My Testimony

8-6-2007

By Reginald Fredericks

This is a special narrative about the most important day in my living history that has changed my life forever, both in this world and the world that is to come. This is my account of how I came to know the only True Living God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Redeemer of mankind, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between man and God, regenerating the hearts of mankind from darkness and stone to light and flesh by His Holy Spirit. To God be praised now and forevermore, Amen!

I remember those nine years ago when I was still in high school and the winter months have passed and early spring was coming into bloom. It was my first year of high school and I remembered not having many friends and being picked on and talked about, harshly at times, simply because I was the smart one and quiet boy that hardly spoke to a soul. I also believe that I was a bit arrogant in ways too because there were people that I didn't want to associate with who were mostly a bad character, though not all of them. Nevertheless, I always looked out for myself while not necessarily regarding others as important, unless they were my friends (or less fortunate).

As I went about my life at this time, I was content with the fact that I was madly, deeply in love with a young lady and I was one of the smartest guys in school. After all, this was the good part of life. On the other hand, I had enemies that wanted to see me gone and wanted to see me in an evil light (like themselves) but I wouldn't have it. I got into a couple of altercations where one boy and his friend pounced on with their words and one eventually physically attacked me; he grabbed my arm and wouldn't let go and made like his was going to break it. While I'm no fighter, I did beg him to let me go. Eventually, the teacher intervened and the class laughed after I told him it was unfriendly contact. It was one thing to be physically assaulted but another thing to be laughed at when you are in crisis asking for help, because I had "unfriendly contact." It wasn't anything funny at all and I hated many of them for laughing and acting like I was being funny; those heartless fools, I thought to myself. It made me realize why I never had any intention of making friends and sought to be by myself. Nevertheless, I was sent to an alternate location, as well as he, where I signed a statement (in the administrator's office) describing exactly what happened, down to the last detail (which isn't too different from what I am saying now). For a while, I used the administrator's office as a study hall for lunch (as this is when it happened) and also is where I began writing many of works of poetry and novels. One other altercation happened on the bus. I usually sat in the front of the bus, but on this particular day I had no choice but to take a seat in the back of the bus. It was there that some girls and a guy began asking me questions and verbally assaulting me. Soon, though, I was threatened by the guy with a jump threat. I soon reported this incident to the office the next day and the guy was suspended. I know that he saw me another day telling me that he was innocent and didn't do anything, but according to the law of the school, he did. After all, I don't report "innocent" people to the office if they have done nothing wrong or threaten a person's life.

One final incident happened when I mistakingly opened my mouth to telling a guy to get off the bus. Some reason, he took offense to this. He shouted back at me about asking me if I was going to do something to get him suspended. Soon, I got off the bus and as I walked towards the corner of the street I lived on, I heard some footsteps and knew that I was being followed (the guy was only a block directly behind me so he waited til I got off the bus to confront me). Thus, I purposefully slowed my pace and waited til the guy made his move (It was no point in running and I thought best just to let the guy confront me, because even if I did run I'd see him anything anyway). So, he jumped in my face and wanted me to fight him. I refused constantly to fight him and asked him why he wanted me to fight him. He told because he said so but it wasn't good enough for me. The interesting thing was this though; as he came for me the two others guys that shared our stop were trying to pull him away from me. One of them was one that hung out with him constantly and the other guy lived up on the hill adjacent to my destination. Apparently, he came down to help too; this happened so fast that it was like they came from out of nowhere. They held him back saying "leave him alone" and used all their strength to keep him from attacking me. Eventually, he left and all went their way. I told my folks about the matter and they both intercepted the bus that next day immediately caught me once the bus stopped. Thank God for my parents, they cared for me much to be both be there that day.

So, as time went on, I was starting to question why my life was now taking this dangerous turn; while I wasn't one who pursued trouble, it was seeming to find me. There were other incidents in my life similar to this that happened much earlier, and because of this I was starting to fear for my own life. So, I greatly feared surviving until the very end of the year. But one night, things really hit my heart to the point where I thought I was going to die. I believe some of the actual events described above didn't happen until I had this dream.

One night, most likely in the spring, say between March and April, I had been sleeping and was dreaming deeply. As the dream went on, I felt it shift between a normal subconscious world to a reality that possible could have been an outer body experience (this is complete speculation). I saw myself standing on the earth, with the ground being rocky and rough and the sky being full of gray clouds, like a storm was coming. Around me were people going about the earth doing what they would normally do (buy, selling, being merry). Suddenly, the wind picks up speed and rain follows after. So far, normal activity. But like a domino effect, the rain was accompanied by hail, thunder, lightning, and earthquakes. Buildings fell, the earth trembled, and people were now scattered in fear for their lives. All I could do was stand in my place terrified of this terrible disaster; it was almost as if heaven itself was crashing down onto earth and destroying everything in it's path. I suddenly heard someone say, "Who can save us from this terrible thing?" At once, with the sound of thunder crackling, I heard a voice from heaven come to life saying, "Fear not, for it is I." Immediately, my face froze in terror and my body trembled greatly as I looked up to the heavens. As I did, my thoughts in my head were something like, "This voice is..." "I'm not ready to die, I'm only fifteen years old." Regardless, I found myself staring at the sky preparing to meet my Maker.

