECAUSE OF THAT I WAS IN CHURCH AND ATTENDED CHURCH CAMP EVERY YEAR. THAT SAVED ME. IT GAVE ME THE GROUNDING I NEEDED TO PULL MYSELF OUT OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN . AS A TEEN AGER I DID WHAT MOST GIRLS DID I REBELLED. MY GRANDFATHER DIED AND WELL I BLAMED GOD. I WAS NEVER ABLE TO SAY GOODBYE TO HIM. I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL TO SEE HIM AND WELL THE ALARMS WENT OFF AND HE WAS GONE. IT WAS NOT A GOOD THING FOR A 14 YEAR OLD TO GO THUE. ANYWAY I STARTED TAKING IT OUT ON MYSELF. I WOULD NOT EAT FOR DAYS EVEN WEEKS, WHEN I DID EAT I MADE MY SELF UP CHUCK. AT THE AGE OF 17 I WEIGHED ABOUT 85 LBS. NOT MUCH. I MET A BOY AT 15 AND GOT PREG. I LOST A SET OF TWINS. I PASSED OUT AND FELL DOWN TWO FLIGHTS OF STAIRS AT SCHOOL. I WOKE UP ON THE FLOOR WITH BLOOD ALL AROUND ME AND KIDS AND TEACHER AROUND ME. MY MOM CAME AND GOT ME TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL AND WELL THERE I STAYED FOR A WHILE. THE DOCTORS DID NOT THINK I WOULD EVER HAVE CHILDREN . THANK THE LORD THEY WERE WRONG. I AM THE PROUD MOM OF FIVE CHILDREN. WELL ANYWAY I DID HEAL ON THE OUTSIDE BUT STILL HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN SIDE. THEN I MET MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND. I FEEL IN LOVE WITH HIM THE FIRST NIGHT WE MET. I COULD TALK TO HIM ABOUT EVERYTHING. I DID TELL HIM EVERYTHING THE FIRST NIGHT. HE ALSO TOLD ME EVERYTHING HE HAD GONE THUE IN HIS LIFE. I BELIVE GOD SENT HIM TO ME. WELL ANYWAY WE WERE MARRIED ALMOST TWO YEARS LATER. WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED NOW FOR ALMOST 16 YEARS. LIKE I SAID WE HAVE FIVE WONDERFUL CHILDREN. DURNING THOSE EARLY YEARS OF OUR MARRIED LIFE I FELT THE CALL OF THE LORD IN MY LIFE. MY HUSBAND HAD NEVER BEEN TO A CHURCH AND HE ALSO HAD A CALL OF THE LORD IN HIS LIFE. IT HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD HOWEVER THE LORD IS GOOD AND FAITHFUL. IF HE CAN SAVE A PERSON LIKE ME HE CAN SAVE ANYONE. WELL ANYWAY MY MOM HAS NOW GONE TO BE WITH JESUS. SHE PASSED AWAY ON SEPT. 9,2001. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WORLD TRADE CENTERS. I THOUGHT THE WHOLE WORLD WAS COMING TO END. I REMEMBER FEELING NUMB. GOD IS GOOD HOWEVER HE ALLOWED ME TO BE WITH MY MOM WHEN SHE DIED. I HAD JUST RODE 13 HOURS FROM MY HOUSE TO HER IN FLORIDA. I WAS ABLE TO HEAR HER SAY SHE LOVED ME. I WAS THERE TO HOLD HER HAND WHEN SHE TOOK HER LAST BREATH. I THANK GOD FOR THAT. I KNOW GOD KNEW I COULD NOT HANDLE GOING ON A ROAD TRIP FOR 13 HOURS KNOWING MY MOM HAD PASSED AWAY. HE GAVE ME THAT GIFT. WELL ANYWAY THAT IS A LITTLE ABOUT ME. GOD IS GOOD. AND I WILL NEVER LIVE WITH OUT HIM IN MY LIFE AGAIN.
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Post by manateelynn on Sept 2, 2004 15:58:21 GMT -5
That's a great testimony, Glenda... God is good and all powerful... all we need to do is trust Him
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Post by benshelpmeet on Sept 2, 2004 21:03:18 GMT -5
Praises to our great God and King! Thank you for your testimony. The Lord has tender compassion for his dear children, I'm glad the Lord let you say goodbye to your mom. I hope He let's me say goodbye to my mom.
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Post by glenda on Sept 3, 2004 9:57:49 GMT -5
god is good!! no matter how low we get he is there to pick us up! no matter how dirty we are he is there to clean us! How wonderful is that.
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