Salvation Issues

Thursday, 16 August 2007


Salvation Issues

I am continuing my blogs on Issues of Life. This one I call "Salvation Issues". What I am about to share with you, I did not make up. I had to find the words to tell my story. Yes, I am for real. I thank my Lord my God that He is with me every single day of my life.

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Since I am on this count down to the 17th of September, my Conversion Day Anniversary, I thought to share my "Salvation Issues" with you. I first believed on Jesus on that Citizenship Day of 1993. This was day I had a fresh new beginning. Some things started to change in my life on that day.


Salvation has been an issue with me not to long after I got saved. This confusion started to attack my thinking about if I was really saved. I continued to go to Word of Life Church and grow in the things of God.


I joined church on the 17th of October 1993. I have been at WOLC ever since my very first visit during the Summer of 1993. The day that Jesus introduce Himself to me.


I could have join WOLC two days after I got saved. I had to pray about which church that I would join. I had three choices. I did not start going to church until the week I got saved. Being a part of a church and joining one was a big step for me.

I have been thinking... When did all this confusion start? I cannot recall. But I do recall on the day after Thanksgiving 1993. Things became weirder and weirder and the question of my salvation began to deepen.


Sunday, November 28, 1993 was my Water Baptism Day. I could not wait to be submerged into the water. I had thoughts that was trying to tell me that I was not saved. I wanted this water baptism so much, I had to wait unto it was announced in church.


On that morning of my water baptism, I was reading from the book of 1 Corinthians 14 from the New King James Version. I could not focus on what I was reading. I read and re read and had trouble reading the verses.


I kept reading anyway. Then it came time to read verse 9 b, I read it in a new way. For you [ I ] will be [ blessed ] speaking in the air. That caught my attention. If you have been around me, you would notice that I am not much of a talker.

Anyway I wanted to make sure that I was saved before I was water baptized. If I was not than the water baptism did not count. I just got wet for nothing. Water Baptized is a very important event in a Christian's life.

For those who are curious about my water baptism. It occurred at the YMCA. There were 25 of us. I was # 22. I was ready to go under, bury my old life and come into my new life. Pastor Nick D. had the honor to baptize me.

Through the months ahead more strange things happened. Things attacked my thinking about my salvation. By January 14 - 24, 1994, those were days to remember. As I look back at what happened, it was like I was losing my mind. But God intervened.

There were a lot of things that occurred during this time. But two major things that attack me were out right ridiculous. One late evening I had thoughts trying to tell me that I was Enoch, the one who never saw death because God took him. And another thing was that I was going to Israel to be a witness to the Antichrist.


I even knew at that time, that that was not so. I even laugh at the thoughts. That was so stupid to even cross my mind. But those thoughts entered my thinking. I was not on anything. [No drugs or no alcohol.]

I recall at that time, I was very sleepy. I was falling asleep as all these thoughts were coming more and more in to my thinking. I would fight the sleep but something came and cause me to sleep so to speak.

This all happened within 7 -10 days. By the end those days, I reflected back on what had happened to me. Psalm 23 came to my thinking. He makes me lay down in green pastures, He restores my soul.

Indeed He restored my soul. I could not fight off whatever was attacking my mind. I felt sleepy and could not stay a wake. I had not choice but to laid down.

After all this, I continue to go to church. In January of 1994, I recall during praise and worship, I thanked God for bringing me through this. I even started to raise my arms and hands higher while in praise and worship. Since then praising and worshiping God had taken on a whole new meaning.

Over this time spand, I told about three or four people that I felt like that I was not saved. I did not tell all what happened to me. But all the people who I told, believed that I was save. One led me to Romans 10: 9-10.

Also I recall that I was reading Ephesians 1:13. Where it speaks about salvation, guarantee and sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit. On that same day I was listening to a radio program and heard the same verse spoken again from Ephesians. That caught my attention.

But something else was trying to take me back and forth on this issue that brought confusion. I believe that I had my salvation. But still more unusual things continued. And my salvation issue was a question.

By mid March of 1994 this question grew deeper. It was leading up to April Revival of 1994 a week long church gatherings. This was the second weirdest week that I have had as a Christian. I didn't know how I made it through that week. But I believe that God was with me.

