"any who ... for fun, tell me how your were saved and how your sins were forgiven.  That's something I love hearing about."

That's Deep !

God has a Funny way of doing things,
and you never Know what He is gonna do next,
or How He's gonna do it !

I was looking for something Else, But God had other Plans !

And How He brought me to Know Him,
Was through Reading, Something I didn't Do,
I hated reading with a Pa**ion.

And The Book He brought me to Was The King James,
of all Bibles He choose The King James Version.

Reading and Understanding Became MY Pa**ion,
I couldn't get enough...!!!

Maybe You remember Me telling the Story of being A 7th Grade Drop Out, well there is truth to that, But, I did go on to the 11th grade.
I kept moving mid year to different Schools, some times even different States And Although I didn't pas s they Kept sending me on to the next grade.
Anyway mid year 11th grade I did something that got me booted for Good....
Parents were done with each other, and with all the moving around with Mom then with Dad, Then with Mon then Dad.

By that time I was well into Drugs and running away,
From Dad in California to Mom in Rhode Island To Uncles Fla.
(And Finally to the Streets)

Dad was A Drug addict and drunk
What a Mess. 

Born Oct 4th 1957 (The Day Sputnic went Up)
By 1971 I tried to kill myself, and was running away from Home,
Every chance I could, when I was home I was at the beach all the time Surfing, bunking school doing Drugs and Weed drinking, You Name it I did it.

I joined the Army in 1976 got out in 1977...!!!
(That's another Story)

I kept running to the Streets, While there,
and In Hawaii I kept running in to these Guys reading The Bible,
Yes they were reading the Bible, running around in white Sheets, barefoot, (Smoking Weed) Nevertheless, I wasn't there to Hear the Bible I was there for the Weed...!!!

And that's Why I said, "God has a Funny way of doing things".

I was there for The Weed, But What I got was The Bible, all day every day. and a joint here and there.

That Was I think 1977-78, I soon understood that the Weed was not for me anymore, so i quit, Parted from those guys,
But Kept the Bible...!!!

It wasn't Untill 1979,
That's when I started to read the Bible every day.

The Bible and Strong's Concordance I had with me Day and Night everywhere I went...

But I give my life over to God Untill 12 August 1988 
Although I had been reading The Bible Day and Night for almost 10 years...!!!

By the start of Aug 1988 I was fed up with Christians and the hypocrisy, God wasn't real to them as far as I could See, Not even a little Bit, It was just a front...!!!
(And just for the Record, Not much has Changed)

But, As I said, I was Fed up with God, People, everything...!!!

I was in Hawaii and was woke up from a Bad dream,
I was Done, I was going back to Rhode Island, and was going to make Babies, Get back to work, Make Money and Live Like everybody else, I got on a Plane to Los Angeles, Had to catch another plane to Boston, While waiting I called my Dad, He said he was about to get kicked out to the streets and needed my help.
So, I stayed and helped him out.

While There In L.A. The Movie "The Last Temptation of Christ"
Was being shown, I went to see the First showing,
(With My Bible In Hand), Well Let me tell ya, I became Everybodies Punching Bag, Everybody that was there to protest the Movie, Zeroed in on Me, They yelled at me Called me every name they could, They did everything they Could Short of Nailing me to The Cross, And they would have Done that, I Think had the cops and TV News wasn't there.

(The Line was Long too, And I was towards the End of the Line.)

Wow, The Hate was almost overwhelming, I believe someone else would have bowed out and went to see another movie, But I stayed.

And when I finally got in Side, This Very tall Black Lady Asked me Why I didn't just leave? (I thought it was just to Funny) and had to see the movie just because I wanted to see what they were so enraged about, I mean they were down right Hateful.

That Same Lady asked me,
Why I wanted to see the Movie in the First place ?

I told her, everybody has an Insight On God,
(EveryOne has a Story, a Thought On God and Jesus, and I want to hear Everybodies Thoughts about God.)
and that he being Martin Scorsese, He had to have something important to say, He went forward dispite the death threats and all the controversy, he still brought the film forward for Us to See.

Well, I'm Not sure if any of You have seen the Movie, So I won't spoil it for You,
But, What I got out of the Movie, Changed My Life...!!!
Remember I said I was on my Way back to Rhode Island to Join the World Like everyone else,
Make Babies (Lots of Them)
Well in the Movie, That's what Christ wanted too, He wanted to be Like everyone Else, and a family (Lots of Kids),
He wanted all these things about God and what He was to do, Go Away, He didn't understand why God was putting it all on Him.
He Just wanted to Live Life Like everyOne else...!!!
(Remember My Dream)
Well, In the End, He came to Understand that he had to What God Wanted Him to Do, And He Did it with a Smile on his Face.

And what all that said to Me, Was I was to do the Same and Give My Life to God, 100%...!!!
(With a Smile on My Face...!!!)

So, 12 August 1988 I gave My Life To God...!!!

Good Point,

And It's good of you for continuing in the Learning and Sharing of God's Word...!!!

I have alway said it's not about me, (Not even a little Bit) 
If I'm saved of Not,
It's about God and Jesus Christ...!!!

Jesus is the Only One who is Saved, We can Only tell people of what He Did for Us, And that His Name be carried On...!!!

I happen to believe That We (All Of Us are One) So,
When People ask me, Am I Saved?
I often point to the People around Me,
And Say, They are Me, I am Them, 
We are One...!!!
And Ask, Are We Saved?

(And Most of the Time the People around me A full on Sinners)
((No, No, No Rick, No Way are they Saved, They reply))

No Rick I'm Talking about You, "Rick" Are You Saved?

If They are Not Saved, Then Niether am I, Because We are One...!!!

But, I also Happen to believe,
That because Jesus Did what He did...!!!

We all Are Saved, We just Don't Know it...!!!

That's Where We, Carrying the Word Of God On, Come In...!!!

Tell people We are saved, By What Jesus Did,
(Jesus Saved Us...!!!)

We Just have to Recieve It...!!!

BR,

thanks for sharing.  I love to hear about how He came and rescued His bride.

that edifies.

14400 - i love 1 John.  It gives biblical a**urance of salvation.

have a blessed day both of ya.

Yeah, Maybe You haven't seen the Movie,
According to Martin Scorsese he was replying to Peoples Thoughts of what Jesus said on the Cross,

Psa 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Silly,
It was a Movie, Nothing to with The Bible, it was just a movie,
And mine was just a dream.

ca-winky-dink, I dreamed it, and was just about to give up,
fed up with everything to do with The Bible and the people who claim they have and look down on those who they think Don't. (Fed Up)

ca-winky-dink, "The Movie" showed the same thing I wanted "Babies"
Was the Same thing Jesus wanted "In The Movie".

But it was enough of a "ca-winky-dink" to make a difference
in my life For God,
And Look what has happened because of that "ca-winky-dink"
A Few web Sites, (More on the Way) All about the Word Of God...!!!
and people from around the World are reading the Bible and asking for more. 

ca-winky-dink.? I think Not, God's hands are In EveryThing...!!!