Truth — How I Knew I Needed Jesus
I grew up attending church on a regular basis—usually three times a week. I was taught who Jesus is and cannot remember when I didn't believe that Jesus was a real person. However, I was a cultural Christian. I didn't understand that I needed the forgiveness that only Belief, Confession, and Acceptance can bring.
My idea of how I could one day go to heaven was that I must do more good than bad, and then God would accept me. I continued along this path for almost 30 years as I began to realize something was missing from my life—it was like a hole in my heart for which I sought happy activities and actions to try and fill.
By this time, I had been teaching public school for 8½ years. I was a Scoutmaster of two troops, a Cubmaster, an Explorer advisor, and worked as a Program Director at Scout Camp. Still, nothing I did filled that emptiness.
I had also met my dream lady, and we were set to be married before Christmas of 1979. To please her, I began to visit her church Sunday after Sunday, but just on Sunday mornings.
Before we announced our engagement, we went to her Dad to ask for his permission, and he gave the oddest reply. He stated that one evening as he headed to work and saw me return her home, he prayed asking God to let him know if this relationship was His will. Jesus reassured him that the relationship and marriage were His will. So he said, because of what Jesus had told him, we had his permission to be married. At the time, I had no idea what he was talking about.
As we planned and I continued to attend church, I noticed a drastic change. All of a sudden, the sermons seemed to be speaking directly to me, like the Pastor could read my mind. Over time, I kept seeing church signs that spoke to me as if God was talking to me, and radio programs that seemed as if the author knew me personally.
Acceptance — What I Said to God
Then one day I found a witness tract and read it and prayed the prayer of salvation. Excited, I proclaimed, "Now I am a Christian!" A week passed, and the emptiness I had felt since youth was still there. I didn't feel any different. I read and prayed the same prayer a second time and then waited.
One evening, I felt that Jesus was speaking to me and asking me to get baptized. So, wanting to please Him, I called the Pastor at my fiancée's church and said, "Jesus wants me to be baptized at your church." He said OK, but it would be next Sunday. This was on a Monday, and our marriage was next Saturday. He decided to baptize me on Wednesday night instead.
I called my future wife and asked her to go to church with me on Wednesday, explaining that I was getting baptized. She wasn't exactly sure why, but went with me, as did her family. Before church started, the Pastor met with me privately in his office. He didn't know me very well and wanted to make sure I was saved.
I had been reading the Bible and found a passage describing where Paul was with a group of believers that had been baptized by John the Baptist. When Paul asked if they had received the Holy Spirit, their answer was: "On the contrary, we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit." Paul baptized them, laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. I was trying to explain that I had not received the Holy Spirit, but couldn't find the passage. If I had found and related it to the Pastor, he would have realized that I was not saved and would have cancelled the baptism.
From there, he took me to the baptistry and explained immersion baptism. I had been sprinkled in my home church at the age of 11. After this explanation, he asked me: "Have you confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?" I said yes, and I sat down as it was time for the service to begin.
After the Pastor explained that I was getting baptized—an unusual event for a Wednesday—he preached. While he was preaching, I felt a huge burden lifted from my shoulders, and a great peace with joy flooded my soul. Next, I was baptized and also joined this church.
Now I realize that my forgiveness and salvation was completed when I confessed to the Pastor that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. See Romans 10:9-10:
Friendship — My Plan to Fellowship with Christ
Immediately, I began to read the Bible, wanting to know more about Christ and with a deep desire to know and obey Him. I also wanted to serve Him through His church. This path of love, submission, and service to others has led me to many people who need him, primarily young people, but also around the world, working with adult Christians seeking to be disciples.My daily custom has become spending time with God every day, fellowship with Him, reading scriptures, and taking notes as His Holy Spirit is transforming me into a more Christlike believer.