Saved

Friendship Baptist Church Upshaw, AL

Saved.  I am saved.  I know who Jesus is and I know and understand what Jesus did on the cross for me.  I choose of my own free will to be a Jesus follower.  What did happen that I had no choice in was the drawing of the Holy Spirit.  That day, I relinquished any right I had to choose.  I had no choice, but to confess to God Almighty that I was a sinner and confess that I had no hope outside His grace.  His grace is enough!

We had our annual Thanksgiving gathering at Paw and Maws despite Covid-19.  There were about 16 family members in attendance.  My dad had tables set up in his garage so that we could all practice social distancing and praise God, as of this writing, no one that attended the gathering has caught the Covid!  But, back to the topic, my dad stood up to pray before we ate.  Number one, he announced to everyone that he was thankful for everyone in attendance and second, he was thankful that he has lived long enough to see his grandkids come to the saving knowledge of Christ.  You see, God tells us in His word to "..seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33  That is what my earthly mom and dad did.  It wasn't my mom and dad's job to worry about what career I would choose, they made sure that they were seeking, so that in the future, I also would seek and the cycle would continue.

I remember growing up in the church.  We attended and were members at Friendship Baptist Church in Upshaw.  I loved everything about it!  That place and the people helped to shape who I am today.  I loved my Sunday School teachers, vacation bible school, and the lifelong friends I made there.

But even though I was in church, I had a temper. If I didn't like what another kid said or was doing, my first inclination was to throw my fist. I would throw a fist at good friends. I tormented my sister.  I would threaten my sister.  Now, your first inclination might be to dismiss these statements as normal kid behavior, but that the grace of God was working in my life very early.    My sister accepted Christ before me at the age of 14, if I remember, sorry sis if that isn't right.  I am not sure what happened after that, but I am sure that her giving her life to Christ had a huge influence on my life.  You see, after that, I started noting the drawing of the Holy Spirit.  Believe me when I tell you that even at the age of eight, I was no different than anyone else that has experienced the drawing of the Holy Spirit.  I did not want to give my life to Christ.  I kept telling myself that I could put it off until I was 14. It was more of a burden than an eight-year-old boy should shoulder, but it was happening, for about two weeks there was a battle going on inside me.  The battle between the Holy Spirit and my flesh.  Finally,  I succumbed to the drawing of the Holy Spirit.  I don't remember the sermon that was preached that day, I don't remember what I was wearing, and I don't remember any of the songs that were sung.  But, I do remember standing next to my Dad and gripping the pew in front of us.  The tears started flowing down my face and I looked at my Dad and asked, "How do I get saved?"  At that very moment, my Dad took me to the preacher's office to talk a minute with me about what I was asking.  Now I want you the reader to understand something, I didn't need my Dad's permission to be saved.  But, at the age of eight, I didn't know what I to do, to deal with the Holy Spirit and like a good Dad should do, he wanted to make sure that I understood what I was doing.  After that short meeting, my Dad and I walked out and my Dad told the pastor that I wanted to be saved.  The pastor helped me to pray the most important prayer I have ever prayed.  That day I confessed to Jesus that I was a sinner and that Jesus died on the cross for me and that I believed He rose from the grave and that unless he saved me, I would spend eternity in Hell.  I want you to understand something else, the pastor did not save me, he guided me. There is only one way to Jesus.  Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Jesus also said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day"  John 6:44

Now I will leave you with this.  This verse is proof of God's love for any and everyone and it is a verse that most people have memorized. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

I will be praying for you, the reader and if you need anything specific prayed for, I would be honored to pray for whatever that is, leave your prayer request in the comments. Please remember that others will be able to see your comments.