My heart was very heavy about my salvation. I did not know how much more I could take of this. At times I did not know what to do. I believe that it would be inappropriate to share with you what actually happened to me.

It's one of those cases to where it happened but I don't believe that it happened. But I believe that it did. Only God knows the truth of what happened. It was like one of those twilight zone episodes type moments.

I still had that heaviness on my heart. I could not make it to all the Revival gatherings. The question of my salvation was upon me. Finally, I spoke to God and told Him that I could not make it to church. I ask for His forgiveness.

Every time I went to church, weird things kept happening to me. April 24, 1994 was the first time I voluntary missed church. I got up at my normal Sunday morning hour. I had set my will not to go. And I stayed in my room that morning in quietness of the day.



What in the world would cause me to miss church? Weird things happened while I was setting during altar calls. There was something that appeared to be physically touching me. I would look but there was nothing there.

At times I would hear things that would draw my attention. The music would go up on down, especially during praise and worship. It was so very very weird.

Then the touching issues would happened in other places outside church. Still there would be nothing there to see that was doing the touching. At first I thought it was muscle spasm. I took note when they would happened. It was like I was being attacked from the unseen spiritual world.


One strange thing occurred one morning when I woke up about the 4 AM hour. I had a cold sweat. I felt something hit my hand that woke me up. There was nothing there.


By this time I had realized that I was needing to call someone. I needed tell them about what was going on with this issue. I was wrestling with what to do. The thought of calling someone and sharing this....

Who to call? And would that person believe me? It took me a while to call. But I did make the call. And that person who I called believed what I share with them and believed that I was saved too. I was not off my rocker.

What was I going to do with these attacks that were trying to convince me that I was not saved? I sought God for the answer. I don't recall what day it was but I believe that the Spirit of the LORD spoke to me and said that I will depress myself if I kept worrying about my salvation. So I settled it in my heart that I was saved. Still the weirdness continued on...

Another happening came... One morning, while I was sitting still in a chair praying. I stopped praying in the spirit. And all of sudden, I started to rock. I mean, I felt like I was in a boat or some thing rocking.

While I was sitting, I had a thought come to me. "You're back in the boat." And for some reason another thought came and said "You were never out of it." Speaking of my salvation.


I jumped out of my chair for joy when I received that revelation. I was never out of the boat of salvation. I believe that I was saved that whole time that I was going through the doubt and uneasiness of the weirdness in my life. I kept believing.

Through all this, still the issue of my salvation comes up from time to time. It has lesson over the years. This salvation issue lasted for about 3 or 4 years: 1993 -1996 or so. I cannot really recall. The weirdness had slacked down a lot after that time.


What is salvation? Pastor BZ has preached on the subject. I was all ears. But one thing that I believe we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We are in a process of being saved. There are parts of our lives that need to be born again and again and again and again. Salvation is on going process in our lives.


What have I learned and experienced through this issue of my salvation? Indeed I have learn to come closer to Jesus. I believe whatever that I went through has built up my faith to where I am needing to go. As I look back over these episodes of my life, Jesus was the only comfort that kept me stabled.

There were some people who I spoke with me, believed that I was saved. But somehow through the things that were happening to me, brought doubt to my mind. I believed what was happening to me was not of God. I believed that He would not do that to me. If I was not saved, He would saved me. I believe that He has.

I hope that what I have opened up to you about has some how encourage you in whatever you have been going through. There are things in life that we are in and no matter how much others try to help us, there is something there that is blocking our production. God is always there to help us through.

But GOD! Yes, But GOD! He is there to see us through, if we just continue to call upon Him in the midst of the issues that we are going through. God is in the storm with us. Whether if a thunderstorm, tornado, typhoon or a tropical storm. NO matter the storm in life look, around for the Life Guard that is there with us.


May you work out your salvation with fear and trembling. No matter what's going on in your life, believe no matter what, God is with you and He will never leave you.

There was a phrase that came to me spirit on the 9th of February 1994 that tends to let be a part of me. I will leave you with this thought. As you journey in life,


"NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, KEEP YOUR FAITH IN JESUS."

(Counting down the days till my Conversion Day Anniversary....)

