I have been a Christian all my life, got saved at 12 like most kids do, but I think it was more an obligation than a commitment. At that time I was going to a Church of Christ and that was all I knew. I had been invited to other churches but was not allowed to go, except one time I went to an Assembly of God church, and it scared the bejeebers out of me. All that praying while others pray and speaking in tongues, not for this Church of Christ kid. Any ways I went off subject. From 16 - 17 I went to a Baptist Church, more because of the girls I was dating than anything. I did however like the musical instruments during worship, better than the Church of Christ's no instrument policy. I went to a pentecostal church for about 3 months when I was 18 to impress one of my friends parents, and I came to a conclusion at that time. When the fat lady yells people start running, but the worship music was even better in this church.
I didn't step foot into a church until I was 24. I was in a relationship after being married and divorced and trying to get right with God. Living with my girlfriend and and we started going to a Baptist Church I went to when I was 17. The "once saved always saved" seemed to be what I was looking for. I could be living my life the way I want and still go to heaven, but in my heart I knew that was wrong. I married my wife six months later and we quit going to church.
Over the next 6 years I lived a destructive life. I was an alcoholic, did the occasional drug, spoke poison to people, was a terrible father to my son, terrible husband to my wife, and addicted to pornography. I had been watching a show on t.v. and on the verge of believing that God did not exist. My wife and I had wanted to have children for many years and had no success. I was ready to move on a find a woman that could have my child. I had told my wife I didn't know if I loved her anymore. The normal cop out "I love you but I am not in love with you." That statement is hog wash, you either love someone or you don't. You are either willing to quit or not. We almost called it quits but for some reason we didn't. I had driven my wife to the verge of leaving me due to my pornography addiction and my abusive behavior.
Anyways, my wife's brother, who was a youth pastor, was moving to our town and needed a place to live until he could get on his feet. I saw dollar bills. We talked about it and told him he could stay with us but had to pay his portion of bills and rent. He agreed and moved in. During this time I would go to the YMCA with a friend and play racquetball, it was more for looking at other women than anything else, but I started to enjoy the game more and more. I was even playing with a pastor and youth pastor from a church near where I lived.
One day in October of 2010 my wife called me into the bathroom, and on the sink was a pregnancy test with a positive response. Finally, after 6 years of marriage we was pregnant. Shortly after this I was at the racquetball courts playing ball and the pastor and youth pastor invited me to church. I came home that day and told my wife that I wanted to attend this church that was near our house, and she told me we had to go to her brother's church first. I guess I promised him one day when I was drinking.
My brother-in-law went to an Assembly of God church. If you remember I had been to one when I was younger but I didn't know it at the time. I had a conversation with my him and told him about the pentecostal church I went to when I was 18 and told him I was not pentecostal. I thought pentecostal was the name of a church, not a belief. We went to his church in November 2010 and when we sat down in the pew he handed me a Pentecostal Evangel Magazine. I had looked at the name of it and handed it over to my wife and said "I am not a pentecostal." I felt a love in that church and a need to be there. My wife and I started going to the church on a regular basis. Every time the doors were open we went.
One day on a Sunday morning service I answered the invitation to go down to the front. I knew I had been saved when I was younger and I had been baptised in all the churches I had been in, but there was an urgency that I needed to turn my life over to Christ at the moment. So I did, I recommitted my life to Christ. Like a little kid that just got a new toy, I wanted to tell everyone and share what I had done, and did. I started to love Christ more and more each week and one day I went to the alters and was baptised in the Holy Spirit. I had at that moment what I call my "God experience" I knew at that moment with no doubt in my mind God existed and I did not want to be out of his grace.
I came home one night and poured out all my alcohol, quit smoking the next day, and quit looking at pornography. I had what I wanted and that was God. I put God into my family and my relationship with my wife was growing stronger and stronger. I want to tell you something, God changed me that day and I have loved him since.
Now I am a Royal Rangers Commander at my church, God taught me to play guitar, so I sing and play guitar for my church about 2 times a quarter. About 5 months ago at a Men's Retreat while coming down from a mountain after sing praise and worship on the top of the mountain. I asked my pastor a question, "How do you know if God has called you into ministry?" You know what he told me? He said "You will know, God will let you know." That evening after a wonderful praise and worship session I was walking to the back of the room to talk to my buddy when my other brother-in-law came up to me and grabbed my pastor and told me "I am just a messenger, and God wants you to know that he has called you into ministry." I want to tell you 2 things, my brother-in-law was no where near me and my pastor during our conversation, he was playing golf, and I felt the presence of God again that day.
