Simeon's Desire
"Personal Christian Testimonies of Salvation"
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Luke 2:30-32
My name is Matt Carter,
My father has been a Baptist pastor for the past 35 years. As you would expect, growing up in a pastor’s home, I can count the number of times I was not in church on one hand.
At the 6 years of age, several friends of mine were already saved and baptized and during this time I also wanted to be baptized. A few weeks later I was saved, so I thought, and baptized at the Smithland First Baptist Church.
A few years later my father was called to pastor Park Avenue Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon IL. I was 9 years old when he took this church, and I began to question my salvation. For whatever reason, I didn’t believe that I was saved. For a second time I went through the motions of what you were supposed to do when you became a Christian. I was baptized and thought that everything was ok with my salvation process. For the next several years I continued doing everything that a Christian was supposed to do. I attended church every time the door was opened and participated in all the church activities and functions. I was a “good person” and faithful church attendee.
After graduating high school I moved out of the nest and began living life on my own. I remembered the family values that my parents had taught me and tried to apply them to my everyday life with the exception of my church attendance. Being on my own, I felt like I could make my own decisions on when I would attend church or not attend. More often than I should have, I allowed work to interfere with church and my attendance.
At the age of 19 I met my future wife Melanie. I remember sharing with her that my father was a preacher and invited her to our church. When I wasn’t working, Melanie and I drove from Paducah to Lowes, KY most every Sunday to attend the AM services but very rarely any of the other two services. About a year later dad was called to a church in Brownsville Ky. I had never attended any other church other than where my dad was preaching and finding a new church was new to me. Melanie and I started going to Reidland Baptist on Sunday mornings for their AM services and I can’t think of a time that we attended a Sunday or Wednesday evening service. My prayer time was basically zero and I regretfully cannot remember sitting down and openings God’s word and spending any time studying the Bible.
In 2002 my dad was called to pastor a Baptist church in Marion, Ky. Melanie and I started attending the services in Marion and was soon married in October of 2002. Melanie and I continued attending the Sunday morning services at dad’s church in Marion most every Sunday. All the events that I thought were the best days of my life, such as receiving my job in law enforcement, graduating the academy, getting married and other events, none of them hold a candle to what I now know was not only the best day of my life, but also the most important.
On Sunday May 25, 2004 there was a homecoming at the church in Marion. The former pastor was the special speaker and he preached on Hell. I remember him posing the question, “If you died right now are you 100 % sure that you would go to Heaven?” This questioned bothered me more than any question I had ever been asked and I wasn’t sure why. The devil was trying to tell me that I couldn’t go down the aisle because it would bring embarrassment to my dad as the pastor of the church. He already thought I was saved and so did everyone else in the church. The Holy Spirit was dealing with me and my heart and I was under a large amount of conviction. I almost let the devil keep me from doing what I knew I needed to do. Then the request for one more verse was broadcasted. I thought to myself, if they just sing one more verse I’m going to walk down to the altar. Thank God they sang that one more additional verse and I walked the aisle towards my dad. I remembering telling him that I didn’t know why, but I wasn’t sure that I was going to heaven if I died.
A short time later in my dad’s study with the chairman of deacons, and my wife at my side, I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. The instant change and peace that I had always heard about took place within my spirit. This experience had never happened to me and at that moment and I finally understood what it meant to accept Jesus as Lord! There was no doubt at that moment that I had been saved and the burden that I had ignored was lifted. The following Sunday I was proudly baptized in the name of the Lord!
A short time later we joined Rosebower Baptist Church and soon felt God leading us to serve Him in this church body. The past several years have not been perfect, but they have certainly been a joy to grow closer to Christ and in my relationship with Him. I have experienced and seen Him work in my life in so many ways. I can sense a huge difference in my life from the time that I fell under the Holy Spirit’s conviction and I repented of my sins and put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ. When I look back, I realize now I was just simply going through the motions.
Jesus said “Ye shall know them by their fruits”. What fruits do you have in your life? I didn’t have any until after I became a child of God’s and my name was forever recorded in the Lambs Book of Life. Being a good person or faithful church attender will not gain eternal life.
I ask you the question, “If you died right now, are you 100 % sure that you would go to Heaven?” I want you to know you can be sure and if you’re not I encourage and pray that you will.
