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"genesis - Born Again"
Profession and not Possession. I always thought of myself as a "good person", I truely did not understand what it meant to be "SAVED"! As life went on I served 3 years in the U.S. Army where I learned the ways of a soilder and how to kill, It was seered into my mind and being and would be forever a part of me. I also went on to serve 2 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. Fighting the "War on Drugs" and involved with numerous search and rescue operations I learned so much more about about the contrast of humanity from the depravity to the compassion of men. I remember one event where there was a sail boat sinking in a storm, the waves seemed huge and so very, very dark, I was on the boarding team to go over and pull these people off. As the coxian steered the zodiac from our ship to the what seemed to be a tiny sail boat out in the wide open ocean. But as we approached I could hear them screaming "HELP, HELP, Please SAVE US!" As we pulled them to safety in our boat and started back to our ship I watch as the lightning flashed and the small sail boat sank beneath the waves. These people kept thanking us over and over for Saving them. After I got out of the Coast Guard I just wandered aimlessly in life for the next few years. I was playing in a rock band trying to spread my philosophies in my music but really had no clue what that was then God brought my wife of nearly 20 years now into my life. That's when I met her dad, Richard, I wasn't sure about him when I first met him. He had a major stroke and was not projected to live. I was told God had worked a miracle on him. I had never met anyone like him. His love for God, His faithfulness to church and such a kind and gentle spirit for this 6' 3" man. The other wonderful thing when I met my wife was this amazingly beautiful 4 month old baby girl of hers that also captured my heart. Very soon after I found myself a husband and a father. I never knew what it was like to have anyone be dependent on me before that. All the sudden I found myself thinking about things I never have before. How to be a good husband and father. At that point I began to seek after God. The more I learned the more I wanted to have that peace I kept hearing about. I started going with my wife and her father to their Baptist church and made an unlikely friend. Pastor Paul, He was a very gruff and direct man who shocked me with his persistance to exclaim the gospel telling people thier need for God or they would Die and go to Hell! This made me fearful and I tried to clean up my life and once again tried the "Magic Prayer", I believed God was who the Bible claimed so this time I had to be "SAVED". I even went on to get baptized. I tried to be faithful to church and do all the right things that I was told, But never had the peace that passeth all understanding. Then Pastor Paul became very ill, Terminally ill. I didn't understand how he could be so compasionate toward souls even when his body was so rapidly decaying. Even when he could not stand behind the pulpit he would sit and vehemently preach the Gospel. It was just a few months before Pastor Paul passed away that The Lord brought an evangelist into my life sharing the truth of the gospel presented ways I never heard. Over the next ten years God gave us 2 sons and brought his man by time and time again preaching, you had to believe and repent and see yourself as the lowly wretched sinner. Finally the last week of August 2004 in a revival meeting God showed me the wretch that I am. I truely believed. I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit, He worked repentance in me and for the first time Godly sorrow for what my sins did to Christ and why he shed his blood on the cross at Calvary. I was pondering heavily Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all that I heard each night in the services but Thursday was unlike any I had ever been in before. God was dealing with me, I went to the altar but I still couldn't get through. When I left that night God continued to deal with me, I was under conviction like never before, I couldn't sleep and when I went to work the whole day was a blur, Christ died for my sins, to SAVE ME?! My mind was swimming. I knew I had to get back to the altar and submit myself to God. The devil fought me! The whole way home it rained and stormed violently. I called my wife and told her that I would meet her there. I got about 5 miles from home and the front tire blew out on my truck and I nearly crashed trying to stop. The spare tire was stuck, I tried and tried and couldn't get it loose. I called my dad for help, He and my mom came to help as I waited for them I realized I was out in the ocean once again only this time my boat was sinking, I needed rescued, I was drowning in my sins. When my parents got there we got the tire changed and I remember them saying it'll be too late by the time you get there to get to the service. I said you don't understand I have to get there!!! So off I went as quick as I could. I was soaking wet, in my dirty work clothes and a mess. I walked in and sat down with my family then I got back up and went to the altar and cried out to God to Save me, I didn't need anyone to tell me I was drowning in my sins. When I came up from that altar I had peace like never before. I finally understood what it was to be "Born Again"! Amazingly as I was getting ready to leave that night I was overflowing with joy, As I went to go out the door I hugged the evangelist that had preached and found out that he was now the Pastor of a church in Falling Waters, WV only 30 miles from my home. I now live in Falling Water, WV living for and following God! The Book of John Chapter 3 John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: John 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? John 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? John 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. John 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. The Book of Revelation Chapter 3 7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. I am trying to share the Gospel in obedience to God, Please tune in and share in the Good Old Time Music and Preaching! www.live365.com/stations/captainjimmiesgig www.genesis-breathoflife.com Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com www.live365.com/stations/captainjimmiesgig www.genesis-breathoflife.com |
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