As flashes of lightning filled the sky and thunder roared above, I heard the voice of the Lord say, "The time has come. Drink from the bottle of life." Immediately, the Lord sent a bolt of lightning from heaven and strike the ground a few feet in front of me. As the ground flashed and exploded, there in it's place appeared a chest, gold all over with red lining on the outside lid. I stepped forward to look into the chest and saw bottles of what appeared to be water. I took one of these bottles (probably a stand eight ounce bottle) and marveled at it's appearance. The water was so clear and transparent that the bottle appeared to empty, but shaking it I saw bubbles rise to the surface. As I held it in my hands I felt power come forth from this bottle and it made me thirsty. So, I went to twist off the cap and moved it to my mouth to drink it, but as I did lightning struck the earth again and filled it with a huge flash that caused me to drop the bottle and shield my eyes. As the flash cleared, I moved my arm away from my eyes and saw what was in front of me. Immediately, my body fell paralyzed and I felt like I just died. All the strength I had went straight down to my knees and I found myself stuck on the ground on my knees. I immediately fell on my face to avoid looking in front of me. But I soon felt a power that left me trembling and terrified wondering if I would awake from what seemed to be too real to be a dream. Soon, I slowly raised my head to see a figure sitting on a throne. The throne was so big that it took the entire earth wasn't able to contain it. The man sitting on throne sat with His feet solid and strong and were like bronze. His robe was whiter than snow and so clean that no bleach on the earth could match it's clarity. His hands were so big that it was as though He could hold the entire universe, as well as the earth, in His palm. His presence was so huge that it filled both the earth and heaven; though part of Him I saw the rest of Him, leading to His face, were clouded in the shadows and clouds of heaven. He sat on His throne as though He had all power and sovereignty over all things and that He was the only One like Himself, no one could oppose Him. He sat as though He was all there ever was, is, and will be. No one was like this One who sat upon the throne. As I marveled at His presence, I felt great fear coming from Him, but also I felt a gentle and loving spirit come over me and gave me a sense of peace. Still, in my heart, I felt as though that I shouldn't be even be allowed to look upon Him because He was so powerful and holy and I was a dead man destined to die that night before God. I noticed two angels by His throne, on each side, constantly standing and facing Him. Soon, I found my eyes noticing a shape in the sky. It seemed as though there was something behind the clouds that I couldn't make out. It looked like a face. I suddenly found myself straining to make it out when suddenly I felt something strike me causing all to go black. I felt as though I had fallen from a building yelling and screaming until I felt something broke my fall. I thought I was dead that night. Then, just as I had impacted from the fall, I sat up abruptly in my bed. My heart raced and I was still in awe but in my head I heard the words, "The time has come. Drink from the bottle of life."

That next day, I told my mom about it. Not too long, some of the things (the second and third encounters) that happened above started happening. On top of that, I was given a book that told about hell. As I read it, I felt my heart tremble and my pulse race as each chapter begged and pleaded for the reader to repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ. But now, I was left to wonder exactly what the word "repent" meant. Whatever it did, I felt compelled to do so. Months went by and my life took a drastic change as I lost my first love; she broke up with me the day school was over. I was devastated and heartbroken because I loved her (didn't know this yet). I soon blamed that book I read for causing everything to fall apart and if I didn't read that book then I wouldn't had the vision (I am still wondering if I had the dream first or the book, but I think it may have been the book). Regardless, I was depressed, angry, and heartbroken and I isolated myself from everyone by staying in my room all day, from sun up to sun down. By this time, I was 16 years old, cause my birthday was in June.

