The Decision
After listening to Rae speak of the wonderful free gift of salvation that God had just for me…
I chose to accept Jesus as my Savior! Who would want to go to Hell just because they were too proud to deny the fact they needed a Savior? I knew I desperately needed Jesus as my Savior, and Rae had been the person who showed me exactly how to find Him.
When Rae told me to pray and ask Jesus to save me, I was embarrassed. I had no idea how to pray a real prayer. All I had ever known were “vain repititions” which I had learned at the churches I attended while growing up. My embarrassment about this did not phase Rae in the least. She explained to me that she would be very happy to help me pray. She knelt beside where I sat on the couch and helped me pray a prayer that went something like this: “Jesus, I am a sinner. I know that I deserve Hell. Please forgive me of my sin and come into my heart. I want you to be my Lord and Savior and take me to Heaven when I die. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.”
The following verse in the book of Romans sums up exactly what I did when I turned from my sin to the Savior. I confessed my sin to Jesus, I acknowledged that I had a need, I believed in my heart that He alone could and would save me, and I asked Him to take me to Heaven when I died.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation…For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Roman 10:9-10, 13
An Eternal Promise
At the age of 28, I was saved! I trusted Jesus as my Savior and I knew I was on my way to Heaven because of what He had done for me. I trusted in His promise: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13
Salvation was immediate. God saved me just as I was, a sinner. Jesus came into my heart and covered my black sinful heart with His pure precious blood. Now, when God looks upon Lori Dickman, He does not see the sin that is there: He sees the pure blood of His Son that was applied to that sinful heart when I trusted Christ as my Savior. Whenever the time comes that I should be taken home to Heaven, God will allow me to enter because He will see that the blood has been applied, the decision was made, the promise remains.
Overwhelming Joy and Peace
The rest of Rae’s visit at my home that evening is really a blur. I only remember the joy that completely filled me. How wonderful it has been to have the assurance of eternal life since that day. How wonderful it is to think of the mansion that Jesus is preparing just for me in Heaven.
“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself: that where I am, ther ye may be also.” John 14:2-3
The peace and the joy that He has given to me is beyond words.
“Whom having not seen, ye love: in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; Receving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:8-9
I wonder where would I be today had Rae not been obedient to the Lord when He tells us to “go” and tell others about Him? Had she been disobedient, I might still be on my way to Hell. I praise God for Rae and for her obedience to Him, for her love and service to Him.
Next time, I’ll share a little more about the Blessings of Obedience….