"Being Born Again" vs. "Giving Life to Jesus"

(This is a quote from a correspondence with a friend on facebook)

"...you got saved at 5? How did that happen? How could you even comprehend it all? You must have been lucky with very religious parents or what? ANd you said you gave your life to Jesus at a different time. What is the difference? Well, I can see the difference, but I wonder, is it not the saved at 5 that guarantees you heaven or is it the giving your life to Christ at 15 that gets you in to heaven? It also says that you cannot get into heaven unless you are born again in John 3? What are the differences between the 3?"

According to my dad, I was the most repentant 5 year old he'd ever seen, broken over my sins...as a 5 year old! I guess it's different for various people, but I believe there's an age of accountability where you can begin to understand (partially) that you need God in your life. Afterwards, I talked to my brother, and he came crying to my parents, saying "I don't want to go to the hot place!" He asked Jesus in his life, and he was only 3 years old!

My parents gave their lives to Christ early on, so we grew up in a strong Christian household. In response to your question about the difference between my salvation time and when I gave my life to Christ, I believe that it was asking Christ into my heart at age 5 that guaranteed my salvation.

Here's the thing that I've been thinking about...when we first "give our lives to Christ," I actually believe that it's more accurate to say that we're entering into a "relationship with Christ," and turning our lives toward Him. That's the point where we first believe, and are saved. However, as we get to know Him and His heart, we start to understand what it really means to give our lives completely over to Him - the costs, the rewards - and it's more of a life-long process, because there's always more that God shows us about ourselves and about Him. So, maybe it's more accurate to say that since age 15, I've had the desire to give all of my life completely to Him, as He shows me more things to surrender to Him.

Now, the third part of the question, "what does it mean to be born again? how is it different?" Well, basically that's when you first ask Christ in your life...what I did at age 5. That's when you first decide to enter in relationship with God, and He gives you a new heart and brings your spirit back to life. Before you received Christ, your spirit was dead. Now, you have a new nature! But you're still a baby, because you were just "born...again." You still have to grow, mature, and get to know Jesus...until He not only is your Father and your Master, but He is your Friend. From there, as you grow, He also becomes Your lover (Song of Solomon). There are many more things to discover...all the time, for all eternity, about Him!

Blindspot In the Eye...Gone

Two weeks ago (10-02), Drew asked for prayer at our friend's house. He'd been having a blindspot in his left eye that would come and go for about two weeks. It was especially large on that Sunday.

After the first prayer time, he said that it seemed to have improve a little bit. Once we finished praying for his eye a second time, God had completely removed the blindspot from his eye! It has not come back since then!

No More Vertigo!

My friend, Monica, has suffered from Vertigo attacks for the past few years. This past weekend, the Vertigo attacks were so bad that she could hardly walk.

On Tuesday, she came over my house to go through the Steps of Freedom, and she got prayed for. The next day, she text messaged me to say that she felt completely set free by God!

Yesterday and today, she had about 5-6 Vertigo attacks...but this time, she prayed against them. Guess what? Every single time she did that, they left! Praise God!

Africa Trip 2005 - Part 2

Testimonies from Africa, part 2

During the evenings of some of the days, we went on outreaches to different villages. Sometimes we would enter the villages at night, in one or two flatbed trucks, with about 35 people crammed in each one. Some of the local Christians would play a drum and sing songs, while children would gather around dancing.

While this was taking place, others would set up the sound system, lights, and screen for a showing of the Jesus film. This was followed by a message presenting the gospel, a call for salvation, and praying for the sick. Many healings took place as we prayed for the village people, and many received Jesus into their lives!

A friend from my church had the opportunity to pray for a blind man in an outreach to a Muslim village, and the man began to see shapes! I got to pray for a lot of people with head pain and respiratory problems...they were healed by God!

Africa Trip 2005 - Part 1

Testimonies from Africa, part 1

When we first arrived in Mozambique, we participated in an outdoor pastors’ conference, consisting of several thousand people in a giant tent. The first night we ministered, a woman with a tumor in her lower left stomach got healed! It was confirmed by a doctor first that it was there, then the speaker named Todd Bentley prayed for her and she was healed! Another person with deafness in their left ear received healing from God and could hear again! There was a woman who was crippled in one leg, and she got strength and healing in that leg! We also prayed for a blind man and he began to see colors!!

The aisles were literally packed with people wanting prayer and those who wanted to see the healings up close. When asked who wanted to receive Jesus into their lives, many raised their hands that day! Praise the Lord!!