I have been going to ministry school since then. I am currently doing my second class, but due to my addictive personality, I have not been giving it a hundred percent of my attention. I started reading more about aquariums than the word of God, but I am at a transition period and have been redirecting my thoughts to my Lord and Savior.
I hope this testimony touches someones life, and inspires them.
May God Bless you with a "God experience"
Zach
I didn't step foot into a church until I was 24. I was in a relationship after being married and divorced and trying to get right with God. Living with my girlfriend and and we started going to a Baptist Church I went to when I was 17. The "once saved always saved" seemed to be what I was looking for. I could be living my life the way I want and still go to heaven, but in my heart I knew that was wrong. I married my wife six months later and we quit going to church.
Over the next 6 years I lived a destructive life. I was an alcoholic, did the occasional drug, spoke poison to people, was a terrible father to my son, terrible husband to my wife, and addicted to pornography. I had been watching a show on t.v. and on the verge of believing that God did not exist. My wife and I had wanted to have children for many years and had no success. I was ready to move on a find a woman that could have my child. I had told my wife I didn't know if I loved her anymore. The normal cop out "I love you but I am not in love with you." That statement is hog wash, you either love someone or you don't. You are either willing to quit or not. We almost called it quits but for some reason we didn't. I had driven my wife to the verge of leaving me due to my pornography addiction and my abusive behavior.
Anyways, my wife's brother, who was a youth pastor, was moving to our town and needed a place to live until he could get on his feet. I saw dollar bills. We talked about it and told him he could stay with us but had to pay his portion of bills and rent. He agreed and moved in. During this time I would go to the YMCA with a friend and play racquetball, it was more for looking at other women than anything else, but I started to enjoy the game more and more. I was even playing with a pastor and youth pastor from a church near where I lived.
One day in October of 2010 my wife called me into the bathroom, and on the sink was a pregnancy test with a positive response. Finally, after 6 years of marriage we was pregnant. Shortly after this I was at the racquetball courts playing ball and the pastor and youth pastor invited me to church. I came home that day and told my wife that I wanted to attend this church that was near our house, and she told me we had to go to her brother's church first. I guess I promised him one day when I was drinking.
My brother-in-law went to an Assembly of God church. If you remember I had been to one when I was younger but I didn't know it at the time. I had a conversation with my him and told him about the pentecostal church I went to when I was 18 and told him I was not pentecostal. I thought pentecostal was the name of a church, not a belief. We went to his church in November 2010 and when we sat down in the pew he handed me a Pentecostal Evangel Magazine. I had looked at the name of it and handed it over to my wife and said "I am not a pentecostal." I felt a love in that church and a need to be there. My wife and I started going to the church on a regular basis. Every time the doors were open we went.
One day on a Sunday morning service I answered the invitation to go down to the front. I knew I had been saved when I was younger and I had been baptised in all the churches I had been in, but there was an urgency that I needed to turn my life over to Christ at the moment. So I did, I recommitted my life to Christ. Like a little kid that just got a new toy, I wanted to tell everyone and share what I had done, and did. I started to love Christ more and more each week and one day I went to the alters and was baptised in the Holy Spirit. I had at that moment what I call my "God experience" I knew at that moment with no doubt in my mind God existed and I did not want to be out of his grace.
I came home one night and poured out all my alcohol, quit smoking the next day, and quit looking at pornography. I had what I wanted and that was God. I put God into my family and my relationship with my wife was growing stronger and stronger. I want to tell you something, God changed me that day and I have loved him since.
Now I am a Royal Rangers Commander at my church, God taught me to play guitar, so I sing and play guitar for my church about 2 times a quarter. About 5 months ago at a Men's Retreat while coming down from a mountain after sing praise and worship on the top of the mountain. I asked my pastor a question, "How do you know if God has called you into ministry?" You know what he told me? He said "You will know, God will let you know." That evening after a wonderful praise and worship session I was walking to the back of the room to talk to my buddy when my other brother-in-law came up to me and grabbed my pastor and told me "I am just a messenger, and God wants you to know that he has called you into ministry." I want to tell you 2 things, my brother-in-law was no where near me and my pastor during our conversation, he was playing golf, and I felt the presence of God again that day.
I have been going to ministry school since then. I am currently doing my second class, but due to my addictive personality, I have not been giving it a hundred percent of my attention. I started reading more about aquariums than the word of God, but I am at a transition period and have been redirecting my thoughts to my Lord and Savior.
I hope this testimony touches someones life, and inspires them.
May God Bless you with a "God experience"
Zach
