My Salvation Testimony

[Donald]

The other day after my first post here, someone asked me if I could share my salvation testimony.  Here it is.

Back in the fall of 1981, I was working as a machinist in a machine shop, with no background at all, with any kind of Christian Church(being raised out of Church).
And one afternoon, I was in my pickup during lunch and found a preacher on the radio (Oliver B. Green), who shared the Gospel with me and announced that if anyone that was listening wanted to get saved, they could right then; And he led me in a sinners prayer(right their in my truck), and I was born again.

When I raised my head after saying “Amen”, I did not feel any different at all, but all I knew was that I had “asked Jesus to save me”!  Well that after noon, it quickly became clear to me that something had changed(although at that moment I didn’t understand);

My life as a machinist at that shop, was identical to the lives of everyone else that worked there: What I mean is, I cussed like a sailor(or a machinist), using the “S” word in almost every sentence I spoke; And from that first day, I noticed that every time I spoke a dirty word, that I felt very bad about it; (God’s conviction).
Therefore, I quickly STOPPED CUSSING!

I will never forget two or three days later, I was approached by a fellow worker at the shop, with a question; “Hey, everybody is wondering why, you stopped cussing all of a sudden?”  I responded with, “Because I got saved!”  
I had truly been born again and God had truly started to change my life!

Also I found an old Gideon Bible in the glove box of that old truck and stared reading it during lunch and break times at work: I also acquired another Bible that I hid in the bathroom of my home, where I would go and hide from my wife to read at home.
(God had blessed me with a “sincere desire for the milk of the Word”!)

And another testimony for another time, could be how that over the next few months, the LORD started putting “real pressure” upon me, to witness to my wife; So much pressure, that I gave in to and she soon trusted Christ herself.

One more thing: I distinctly remember “seeing” this change in “myself” a few months after I had gotten saved, with my desire to be obedient to the Lord and my great desire to read and study His word; And I clearly remember telling myself, ... That   “If this was real, than this new lifestyle would never change”.
In other words, if my relationship with God was real, than it should be the most important thing in my life.

One more thing(& I promise this is the last).
I also clearly remember coming to an impasse after a few months; I was having such a GREAT TIME in my study of God’s Word, but I was missing out on all the good preaching that I could have been listing to on the radio.
(I honestly do not know how I learned this, but I “stopped and prayed about it” and asked the Lord which one I should do!   And “He answered me” and told me to study my Bible!!!)
The reason I am so surprised that I “knew to do this” and that I “knew the Lord’s voice”, at such a young Spiritual age; Is because it wasn’t until several years later, I decided to make “knowing the Lord’s voice”, the top priority in my Christian life.  Yet, I was listening to His instructions as a baby Christian.  
I praise the Lord for His wonderful blessings upon my life.
 

[John81]

Praise God!

 

I was saved in the fall of 1981 as well.

[JerryNumbers]

All of that is great & thank you for sharing. Have you been baptized & become a member of a New Testament Church. The Christian needs a church family.

[Donald]

All of that is great & thank you for sharing. Have you been baptized & become a member of a New Testament Church. The Christian needs a church family.

 

Hello Jerry

You asked.......
“Have you been baptized & become a member of a New Testament Church. The Christian needs a church family.”

Of course.  The fact is, if I had not followed the Lord in believers baptism and joined a Church, I would not be posting on this forum today(33 years later).  Even though water baptism has NOTHING to do with a person’s salvation, it is our first act of obedience, after we are saved.  Those who refuse to be baptized, are not going to follow any other of the Lord’s instructions.

When it comes to “fruit judging”, obedience to Christ in this area should be higher on our radar.  What I mean is, we may doubt a person’s salvation if their life is filled with sin, but I am becoming more and more doubtful of a person’s genuine relationship with Christ, if they continually refuse to be baptized.
 

[wretched]

The other day after my first post here, someone asked me if I could share my salvation testimony.  Here it is.

Back in the fall of 1981, I was working as a machinist in a machine shop, with no background at all, with any kind of Christian Church(being raised out of Church).
And one afternoon, I was in my pickup during lunch and found a preacher on the radio (Oliver B. Green), who shared the Gospel with me and announced that if anyone that was listening wanted to get saved, they could right then; And he led me in a sinners prayer(right their in my truck), and I was born again.

When I raised my head after saying “Amen”, I did not feel any different at all, but all I knew was that I had “asked Jesus to save me”!  Well that after noon, it quickly became clear to me that something had changed(although at that moment I didn’t understand);

My life as a machinist at that shop, was identical to the lives of everyone else that worked there: What I mean is, I cussed like a sailor(or a machinist), using the “S” word in almost every sentence I spoke; And from that first day, I noticed that every time I spoke a dirty word, that I felt very bad about it; (God’s conviction).
Therefore, I quickly STOPPED CUSSING!

