King James Bible
King James Version (KJV)
Testimony: My Testimony - A New Way To Live
Marilyn's testimony "My Testimony - A New Way To Live" on 7/30/2015, 11:34am...
I grew up understanding that God was the reason we went to church and prayed at meals. My mother took us to the Baptist church, and I became involved in church activities. I attended the training union, vacation bible school, and the Sunday school. I joined the league of ushers at the age of nine, and young people’s choir during my high school years. I lost interest after graduation, and only attended church sporadically.
After I left home and was on my own, my interest in God was usually spurted by an event of need or crisis in my life. I went to church to ask a favor of God or to get a temporary fix for my predicament at the time. My tears of repentance were genuine and my promises of fidelity heart-felt, but fickle was my allegiance and wandering my desires. When times were good, I was having a good time without God in my life or on my mind. However, when times got hard, I made a mad dash to the house of God. I always found that the people of faith were faithfully waiting to pray for me.
My search for the way to please God began after a failed marriage and the realization that I had walked away from Him when I quit attending church. I resolved to go back to church and bring up my children in the church the way my mother taught us. The thought in my mind was to go back to church where I grew up and be faithful no matter what was going on in my life. It was also the right thing to do for my children’s sake.
I dressed my children on this certain Sunday morning, and started out to the home church. As I made a right turn, my car stopped without warning. I tried to start the engine and nothing happened. I looked to my left and noticed that there was a tiny white church on the corner. It was an Apostolic Church. I tried to start the car again, it did not respond. I then told the children, “We were on our way to church, let’s go to this church.”
I had been invited to this church previously, but had always found a reason not to attend. Today, I felt like at least I will know someone who can help me get the car started. So we went in and found a place to sit down. The small church had a few members, and there were two separate classes being taught. The children were on the back rows to the left, and the adults were at the front of the church to the right. I don’t remember what the lesson was about, but I remember a still quietness and warmth that surrounded me and caused me to weep almost as soon as the teacher began to speak.
I remember being asked the question, “Do you want to be baptized in the name of Jesus?” My thoughts were I don’t need to be baptized, I think I already did that, I don’t understand. I said “No, thank you” The teacher said, you don’t have to understand it, but as you can read it for yourself, just obey the word of God. I said yes, baptize me.
As I prepared to be baptized, I was excited to be doing something to please God. The water was cold, it was late October and the large metal tub was against the wall on the right side of the small church. I was immersed in the water, and the feeling was of cleansing and warmth and freedom. After getting dressed in my own clothes, the lady who was helping me asked if I would like to receive the Holy Ghost. I said if it feels this good, yes.
She led me to the altar at the front of the church to pray. As I knelt there, I did not know what to pray. She said, just say thank you Jesus. I repeated thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Then I began to speak words that I did not understand. I tried to speak my own words to the lady next to me but they were not my own. I cried and I prayed. I felt joy. I knew I had received the Holy Ghost just the way it was written in the scriptures. I had read it for myself.
“Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38
When I had gathered my children to me, I remembered my car and asked if I could get someone to help me start it. The young man went with me to the car on the side of the road and lifted the hood to take a look. I got in and he said, turn the key on. I turned the key and the car started without a whimper or a cough, as if it was never sick.
I went home knowing that I had made the right step toward God, even though I did not make it back to the home church this day. There would be no more excuses; no more reasons to walk away from His presence. I knew that I would have peace with Him if I walked in His ways.
My memory of the new direction of my life is the beginning of my story about God. I was given a new reason to live. Today, I still want to follow after God. I want to tell the story of Jesus. I want to share my story about God. I want to be able to say that after that wonderful day, I went home happy and whole with a solution to all of my problems. I would like to say that my relationship with Jesus soared from that day on; and took me to heavenly heights. I want to report that I went about all my days living the life of a true believer with signs and wonders following the Lord with all my heart. But then that would not be telling the whole story.
I still had life to deal with after that day. But when I heard the gospel of Christ, I believed and received the promise of the Father; The Holy Ghost, the Comforter, The Holy Spirit of Truth, to lead, guide and teach me. Jesus said that he will never leave me nor forsake me. He does not lie. This has given me hope and the confidence to face every circumstance. In good times and bad, I know that I am blessed and highly favored by God.