My salvation experience

One of Finneys messages was instrumental in leading me to Jesus. It's called "Breaking up the fallow ground". It really opened my eyes in showing me I was a hypocrite, and I was living a lie. You should read it, it will really bless your heart. Also, his message, along with George Whitfields message on true and false conversions, were a big help. I was really doing alot of searching during this time. I knew something was not right in my life, and God used these men from times gone by to lead me to the truth. :-D

Wow...I can't believe you found that thread. Well, it's been about three years now. I can't tell you the exact date because during this time there was sooo much going on in my life that I did'nt think to remember the day. I was saved in my home. I was the only one there. I had been reading many different things for weeks. I was almost in a panic because I was so under conviction. My sins became so real to me that I could actually feel the load on me, kinda like, if you were to put a large sack of weights on your soldiers. I don't know how else to describe it. The pain in my heart felt like this. Remeber when you were a child and you fell off your bike and scraped your knee, remember the burning sensation you would feel if you placed your hand on it. That's what my heart felt like all the time. I had nowhere to turn. My wife could'nt help me, doctors could'nt help me, my pastor could'nt help me, my friends could'nt help me. I tried it all. Drugs, alcohol, antidepressants, I was so miserable I even contemplated suicide. I had never heard or read about repentance the way I heard some of these preachers preach about it. I knew that was what was missing. I got on my knees, I almost felt like I was being forced to my knees, then I got on my face, and I cried out to God with all my heart, confessing sin and in my heart I was willing to give up everything for Jesus. The next thing that happened was so amazing. I actually felt the Spirit of God come into my heart!!!! It was like this energy was pulsating inside of me. I got up and ran all over the house and shouted and sang songs to Jesus. I cried and prayed. The weight that I was describing was lifted off of me and I felt light as a feather. It took several days for me to get my thoughts together and realize, THIS WAS THE NEW BIRTH!!! I had never been taught about the new birth so it took the Lord leading me and teaching me what took place. All I knew was something happened to me. And I had a sense of peace like I had never experienced. The most notable change that I can remember was that I LOVED EVERBODY. I found myself going up to people I did'nt even know and hugging them and telling them I loved them. Yes, they were shocked. I was shocked also. I also had a sense of boldness about me that could only come from God. I wanted to pray with and for everyone I came in contact with. I had a liberty in prayer and most of the time would and still do end up in tears because of the sense of love and joy that fills my soul. I found myself going to friends houses so I could pray with them. I had people tell me that they wanted what I had. It's like people could see the change that took place in my life. Would you believe that I had just previously anounced my call to preach? Go figure. I'm still trying to figure that one out. I don't really understand it either, but somehow I still believe the Lord called me. Someone might want to start a thread on this. HA HA!! My first message was as dead as a hammer. But after this 'new birth' took place, I preached, and actually had several people, mostly older saints, come to me and say that they had not felt the power of the Holy Spirit in that church like that in many years. God has been blessing ever since. I preached for an Old pastor who is very seasoned and well known in our community a few weeks ago. He said he had never been in a meeting where the Holy Spirit had been so real. One genltleman who was in the congregation that night, got saved the very next sunday. He told the pastor he should of come that night. They said you could hear him crying out to God all over that place. I can't explaine the things that have happened to me since God became real to me. Even today, I had the opportunity to win a 53 year old lady to Jesus in the back of the ambulance. Praise God!!!! She told me noone had ever talked with her like that before. God has been so good to me in letting me be a vesel for him. I could go on forever. What a wonderful saviour we have. He is all I desire. I can't quit thinking about him. I can't quit talking about him. If you could have seen me then you would say a miracle had taken place. If God can save a poor wretch like me he can save anyone. Thanks for asking I could talk about it forever. In Christ J-bird :-)

Amen Cindy!!!!What a blessed Saviour we have. I still can't get over what an awesome God he is. I have a great burden for the lost, especially where I'm from. I've learned a great deal from these great men of God about dealing with those that have never been born again.It's so strange to me that this type preaching and teaching has almost disappeared from our churches. There are so many hungry for the truth. I can't tell you the people who have told me they have never heard it like that before. Repentance is more than just a confession of sin. It has to do with the HEART.Whaen your born again your heart is CHANGED, REGENERATED, your NEVER the same.It's more than a PROFESSION. It's more than a BAPTISM. It's even more than BELEIVING.YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. Theres a big difference. When the Spirit of God takes up residence in your heart, it's life changing.I may stumble and fall, but I'm not able to stay in sin. My DADDY wont let me. He chastens me, because he loves me. I'm His. He purchased me. He's my Lord, which means he has control over evrey aspect of my life.What a glorious God we have. I just can't get over it. I'm awe struck at His power and His love.Can you imagine what it will be like when we get to see Him? To be in His presence FOREVER.I want to be the one who stands in the congregation when He makes an apperance that proclaims like John the Baptist.BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!!!!!BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!!!!BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!!! Yesterday, in the morning service. He became so real to me that I started to tremble, my knees became so weak I thought I would fall, and I could'nt do anything but raise my hands and CRY!! THANK YOU JESUS!!!THANK YOU JESUS!!!!! I could almost see Him standing there in heaven, with His arms streched out.