As a child growing up, I always knew that there was a God. I always felt He was watching over me. I had a pretty good life as a young boy. My father and mother taught us good morals. While growing up, I went to a lot of different "churches." I went to a Baptist place for a while and learned some things about the bible. When I was about 10 years old, we started attending a Jehovah Witness place. While there I learned some more about the bible. I really enjoyed learning about God.
As I grew older however, I started seeing things that were not right. For example, some were telling me how I should live, but they were not doing it themselves. Even though I wanted to live as they said, I could not do it.
At age 15, my family and I stopped going to the Jehovah Witness place and a year later I got my first job. I did well. I made good money and I moved right up the ladder. My spouse and I met at this job and we both volunteered to move to Nashville, TN with the company.
After about two years in Nashville, I came home one day from work. My wife Anna said, "Stuart, we need to talk." I thought, "Oh Man! What now!" I thought maybe she wanted a divorce.
She told me that we needed to start serving God. "Is that all?" I said. " I thought something was wrong!" She told me that she was serious. She had read an article in the newspaper that said the world was going to end in 1988. She further said that we were both going to HELL! (See Anna’s testimony for her wonderful story.)
I laughed at her and said, "No one knows the day or hour that this event is going to happen!!!" I told her that if she wanted to go to church it would be okay with me, but I was not going. I told her that I did not want to be a HYPOCRITE. I could not pretend to be something I was not. I felt we lived and acted just as good as "church people," and we did not need to sit through a boring service for an hour every week!
Anna began asking me questions about the bible. I read some with her, and even went to a Baptist place with her a few times. Finally, she asked me to go with her to her sister’s prayer meeting in Louisville, KY. I agreed to go.
The following Friday night we went to the prayer meeting. Many people were praying, shouting, and speaking in tongues. This was far different from anything I had experienced before. The whole time I was sitting on the edge of my chair, wringing my hands, and ready to leave! When the prayer line started, I grabbed the kids (while my wife was in the rest room), and headed for the car! After a while, she came out to find me. I told her, "I don’t care what you do, but don’t ever ask me to go in that place again!"
My wife continued to attend the prayer meetings as often as she could, and eventually received the Holy Ghost baptism. I began to see something in her that I had not seen before. She was changing. I realized that this was not the same woman that I had married. I knew something had to be real to change that woman because she was not saying one thing and then doing something else.
Meanwhile, the Lord started to draw me closer to Him, although at the time I had no idea what was happening. My sister-in law, Tammy and her husband, Jimmy made several trips to our house on weekends to visit. They encouraged my wife talking about the Lord and singing songs.
During one of their visits, I was asked what I thought it took to get in to the Kingdom of God. I replied that I felt that God sees the hearts of people and knows which ones are good and which ones are bad. I believed that we lived a good life, not stealing nor cheating anyone. I worked hard providing for my family. I felt that God saw that my heart was intentionally good.
Tammy said, "You think that you're just a ‘good old boy’ don’t you?" I replied, "Yeah." "It takes more than just being a ‘good old boy’ to get in the Kingdom of God. You must have the Holy Ghost!", she explained.
This really struck my heart. I began to seriously ask God what it would take for me to get into the Kingdom of God. I started reading the bible; looking up scriptures on the Holy Ghost. I read in John 3:1-22 that one must be born again to enter into the Kingdom of God. I knew that I had not been born again! I had been baptized in water several times, but nothing had changed me.
One day I got down on the floor in my bathroom and started pouring out my heart to God. I asked Him to teach me the TRUTH! I wanted to know who was right. There are so many different religions and denominations. Then the answer came. God spoke to my heart and said, "I am right!"
I started seeking God with all my heart. Six weeks later, I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. I was overwhelmed with joy, peace, and the love of God. It felt as if hot wax was being poured over my head. I knew that I would never be the same. I had been "BORN AGAIN"!
I am so thankful for what God has done for me in my life, changing me from the inside out. If you have never had this experience, seek God today. He will answer you too!
God Bless,
Stuart