My Salvation Began When...
 

Just a thread to talk about when your salvation began. When were you saved/filled and under what circumstances?

Re: My Salvation Began When...
 

I repented when I was 9, asked for Jesus' forgiveness, and acknowledged Him as my Savior. My parents wouldn't let me be baptized because of my mom's belief that I wasn't an adult and therefore couldn't accept adult baptism. I was baptized about a month before my 16th birthday. I wanted so much to go to a church that taught more than Bible stories and had services more than one hour a week. When I went to college, I found a church that did that. I began attending a UPC church, and was soon rebaptized in Jesus' name and spoke in tongues.

There's been a lot that happened since then... skipping to the present, I left the Apostolic movement very reluctantly, but feeling I had no other choice if I wanted to keep my integrity. I've since rediscovered the simple faith, trust, hope, and love that had been missing for years, and have reestablished a faith-filled daily walk with my Savior, more beautiful and stronger than anything I've known before.

Re: My Salvation Began When...
 

Dedicated at six weeks old at Bible Hour Tab (UPC), slept on the pews, then got older (six years old) and had to sit up, but I would lean on my mom and go to sleep.

I repented and was baptized when I was 11 years old. Received the Holy Ghost shortly afterwards - that was in 1967.

Re: My Salvation Began When...
 

Heard the gospel from my youth up. At sixteen I wholeheartedly repented of my sins and received Jesus into my life personally.

Re: My Salvation Began When...
 

I posted my experience in another thread not too long ago. To sum it all up, I've been to a number of churches across the denominational spectrum, more so as a child. Becoming an adult, I began to do my own search. Took interest in an independent, Spirit-filled church, did a 180 and went to a strict UPC church. Life changed more than I care to share here, except to say that God lead me through a chapter of life that allowed me to see what is and is not important in loving Him and following His ways. To this day, separate and apart from any kind of strictness, my praise is still sent up, the blessings are endless, grace and mercy I'm left speechless on. God is amazing. He'll do for anyone what He's done for me. I'm being honest.

Re: My Salvation Began When...
 

I had a Catholic baptism at the late age of seven. (1989)

When I was 14 yrs old I repented of my sins and asked Jesus to save me. (Dec 16, 1996)

I received the "initial evidence" and was baptized in Jesus' name at the age of 15. (Sept 21, 1997)

Re: My Salvation Began When...
 

This is my testimony published earlier this year in the organizational magazine of the UACoJC (United Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ). I am now 73 years old instead of 72 as it states in the article and Pentecost Sunday 2010 was my 54th anniversary of the Holy Ghost Baptism.

Over Half a Century in the Holy Ghost

This is just a brief testimony of what the Lord has done for me.

In Isaiah 46:3-4 in The Living Bible God says, “Listen to me, all Israel who are left; I have created you and cared for you since you were born. I will be your God through all your lifetime, yes, even when your hair is white with age. I made you and I will care for you. I will carry you along and be your Savior.” The Lord assured His people that He loved them, cared for them, and was committed to a long term relationship with them.

I have also enjoyed a long term relationship with the Lord. I was born into a family that was not particularly religious so as I grew up, God was not a real part of my life. That all changed on March 28, 1955 when I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life. I was 17 years old and my life was drastically changed. I became a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same any more. A new life has begun!”

A new life had begun. The change was so drastic that 50 years later at a high school reunion some still mentioned the “old” Jim and the “new” Jim. I began to read my Bible and joined a local church where I took an active part. As I read my Bible and listened to some preachers on the radio and read some of their writings I realized there was more for me. On October 27, 1955 I was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then I began attending a different church. This one was Pentecostal. On Pentecost Sunday which was May 20, 1956 I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke with tongues.

This Holy Ghost Baptism was not the end of my experience with the Lord. The Lord and I have been in relationship for over half a century. During that time he has given me a wife to whom I have been married for 52 years; He has given me 5 children, 13 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild. He has brought me through major surgeries (quadruple bypass in 1995 and cancer surgery in 2004) and has met every need in His way and in His time.

In 2006 the religious world celebrated a “Century of Pentecost” and that year I celebrated “half a century of Pentecost.” This year when Pentecost Sunday rolls around I will celebrate 54 years in Pentecost. And, you know what, that experience in the Holy Spirit is still fresh! When Jacob was an old man and was introduced to Pharaoh, Pharaoh asked, “How old are you?” Jacob triumphantly replied, “The days of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty-eight years.” Well, I can’t quite say that but I can say, “The days of my pilgrimage are seventy-two years,” and I can triumphantly add, “And the Lord has been faithful all of those years.”