He Changed Me

I was saved as a young child.  At least, I thought that I was.  I was raised in church, the son of a preacher, I even sang with my family and was active in the church's youth group.  In my late teens, I turned away from the church, but after a few years I found myself back in church, dedicated to doing His work again.  I had begun to date a girl from one of our sister churches, and we made plans to get married.  Things were going so well in our lives.

If you're expecting a catastrophic event to be the catalyst for the change, well, that's not the case.  For close to a year, our church had been having great services, people were being saved, and I was right in the midst of it.  But you know, there would be altar calls where no one would move, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was ME that should have made a move.

April 17, 2005.  A beautiful spring day.  Spent the afternoon with my best friend, and was excited for church that night.  My fiance's uncle was preaching the evening service, and I always get blessed from hearing him.

That night was different.  Part way through the service a friend of mine, a church member, even, went to the altar, and professed that she just got saved.  How wonderful, I thought!  A church member willing to drop their pride, admitting that they had lived under false pretenses until that point.  Things didn't end there though.

The preacher brought a message that will remain forever close to my heart.  Matthew 16:18. "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

The altar call came, and the verse echoed in my mind.  I realized that the entire time, for the past year, that I had stood in an altar call, wondering if it was ME that needed to move...it WAS me.  I went to the altar and called upon the Lord to save me, faith believing that his blood would wash clean those who would profess and believe.

I was saved.  I AM saved.

From that day forward God has blessed my life greatly.  My wife and I have been married for three and a half years, and we have a wonderful 8 month old son.  The Lord called me to preach in October of 2005.  There is no greater calling, and no work more fulfilling.

It takes a lot to swallow your pride and admit that you're not something that you said, or maybe just though that you were.  Especially when you live the life.  But truthfully, your pride is not worth missing Heaven for.  There is a special place in my heart for church members who come to Christ AFTER they've joined the church.  To realize that you are lost...as a member of the church.  It could even be embarrassing.  But it's not worth missing Heaven over.  If anyone thinks differently of a church member that wasn't saved, and then got saved...well, they need to be on the altar too!!

God Bless.