When I registered in Talk Jesus I was asked to give a brief testimony of how I got saved. I noted it would take more space than the max. limit. But I want to give it now and I pray it will help un-believers or even new believers to understand the Awesome Love of God.
I joined the US Navy (for 4 years) in 1958 at the age of 18 and since a sailor could legally drink alcohol at that age I took advantage of the opportunity, every chance I got. I wanted to be accepted as 'one of the boys' so to speak. After all..I was a man now. When I wasn't working or on 'watch' I was in a tavern getting drunk. If three drinks made me feel good then six would make me feel great! So I thought.
About two years later I got drunk one night and I got deathly sick. I thought I was going to die and I was afraid. I did not want to die. I went to my locker and got out the little 'new testament' bible they gave me when I first joined (it was the first time I'd even looked at it) and began to search for anything that would help me. I didn't want to die. I had no idea where to look. I didn't know anything about God or Jesus or salvation. But I'd heard a little about God and I had nowhere else to turn. I could not find anything but when I got to the back of the book I found a page where it talked about God's remedy for sin and then it said "All May be Saved Now". That was it!
I was dying and I needed to be 'saved'. I wasn't thinking about heaven or hell...I just didn't want to die. There was some scriptures there...Romans !0:13, Ephesians 2:8-9, and John 3:16. I read them. I agreed. I knew I was bad and I figured that made me a sinner. On the next page it read: "My Decision to Recieve Christ as My Saviour"..it continued: Confessing to God that I am a sinner and believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross and was raised for my justification, I do now recieve and confess Him as my personal Saviour. There was a place for my name and the date. I signed my name and put the date, Nov. 13, 1960.
The next morning I awoke and never gave a thought to the fact that I was still alive. I never even looked at that little bible..not until years later. And for the next 15 years I lived 'my' life the way 'I' wanted to. I got married, had 4 children. I got drunk nearly every weekend. I wrecked cars, I got fired from numerous jobs. I alienated my friends and hurt the ones closest to me...including my wife and children. It was all 'ME'. I was on the verge of self destruction and my wife was ready to have me arrested an put in jail. And justifiably so.
So I committed myself to a 'half-way' house for alcholics. I was there for three months while I got sober. And stayed sober. Then I went back home. I looked at my wife and four young children and I thought.."what have I done?" I saw myself for what I really was...A wretch!!
A short time later I met a man who played real good guitar. I loved guitar and played some but not very good. He asked me if I wanted to play back-up guitar for him on the radio. He was a preacher but I didn't care..I said yes.
Then he asked if I'd go with him into jail and play. He had a prison ministry. I said yes. Then he said he needed a back-up guitar for evening church music. I went.
During all this time he never asked if I was saved or did I want to change my life..or anything like that. But he was kind to me and he made me feel important. And he was real. And there was something else. He had something..something I wanted. I couldn't put my finger on it but he seemed content. Later I realized he had Jesus in his heart.
One day I was sitting in church all alone when I realized I needed God. I was sober, I was doing good things but I was empty. And through reading the bible some and hearing some of the sermons, and seeing that 'something' in my friends eyes I knew there was no hope for me unless I 'turned around' and turned to God. I went up to the altar and got on my knees and cried my eyes out. I told God I KNEW I was a sinner and I BELIEVED that Jesus died for me and took my sins with Him to the cross. And I wanted Him in my heart from that moment on. I cannot describe to this day the wonderous feeling that came over me. The burden was gone. No more guilt, no more shame. I felt totally drained. I had real peace for the first time in my life. It was 1978
As I look back to that cold night in 1960...I believe I was saved. I just didn't know it. And I believe God allowed me to go through the next 18 years the way I did so I would know and be able to tell others about His Awesome Love.
In closing I would just like to mention a picture I have on my wall of Jesus standing at a door and knocking. One day I noticed that the door had no handle or knob on the outside. That's why He's knocking..someone has to open the door from the inside.
