Testimony

Testimony

In October of 1998 my sister and I received tickets to see a program called Heavens Gates and Hells Flames.

( Luke 14:23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. )

It was being held at Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Dothan, AL where we had just moved, but I was into partying not going to church plays, and I really was not interested.

(Eph. 2:2-3 2 cin which you once walked according to the 1course of this world, according to dthe prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in ethe sons of disobedience, 3 famong whom also we all once conducted ourselves in gthe lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires )

We were new to the area and I didn’t have anything better to do so I decided I would go and watch the play with my sister Laura. When we arrived at Ridgecrest there were cars everywhere. We found a place to park and went into the church. Ridgecrest is a very large church it can seat around 1,300 hundred people, and there was nowhere to sit except for some chairs someone put out on the very back wall. It scares me to think what might have happened in my life if those chairs were not there. We sat in this over filled church and watched the program. It was interesting and even moving at times, but by the time it was over I was ready to get home.

The Pastor of the Church asked everyone to bow their heads and close their eyes as he explained what it took to be saved and asked that anyone who felt like God was calling them to come to the front of the church. (Rom. 10:14 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear pwithout a preacher? ) Thank God for that preacher.

More than a hundred people stood up and began walking to the altar. I had already done that before, as a matter of fact I had done it at different churches a few times.( 1 Cor. 2:14 14 nBut the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. )

The Pastor of some church I was visiting would say if you died today do you know where you would be? And I didn’t. He then would say do you want to go to Heaven instead of hell when you die. And I would rather go to Heaven, so I would go and "give my life" to God. (Mat. 7:22-23 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And uthen I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; vdepart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

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This time there was something different. God was calling me. ( Rev. 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. )

Through God’s convection I realized that I was a sinner, and that God was Holy. I could not ever have a relationship with a Holy God in the state I was in. All of this came to me at once. All the sudden I understood what Christ had done.(1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring 6us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, )

He had done it all. He had turned God’s wrath away from me and had it directed at Himself.( 1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.) He paid my price on the cross. I got up from my seat and walked down that isle nervous, and afraid. I knelt down and prayed the prayer that the Pastor led us in and praise God that day I was Saved! I have fallen many times after that day, but Jesus paid it al,l and every time I fall I find the loving hand of God waiting to lift me up. (1 John 1:9 9 If we qconfess our sins, He is rfaithful and just to forgive us our sins and to scleanse us from all unrighteousness. )