I received a testimony today about my last post ” Are you Prepared?” and I would like to share it with you.  It comes from my good friend Pastor Andrew:

This morning at a men’s prayer breakfast. We went around the room and. I asked each man to share his testimony. The last guy was Ray, and this is how God worked: Ray said, “Guys, I’m not saved.” Of course, we all thought he was. So, I asked if he wanted to change that right now. He said yes and prayed to receive Christ this morning! Thanks for the blog; it challenged a group of men and lead one to Christ! Pretty awesome, huh?

 Pastor Andrew

I feel so humbled by this experience, and I am so excited about what the Lord is doing.

The smallest act of obedience can change a persons life- someone you don’t even know  in another state !!!!.  A man in North West Arkansas was saved this morning because the Lord has such an awesome plan for each and every one of us! So much bigger than any of us can even begin to understand.

All we have to do is believe and be obedient - God will take care of the rest.

Praise God!

It really helped me focus on the main theme of my life at this moment in time.  God does so many things in our lives we could write about it forever. 

 This exercise fits in well with what I am trying to do here on Diary of a Saved Soul; I think I should share with you what I wrote. 

My Testimony

 Before I became a follower of Christ, my burdens were so heavy I couldn’t even look at myself in a mirror. I experienced abandonment repeatedly and eventually abandoned myself. I felt worthless and incapable of love. I was emotionally crippled. 

I devoted myself to God when he revealed the depth of his love. If Jesus died for me to have life then what was I doing not living it?  He did not die on the cross for me to walk in condemnation;  

I can’t remember who I was before He transformed me.  I have experienced love and I can now love myself and others.  I have become confident in who I am and living a victorious life.   

Our testimonies are powerful, are you prepared to share yours quickly and effectively? I encourage you to respond to this post with your testimony in 100 words or less.

Below are the guidelines I used to help me write it out. This teaching was given by Pastor Howard from Bethel Church in Bristol CT. If you do submit a post with your testimony I will be sharing it with Pastor Howard as well. You can submit them anonymously, or if you would like someone to contact you please leave your email.

 MY STORY

In less than 100 words

Write down thoughts and experiences that work together to provide a coherent story of your positive experience with God.

1)      Before I became a follower of Christ………………………

2)      What happened? How did you come to devote yourself to God and receive of his grace……………

3)      What is your life like now? The difference being a believer and a disciple has made in your life…………

I cant wait to hear what you have to say!

This is the only way I can describe to people what happened to me when I RECEIVED my Salvation.

RECEIVED is an important word- Salvation is not something you just “Get” it is something that is available for you to receive. It is an active process. You must give something to receive something.

On www.dictionary.com the word Received is defined as the following:“To take into ones possession (something offered or delivered): To receive many gifts”. 

Each person who has received the gift of salvation has their own unique testimony; God reaches us all in different ways and touches our lives and our hearts in different ways. Even the smallest person can be made a mighty warrior. 

It does not matter who you are, where you have been or what you have done.  Trust me my friends, if there was anything to do wrong I have done it. If there was a mistake to be made, I have made it. If there was someone to hurt, I hurt them. Including myself.

To take you with me on this journey I will need to pick a starting point. This is more difficult than you realize because God has done so many awesome things in my life since that fateful day.  Who I was then and who I am now are two completely different people. I was made a brand new person in Christ.

Ephesians 2:10 says:
 

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (his workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [Born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planed beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time] that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live] (Amp)

What does being “saved or born again” mean?  How does it happen? If you decided today that you wanted to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior what would you need to do?

One of the first books I received after I was saved is titled ” The most important Decision you will ever make, understanding what it means to accept Christ” This book is free and can be received from Joyce Meyer Ministries by visiting  www.joycemeyer.org  The description I am about to give you about accepting Christ as your Savior comes from this book, Please get yourself a copy it is a quick read and it will change your life:

“First, recognize and admit that you are spiritually dead, due to sin in your life.

Romans 3:23 says

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” No person is without sin!  Don’t be afraid to admit that you are a sinner

 First John 1:8 says:

If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners] we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].  (Amp)

Verse 9 Says:

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, he is faithful and just (true to his own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to his will in purpose, thought and action] (Amp)

Beloved, that is good news. No wonder the Gospel is referred as the good news. So we see that Step 1 toward accepting Christ is to admit that you are a sinner. That means face the truth about yourself. It’s hard to face the truth. It hurts to admit our faults. Satan wants to keep you in deception. God wants you to face the truth.

Step 2 is to confess your sins. Confess means to speak forth. It has a cleansing effect if you speak forth out of your mouth the things you have done wrong and from which you want to be free. Those things are lodged inside of you, and they are the very things – the memory of things, the sensing of them being wrong – that have filled you with darkness. 

 Confess them to your Father in heaven. It is God’s way of delivering you from them. Get rid of them by confession, and he replaces Sin with forgiveness. He cleanses you; it’s like getting a bath inside.”

That is truly what it felt like for me, I was at home one day doing the same old thing. You know how it feels – same thing – different day. I was watching TV and came across this woman who was preaching about Jesus. She really made sense to me, she really told it like it was.

 At the end of the program she asked me to pray the prayer of salvation, it went like this:

Father, I come to you just as I am. There is nothing I can do to earn salvation. I cannot work my way into a right relationship with you. The Bible says that we are saved by grace through faith as a gift from you. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and others. I ask you to forgive me and wash me clean with the precious, life-giving blood of Jesus Christ, Your Son. I believe that He died for me—He took my sin upon Himself when He died on the cross. I believe that He was raised from the dead, giving me power over the enemy. Jesus, I ask you to come live inside of me. I don’t understand everything about being a Christian, but I invite you into my life to help me learn daily how to live. Thank You, Father, for your gift of restoration and eternal life. I am so grateful for your love and mercy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(Prayer above taken from www. joycemeyer.org)

That was the moment my life changed. That was my Mack Truck.

 I became a new person and my old life was washed away.

Friends, this is where we will start. Over the next few weeks I will share with you who I was and then through my testimony you will see what Christ has done in me, my life and the people around me.

If you prayed that prayer above please visit www.joycemeyer.org and send them a note. They will send you some free literature to help you on in your new life.  

God bless all of you, all my love

Kelly

You waited patiently for me all of these years.

 You guided me and delivered me from harm.  

I didn’t even know you were there. 

I found you one day and you forgave me, without questions or conditions and my life began again. 

Your arms were always open but my mind and heart were closed off. 

My Fait was sealed until it became Faith. 

I don’t know where I am going Lord, you are now in control. 

Step by Step 

I will learn to walk with you away from self condemnation and into love.  

I am Born Again, a child. 

Teach me how to receive & I will grow. 

Teach me how to forgive & I will love. 

Teach me how to walk & I will begin my journey. 

I will journey forever because your love knows no end. 

The garden of my heart is now yours to tend.  

Written by Kelly Sexton 03/21/2007   

I received my salvation March 15 2007 and my life has been forever changed. This letter marks the first steps in my walk with the Lord. I can’t wait to share it with you.

God bless all of you

Kelly