I will never forget two or three days later, I was approached by a fellow worker at the shop, with a question; “Hey, everybody is wondering why, you stopped cussing all of a sudden?”  I responded with, “Because I got saved!”  
I had truly been born again and God had truly started to change my life!

Also I found an old Gideon Bible in the glove box of that old truck and stared reading it during lunch and break times at work: I also acquired another Bible that I hid in the bathroom of my home, where I would go and hide from my wife to read at home.
(God had blessed me with a “sincere desire for the milk of the Word”!)

And another testimony for another time, could be how that over the next few months, the LORD started putting “real pressure” upon me, to witness to my wife; So much pressure, that I gave in to and she soon trusted Christ herself.

One more thing: I distinctly remember “seeing” this change in “myself” a few months after I had gotten saved, with my desire to be obedient to the Lord and my great desire to read and study His word; And I clearly remember telling myself, ... That   “If this was real, than this new lifestyle would never change”.
In other words, if my relationship with God was real, than it should be the most important thing in my life.

One more thing(& I promise this is the last).
I also clearly remember coming to an impasse after a few months; I was having such a GREAT TIME in my study of God’s Word, but I was missing out on all the good preaching that I could have been listing to on the radio.
(I honestly do not know how I learned this, but I “stopped and prayed about it” and asked the Lord which one I should do!   And “He answered me” and told me to study my Bible!!!)
The reason I am so surprised that I “knew to do this” and that I “knew the Lord’s voice”, at such a young Spiritual age; Is because it wasn’t until several years later, I decided to make “knowing the Lord’s voice”, the top priority in my Christian life.  Yet, I was listening to His instructions as a baby Christian.  
I praise the Lord for His wonderful blessings upon my life.
 

Pardon me sir, Detective Wretched here of the Gospel Police Dept

 

Please expound unto this voice of the Lord you mentioned hearing (regularly I gather from your post)

[Donald]

Pardon me sir, Detective Wretched here of the Gospel Police Dept

 

Please expound unto this voice of the Lord you mentioned hearing (regularly I gather from your post)

 

Good afternoon wretched

You asked......
“Please expound unto this voice of the Lord you mentioned hearing (regularly I gather from your post).”

Yes, I “regularly” hear the Lord’s “still small voice”.
Your question reminds me of some trouble I got in to, at my first Church.  The deacon board called me in and asked me to “stop mentioning” during my messages, about how the Lord told me this or that; They explained how it was upsetting to some people.

I responded to them that “daily hearing from the Lord”, is a big part of the real Christian life....
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)
 

[wretched]

Good afternoon wretched

You asked......
“Please expound unto this voice of the Lord you mentioned hearing (regularly I gather from your post).”

Yes, I “regularly” hear the Lord’s “still small voice”.
Your question reminds me of some trouble I got in to, at my first Church.  The deacon board called me in and asked me to “stop mentioning” during my messages, about how the Lord told me this or that; They explained how it was upsetting to some people.

I responded to them that “daily hearing from the Lord”, is a big part of the real Christian life....
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)
 

 

You have the right to remain silent.......just kidding broseph,

 

I suppose as long as you aren't mistaking it for the TV in the other room, no skin off my nose.

[1Timothy115]

That still small voice comes to me frequently, especially after reading about Jesus Christ, my Savior. More recently the still small voice says, "Go...tell others about me." So, I go. I'm not on so much during the summer but, I look forward to hearing more from you in the fall and winter.

 

Welcome aboard.

[JerryNumbers]

Hello Jerry

You asked.......
“Have you been baptized & become a member of a New Testament Church. The Christian needs a church family.”

Of course.  The fact is, if I had not followed the Lord in believers baptism and joined a Church, I would not be posting on this forum today(33 years later).  Even though water baptism has NOTHING to do with a person’s salvation, it is our first act of obedience, after we are saved.  Those who refuse to be baptized, are not going to follow any other of the Lord’s instructions.

When it comes to “fruit judging”, obedience to Christ in this area should be higher on our radar.  What I mean is, we may doubt a person’s salvation if their life is filled with sin, but I am becoming more and more doubtful of a person’s genuine relationship with Christ, if they continually refuse to be baptized.
 

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Yes, I have my doubts to if a person has the opportunity to be baptized yet does not. For there's a problem if they refuse to follow Jesus in the first step of righteousness they can make after being saved. And of course the baptizing has nothing to do with their being saved, for one is saved them baptized.

 

Its amazing to me at the number of people that will claim to be very good Christians when they never support a local church, nor its missions.

 

My wife has a cousin & his wife that say they go to church by turning on the TV & listing to their favorite TV preacher for one hour every Sunday morning. They say Jesus' Church has nothing to do with being a Christian.