Thank You,
Matt Carter
My father has been a Baptist pastor for the past 35 years. As you would expect, growing up in a pastor’s home, I can count the number of times I was not in church on one hand.
At the 6 years of age, several friends of mine were already saved and baptized and during this time I also wanted to be baptized. A few weeks later I was saved, so I thought, and baptized at the Smithland First Baptist Church.
A few years later my father was called to pastor Park Avenue Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon IL. I was 9 years old when he took this church, and I began to question my salvation. For whatever reason, I didn’t believe that I was saved. For a second time I went through the motions of what you were supposed to do when you became a Christian. I was baptized and thought that everything was ok with my salvation process. For the next several years I continued doing everything that a Christian was supposed to do. I attended church every time the door was opened and participated in all the church activities and functions. I was a “good person” and faithful church attendee.
After graduating high school I moved out of the nest and began living life on my own. I remembered the family values that my parents had taught me and tried to apply them to my everyday life with the exception of my church attendance. Being on my own, I felt like I could make my own decisions on when I would attend church or not attend. More often than I should have, I allowed work to interfere with church and my attendance.
At the age of 19 I met my future wife Melanie. I remember sharing with her that my father was a preacher and invited her to our church. When I wasn’t working, Melanie and I drove from Paducah to Lowes, KY most every Sunday to attend the AM services but very rarely any of the other two services. About a year later dad was called to a church in Brownsville Ky. I had never attended any other church other than where my dad was preaching and finding a new church was new to me. Melanie and I started going to Reidland Baptist on Sunday mornings for their AM services and I can’t think of a time that we attended a Sunday or Wednesday evening service. My prayer time was basically zero and I regretfully cannot remember sitting down and openings God’s word and spending any time studying the Bible.
In 2002 my dad was called to pastor a Baptist church in Marion, Ky. Melanie and I started attending the services in Marion and was soon married in October of 2002. Melanie and I continued attending the Sunday morning services at dad’s church in Marion most every Sunday. All the events that I thought were the best days of my life, such as receiving my job in law enforcement, graduating the academy, getting married and other events, none of them hold a candle to what I now know was not only the best day of my life, but also the most important.
On Sunday May 25, 2004 there was a homecoming at the church in Marion. The former pastor was the special speaker and he preached on Hell. I remember him posing the question, “If you died right now are you 100 % sure that you would go to Heaven?” This questioned bothered me more than any question I had ever been asked and I wasn’t sure why. The devil was trying to tell me that I couldn’t go down the aisle because it would bring embarrassment to my dad as the pastor of the church. He already thought I was saved and so did everyone else in the church. The Holy Spirit was dealing with me and my heart and I was under a large amount of conviction. I almost let the devil keep me from doing what I knew I needed to do. Then the request for one more verse was broadcasted. I thought to myself, if they just sing one more verse I’m going to walk down to the altar. Thank God they sang that one more additional verse and I walked the aisle towards my dad. I remembering telling him that I didn’t know why, but I wasn’t sure that I was going to heaven if I died.
A short time later in my dad’s study with the chairman of deacons, and my wife at my side, I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. The instant change and peace that I had always heard about took place within my spirit. This experience had never happened to me and at that moment and I finally understood what it meant to accept Jesus as Lord! There was no doubt at that moment that I had been saved and the burden that I had ignored was lifted. The following Sunday I was proudly baptized in the name of the Lord!
A short time later we joined Rosebower Baptist Church and soon felt God leading us to serve Him in this church body. The past several years have not been perfect, but they have certainly been a joy to grow closer to Christ and in my relationship with Him. I have experienced and seen Him work in my life in so many ways. I can sense a huge difference in my life from the time that I fell under the Holy Spirit’s conviction and I repented of my sins and put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ. When I look back, I realize now I was just simply going through the motions.
Jesus said “Ye shall know them by their fruits”. What fruits do you have in your life? I didn’t have any until after I became a child of God’s and my name was forever recorded in the Lambs Book of Life. Being a good person or faithful church attender will not gain eternal life.
I ask you the question, “If you died right now, are you 100 % sure that you would go to Heaven?” I want you to know you can be sure and if you’re not I encourage and pray that you will.
Thank You,
Matt Carter