2018 August Bartlett ~ In Remembrance

 Some of the Descendants of Wade H. PEYTON and Sarah "Sallie" (BARTLETT) PEYTON

In Memory of  Bettie CHAMBERLAN. She passed on August 27, 1927, She was the daughter of Wrennie CHAMBERLAIN and Gaynell (YOUNGER) CHAMBERLAIN CALIE

In Memory of  Gaynell (YOUNGER) CHAMBERLAIN CALIE. She passed on August 28, 1978. She was the daughter of William YOUNGER and Mytrle (PEYTON) YOUNGER MLLER.

 In Memory of  Katherine A. "Katie" (ROBINSON) PEYTON. She was born on August 29, 1902. She was the wife of Dr. Wade H. PEYTON Jr.


Son of Elias W. BARTLETT Sr.
 In Memory of   Charles BARTLETT, He was born on August 28,  1866.
He was the son of Elias W. BARTLETT Sr.

Click for  Blakey / Blakley WHITE Family Connections

2018 August ~ In Remembrance: DADE

In Remembrance of Birth Days and Death Dates: DADE Family Connections

 Updates posted as they come.

 Some of the Descendants of  Louis and Mary (VENOY) DADE

On August 2 ~  In  Loving  Memory of   Japlin G. DADE was born in 1866.  He was the son of Louis Newton DADE and Mary (VENOY) DADE.

On August 4 ~ In Loving   Memory of   Virgil Louis KING. He passed in 1941. He was the son of Barney and Hazel (DADE) KING

 On August 5  ~ In Loving  Memory of    Robert Lee DADE. He was born in 1917. He was the son of Den "Dennie" DADE and Louetta / Etta (ROBINSON) DADE.
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 On August 5  ~ In Loving  Memory of   Melvin Milford COLLINS Sr. He passed in 1975.  He was the husband of Julia Mary (BROWN) COLLINS

 On August 12 ~ In Loving   Memory of   George Charles COLLINS  He passed in 1942. He was the son of Melvin M. COLLINS Sr. and Julia Mary (BROWN) COLLINS.

On August 12 ~ In Loving Memory of Robert Lee DADE He passed on August 12, 1982. ~ Not for sure if this Robert is related.

On August 12 ~ In Memory of   William Edgar KING. He  passed in 2000. He was the son of Barney and Hazel (DADE) KING

On August 18 ~ In Loving   Memory of George Charles COLLINS. He was born in 1942. He was the son of Melvin COLLINS Sr. and Julia Mary (BROWN) COLLINS.

On August 19 ~ In Loving  Memory of    Mary (VERNOY) DADE. She passed on in 1915.
She was the wife of Louis Newton DADE.

On August 20 ~ In Loving  Memory of  Unnamed DADE born in 1911. Child of Nora "Dennie" DADE and Louella (ROBINSON) DADE.

On August 22 ~ In Memory of  Unnamed DADE This infant passed  in 1911. Child of Nora "Dennie" DADE and Louella (ROBINSON) DADE.

On August 25 ~ In Loving  Memory of  Lillian (WASHINGTON) DADE She passed in 1964. She was the wife of Roy DADE.

On August 29, ~ In Loving Memory of   Haddie Lu (MANLEY) WILLIAMS She passed in 1987. She was the daughter of William and Luella (HENDERD) MANLEY

On August  30  ~ In Loving Memory of Ivan BIRDITT. He was born in 1908. He was the husband of Elizabeth J. (DADE) NICKERSON BIRDITT.


The George and Mary Ann DADE MADISON Family Connections

On August 12 ~ In Loving Memory of Essie (WILSON) FOUSE. She was born in 1890. She was the daughter of  Mary Elizabeth / Lizzie MADISON and Sam WILSON


The David and Louisa  (DADE) WASHINGTON Familly Connections:


On August  20  ~ In Loving Memory of Robert X TATE. He was born in 1935. He was the son of Edgar and Juanita (WASHINGTON) TATE.


On August 29 ~ In Loving Memory of   Martha Elizabeth (McGruder) TATE. She was born in 1939. She was the wife of Robert X TATE.

