As promised, my testimony

[aspangler]

I promised on Boaz's thread that I would post my testimony. Well here it is.

At the age of ten I was laying on the pew one night with my head in my mother's lap listening to my Uncle and Pastor preach "Ye must be born again." The Lord touched my heart that night and I looked up at my mother and said "Am I born again?" Back at that time the age of 12 was considered to be the " age of accountability". She said "Shhhhh. You're too young." and I let the opportunity pass me by.

4 years later when I was 14 my brother was killed in Vietnam. When he was brought back and we were at the funeral, the Lord spoke to me again in the message that the preacher brought that day. As I sat there the Spirit of God said come unto me and I started to get up and go forward. Again a hand was laid on my arm and I was told to "sit still". Again the Spirit passed me by.

2 years later on the last Sunday night in May of 1968, the Lord called on me the third time. This time I heeded the call and no one stopped me. I went to an alter in that old country church and gave my heart to an Almighty God and His Son Jesus.

I am ashamed that I didn't do it sooner but have never regretted the decision that I made that night.
That is my testimony. I hope that you have gotten something from it. God only has to call on us once but through His mercy and His Grace. He called be three time. I thank God every day for Salvation through the Blood of Jesus.

I enjoy Brother Boaz's posts and hope this will not be my last in the Chapel.
May the Peace of God surround each of you and may His Grace Bless you each and every day

Brother Albert

[Preacher Jim]

Excellent testimony maybe it will help a fence sitter to hear the Spirit call.

[Boaz]

It ain't your last , conviction runs deep. Thank you sir , a testimony is beyond worth . You inspire . To be able to express your love for our savior is a blessing to us all .

[aspangler]

Thank yo my brothers. I will endeavor to carry on with the Help of My Savior.

[GhostHawk]

Thank you!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Another Thank you.

[EMC45]

Amen!

[Pine Baron]

Thank you asplangler. I am sitting hear with tears of Joy and Thanksgiving.

[Blackwater]

Albert, I think stories like yours are far from rare! Thank you. Great story. And it matters.

[aspangler]

In keeping with the spirit of this thread, I will give a little more.
In 1999 I accepted the Pastorate at a small church about 8 miles from the house. The church had been closed for about a year and the Deacon ( a friend of mine) asked me if I would be interested in opening it back up. After praying for guidance the Lord gave me the go ahead and I went to talk to all the members that would come out with any interest. Only 5 showed up but God was in the thing. The people at my home church poured out to help. Cleaning, mowing, painting, and all the other things that needed to be done. In only 4 months the congregation had risen to 10 regulars. We had visitors almost every service. At about month 6 we had our first salvation. Man! what a service that turned out to be! By the middle of the next summer we had 8 souls to baptize.
All that was said as introduction to this.

I walked into my dad's house about 10 days before the baptism. He asked me " Do I have to join your church to be baptized?" He had never be baptized in the traditional way and wanted to be. I told him "No, if you want to be baptized I will be happy to do it." We exchanged info for the record and he came down to the lake where we were having the baptism. After all the others were baptized, with help from me and the deacon, my dad got into the water. I said all that to say this. He was 89 years old and wanted to follow the Lord in baptism. When we brought him up out of the water, he was RUNNING IN THE WATER! His feet were not touching the bottom but he was running! I heard my dad shout for the first and last time in my life that day. Sadly, he went home to be with the Lord 2 years later.

What a privilege it was to be able to baptize my earthly father as my Heavenly Father has Baptized me.

Thanks for reading. I pray it has been a blessing to you.

[GhostHawk]

Just a fyi, your testimony prompted me to do something similar in the "crying in chapel" thread.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?312196-Crying-in-Chapel



(http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?312196-Crying-in-Chapel)

[nagantguy]

thank you for sharing.....I'm not going to thread jack nor am I ready to put mine out there but the same old story grew up in the church, new right and wrong the Corps, combat , whores, fighting ,drinking had left their mark on weak vessel like me I came to the throne of God on my knees begging, begging for a sign and for those two most important to me to be okay, to live when it looked dicey, I with my own eyes saw a sign from God in a court yard. then I held my daughter when the all clear was given ....I'm still a weak vessel , still sin , still have questions but I KNOW there is A GOD and HIS SON JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS and I can never be worthy of that love or patience but HE gives it anyway and I try damn hard to live up to that example.

[aspangler]

Nagantguy. Maybe it is time for you to share the blessing that God gave to you. Praying for you.

[Blackwater]

What a wonderful story about the church and your Dad and your work. It'll always be amazing to me how God can take us imperfect humans and effect His perfect will here. Even Billy Graham recognizes he's not perfect, and this constantly keeps him so humble! How can we not follow his example!

We don't have to be perfect in order to do his will. All we really have to be is simply willing to follow Him and His will for us. And nothing seems to really work for us unless and until we DO follow Him and His will! I often wonder if that's not what's at the root of all the cynicism and nihlism in our world today?

Those who simply don't or won't follow His ways are pretty much destined to HAVE to adopt that type of attitude. And all because they simply can't bring themselves to accept what's so freely given to them if they'd just accept it, and use it. Those are the folks who can never be truly happy or satisfied.

And they're always seeking "more, more, more" thinking that will satisfy. But it never does. Only knowing God can really be satisfying in this realm, and then, when we leave this realm, we have the true Wonders of God to take us in and welcome us. Doesn't make sense does it? I guess that's why we're called "human?"

Thank you for your very inspiring and uplifting story.

[buckwheatpaul]

Albert, Great testimony and proof that the only time to answer God's call is too late is just after you take your last breath...thank God he did not give up on you and brought you onto HIM!

[shoot-n-lead]

What a wonderful testimony!

Thank You

[Boaz]

Thank you all !

[USMC87]

Thanks for sharing your testimony.