He stood at my door for 18 years.
God Bless You All, Dale (aka Fuzzy)
I joined the US Navy (for 4 years) in 1958 at the age of 18 and since a sailor could legally drink alcohol at that age I took advantage of the opportunity, every chance I got. I wanted to be accepted as 'one of the boys' so to speak. After all..I was a man now. When I wasn't working or on 'watch' I was in a tavern getting drunk. If three drinks made me feel good then six would make me feel great! So I thought.
About two years later I got drunk one night and I got deathly sick. I thought I was going to die and I was afraid. I did not want to die. I went to my locker and got out the little 'new testament' bible they gave me when I first joined (it was the first time I'd even looked at it) and began to search for anything that would help me. I didn't want to die. I had no idea where to look. I didn't know anything about God or Jesus or salvation. But I'd heard a little about God and I had nowhere else to turn. I could not find anything but when I got to the back of the book I found a page where it talked about God's remedy for sin and then it said "All May be Saved Now". That was it!
I was dying and I needed to be 'saved'. I wasn't thinking about heaven or hell...I just didn't want to die. There was some scriptures there...Romans !0:13, Ephesians 2:8-9, and John 3:16. I read them. I agreed. I knew I was bad and I figured that made me a sinner. On the next page it read: "My Decision to Recieve Christ as My Saviour"..it continued: Confessing to God that I am a sinner and believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross and was raised for my justification, I do now recieve and confess Him as my personal Saviour. There was a place for my name and the date. I signed my name and put the date, Nov. 13, 1960.
The next morning I awoke and never gave a thought to the fact that I was still alive. I never even looked at that little bible..not until years later. And for the next 15 years I lived 'my' life the way 'I' wanted to. I got married, had 4 children. I got drunk nearly every weekend. I wrecked cars, I got fired from numerous jobs. I alienated my friends and hurt the ones closest to me...including my wife and children. It was all 'ME'. I was on the verge of self destruction and my wife was ready to have me arrested an put in jail. And justifiably so.
So I committed myself to a 'half-way' house for alcholics. I was there for three months while I got sober. And stayed sober. Then I went back home. I looked at my wife and four young children and I thought.."what have I done?" I saw myself for what I really was...A wretch!!
A short time later I met a man who played real good guitar. I loved guitar and played some but not very good. He asked me if I wanted to play back-up guitar for him on the radio. He was a preacher but I didn't care..I said yes.
Then he asked if I'd go with him into jail and play. He had a prison ministry. I said yes. Then he said he needed a back-up guitar for evening church music. I went.
During all this time he never asked if I was saved or did I want to change my life..or anything like that. But he was kind to me and he made me feel important. And he was real. And there was something else. He had something..something I wanted. I couldn't put my finger on it but he seemed content. Later I realized he had Jesus in his heart.
One day I was sitting in church all alone when I realized I needed God. I was sober, I was doing good things but I was empty. And through reading the bible some and hearing some of the sermons, and seeing that 'something' in my friends eyes I knew there was no hope for me unless I 'turned around' and turned to God. I went up to the altar and got on my knees and cried my eyes out. I told God I KNEW I was a sinner and I BELIEVED that Jesus died for me and took my sins with Him to the cross. And I wanted Him in my heart from that moment on. I cannot describe to this day the wonderous feeling that came over me. The burden was gone. No more guilt, no more shame. I felt totally drained. I had real peace for the first time in my life. It was 1978
As I look back to that cold night in 1960...I believe I was saved. I just didn't know it. And I believe God allowed me to go through the next 18 years the way I did so I would know and be able to tell others about His Awesome Love.
In closing I would just like to mention a picture I have on my wall of Jesus standing at a door and knocking. One day I noticed that the door had no handle or knob on the outside. That's why He's knocking..someone has to open the door from the inside.
He stood at my door for 18 years.
God Bless You All, Dale (aka Fuzzy)