The Louisa (DADE) WASHINGTON Family Connections:
Branch of George and Ellen (LOVE) HENDRED 


On August 6 ~ In Loving Memory of  Maxine Louise (HENDRED) CRAYTON. She was born in 1916. She was the wife of Leahy L. "Lee" CRAYTON

On August 8 ~ In Loving Memory of    William  Charles "Willie" HENDRED He was born in 1890. He was the son of  George HENDRED and Ellen (LOVE ) HENDRED

On August 9 ~ In Loving Memory of Leonard E. MANLEY. He was born in 1910. He was the son of William "Doc" MANLEY and Luella (HENDRED) MANLEY

On August 11  In Loving Memory of  Otto S. CLAY passed on in 1979.  He was the husband of Ruby Dee (MANLEY) CLAY.

 On August 12 ~ In Loving Memoryof  Manfrerd HENDERED He passed on in 2002.  He was the son of Isaac and Elise (MARSHALL) HENDRED.

On August 17 ~ In Loving Memory of   Elsie (SIMMONS) WILLIAMS She passed in 2003 She was the wife of Kenneth WILLIAMS Sr.

 On August 18 ~ In Loving Memory of    Betty Lou (HENDRED) EWING She passed on in 2004.  She was the daughter of Isaac and Elise (MARSHALL) HENDRED.

On August 18 ~ In Loving  Memory of Perry James AMBERS. He passed in 1951. He was the husband Florence (HENDRED) COBY AMBERS.

On August  ~ In Loving  Memory of   Artie William MANLEY and Archie MANLEY. They were born in 1911. Artie was born on the 19th or 20th. Archie was born on the 16th. They were the twin sons of William Arthur "Doc" MANLEY and Luella (HENDRED) MANLEY

 On August 22 ~ In Memory of Eva Lena MANLEY GARR. She was born in 1905. She was the daughter of William Arthur "Doc" MANLEY and Luella (HENDRED) MANLEY

 On August 28 ~ In Loving Memory of  Horace W. HENDRED He was born in 1922.  He was the son of Isaac and Elise (MASHALL) HENDRED.

On August 30 ~ In  Loving Memory of Sheliah M. (WILLIAMS) MANLEY She passed in 2012. She was the wife of Leonard Newjean MANLEY

The  Robert and Charlotta (DADE) LANKFORD / LANKFARD Family Connections


On August 5 ~ In Loving Memory of   William Emmanuel MADISON Sr.  He passed in 1961. He was the husband of Lula (LANKFARD) MADISON

On August 5  ~ In Loving Memory of Claudia M. YOUNG. She passed in 2010. She was the daughter of Clyde YOUNG and Betina "Betty" (NICKERSON) SIMMS YOUNG.

On August  13 ~ In Loving Memory of William E. MADISON Jr. He passed in 1995. He was the son of William E. MADISON Sr. and Lula (LANKFORD) MADISON.

On August 16 ~ In Loving Memory of Robert Eugene. NICKERSON. He passed in 2016. He was the son of Ezekiel Watson NICKERSON and Isabelle V. (LANKFORD) NICKERSON.

On August 17 ~ In Loving Memory of Robert E. MADISON. He passed in 1935. He was the son of William E. MADISON Jr. and Mattie L. (MAYS) MADISON.

On August 23 ~ In Loving Memory of   Paul Anthony WEST He passed in 2012. He was the son of Norman WEST and LaVerne (NICKERSON) WEST HOLLAND THOMSPON.

On August 23 ~ In Memory of Evelyn L. McCLARTY. She was born in 1949.  She was the daughter of Lacy McCLARTY and Doris (NICKERSON) McCLARTY DAVIS.

On August 27 ~ In Loving Memory of   Paul Anthony WEST.  He was born in 1976. Norman WEST and LaVerne (NICKERSON) WEST HOLLAND THOMSPON.

On August 29 ~ In Memory of Betina "Betty" NICKERSON  SIMMS YOUNG. She was born.  She was the Ezekiel Watson NICKERSON and Isabelle V. (LANKFORD) NICKERSON.

On August 30 ~ In Memory of  Comezell WALKER Sr. He was born in 1922.  He was the husband of J. L. (LANKFORD) WALKER WILSON

On August 30 ~ In Loving Memory of Josephine Louise LANKFORD WALKER WILSON. She was born in 1932. She was the wife of Comezell WALKER Sr.