Soon, in the last Sunday in July, my mom came home one morning after church saying that she had found the place God wanted her to be. She talked about how wonderful it was and how she would go back the next Sunday to join it. Now, I was quiet and I said nothing (I was in the living room playing videogames when she came home) but as she started upstairs, I heard myself say, "I'll go to church with you next Sunday." I repeated this as she jerked her head around the corner just to make sure she heard me right. That next Sunday, I was ready and with her and we went to church on that August 2 Sunday morning. After service, she went down to the front of the church to join it and grabbed my hand and pulled me along side her. Soon, we were instructed to go into the pastor's office and wait for him. We were then told, after the meeting with him, to come back on that Thursday, the 6th of August. It was there that night, at 6 o'clock until about seven or eight, that we met with him and I told him everything that happened to me up until that point. Another guy was also present at the church and he used the Bible to confirm the visions I had seen (I had another one as well) as well as help me to understand what repentance meant. Soon, it became clear to what I had to do and I had pondered on that as we talked more that evening. We also talked about baptism and communion, in which arrangements were made for me to be baptized that Sunday. That night, however, I finally understood what I needed to do. So, before I slept that night, I gave my life to Christ, looking to follow through with obedience through baptism later. That night, I know, was when I gave in to His grace and was saved and made into a new creature. Sunday came, and I was baptized that day at the end of service. Now, at the time, in the United Methodist Church, three forms of baptism were offered and I chose pouring. Afterwards, I was given my first Bible and my certificate of baptism. I left feeling like a new person, for the rest of my life. From then on, my story has gotten greater and my faith has matured greatly into a deeper richer understanding of God's grace and His Word.

I soon found myself eventually called into the ministry later on, as well in Bible college some years later. Also, due to the proper understanding of what baptism is, I was re-baptized, immersed, when I was led to join a Baptist church in Charlotte, NC in 2005. Immersion is the best example of baptism in the NT when I our got baptized; that and the root meaning of baptism in Greek actually means to immerse. At this current day, I am currently a member (soon to be officially because I'm still in membership classes) of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Temple Hills, Maryland where my pastor is the recent new elected second vice-president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Rev. Eric C. Redmond. Over these past years, I have seen God's work in my life to be an awesome work; with a calling on my life and many blessings along the way, I continue to presently pressed forward towards the goal of receiving a crown that is incorruptible. My love for reaching the lost has increased, and my knowledge and relationship with Christ has greatly been deepened to a more personal faith and journey that I enjoy taking everyday. I thank God for keeping me these many years and I look forward to serving Him and worshiping all my days, forever and ever. To God be glory, forever and ever, for great things He has done

On a final note, I as a teenager I was very sexual active, proud, and angry. I dishonored my parents and my god was my material possessions as well as myself. I was also a liar, thief, murderer, coveter, and blasphemer at heart. I didn't indirectly leave out these things because I wanted to save them to the end to let you know what kind of guy I was in high school. So, when I had that vision, I knew that I had sinned against God because of the conscience He gave to me. I knew that that's why I should have died that night because His wrath abided on me that night! But because of His mercy, He let me live only to know His Son Jesus Christ months later and pardoned my sin. I repented of my old ways and was made a new creature on this day nine years ago. You see, it didn't matter if I was 15, 16, or 25, God was going to eventually give me justice and put me in Hell because of my sin. But...He saved me. You see, I realized that I had done wrong because His law was written upon my heart. The ten commandments serves as a mirror in showing us how sinful we are we are towards God. The 10 commandments do not help anyone, but leaves one helpless and in need of the Savior. I, broke all ten!

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend (stumble) in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you kill, you are become transgressor of the law." (James 2:10-11). If you have ever lied once, including the made up white lie or small lie, then you are a liar. If you have ever stolen anything, regardless of value, then you are a thief. If you have ever looked with lust at the opposite sex (or even the same, heaven help you) then it's the same as adultery. Jesus said that if a man looks at a woman with lust he has already committed adultery in his heart. Jesus also said that if you hated someone without cause then you are a murderer. If you have ever used God's name as a curse word, that's called blasphemy and you are a blasphemer.

The Bible says this: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers (adulterers), and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Revelation 21:8. Furthermore, Jesus said:

And if your hand offends (causes you to sin) you, cut it off. Is is better for you to enter into life (heaven) maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched. And if your foot offends you, cut it off; it is better for you to enter halt (cripple) into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire the never shall be quenched; where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. And if your eye offends you, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire; where their worm dies not and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:43-48)

Jesus, however, also said this:

"...Verily, verily, I say to you, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God...verily, verily, I say to you, except a man be born of water (natural birth) and of the Spirit (spiritual birth), he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit...For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned, but he that believes not is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should b reproved. But he that does truth comes to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God." (John 3:3,5-6, 16-21)

Even so, you can rest in these promises:

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." Romans 8:28

""But what said it? The word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and shall believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes to righteousness and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. For the scripture says whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed...for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:8-11, 13

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

"For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

"I f we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, e lie and do not the truth; but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:6-10)

So, please be aware of your sin and trust in Jesus Christ today. Hurry, he is coming soon!!!

The Lord be praised and worshiped forever, Amen!!!

All scriptures are taken from The Evidence Bible, easy read KJV, compiled by Ray Comfort