Lydia Irene Bird

My salvation testimony: I count it a privilege to have grown up in a God-fearing, Christian home with loving parents who saw the importance to instill the truths of the Word of God into my young heart and mind. We faithfully attended Calvary Baptist Church in Watertown, WI every Sunday and Wednesday; so, as a young girl, I was exposed to sound teaching and preaching of the Bible, as the sole authority of faith and practice. At the age of 5, I understood that I was a sinner and on my way to hell. At that time, I prayed a pray, but there was NO change in my life or personal relationship with God. For many years I based my salvation on that prayer without fully understanding that salvation is not the result of the words that you say or the works that you do, but a repentant heart that wholly trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for my sin on the cross of Calvary! During my junior high and high school years, I became very involved in church ministries, such as teaching Sunday school, Bible clubs, weekly soul winning and visitation, a bus ministry, and missions trips. Outwardly, I seemed happy "serving the Lord', but inwardly, I was miserable and tired of living the life of a hypocrite. Here I was telling others about the good news of salvation, when I had never even personally repented of my sin and received Jesus as THE Lord of my life. I am sure my parents and sister knew the spiritual battle I was trying to fight alone, as I worked very hard at keeping my bad attitude hidden from those around me at church and school. PRIDE kept me from bowing my will to God. I did not want to admit to my friends and families at church that I was not saved. My sophomore year of high school at Maranatha Baptist Academy was a turning point in my life. I was under deep conviction of my sin and my need of Christ as my personal Saviour. Many nights I would lay awake scared to die or fearful of the Lord returning to rapture His children, leaving me behind to endure the Great Tribulation and an eternity in Hell. On April 12, 2000, Pastor Bob Loggans gave a salvation invitation at the end of a Wednesday evening service. I immediately responded realizing my desperate need for Christ in my life. Mrs. Lincoln, our former pastor's wife, showed me the well-known verses from the Bible concerning sin and salvation and that night I was gloriously saved by repenting of my sin and faith alone in Jesus Christ! II Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." My new life in Christ had just begun ALL because Christ had set me free from my bondage to sin and the Devil. Immediately, peace and joy flooded my soul, overwhelming with the fact that God had saved me and now dwells in me! I was excited to have a new purpose in life and to be used of the Lord in a great way to accomplish His perfect will. A few weeks later, I followed the Lord in believer's baptism by immersion, which is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism is also a public testimony that signifies my life is not mine to live as I please, but is wholly dedicated to follow Christ and His Word despite opposition. A year later, under the preaching of Dr. Tom Johnson, missionary to Cambodia, I surrendered my life to God to do whatever He wants me to do and to go wherever He wants me to go. Since then I have always had a special place in my heart for the mission field of Cambodia and was thrilled at the opportunity to go there on a missions trip in June 2010. Currently, I am serving the Lord in my local church and working full-time as a registered nurse, but I am excited to see where God will lead in the future as I seek to faithfully serve Him where He has me right now.
God's Simple Plan of Salvation
The Bible says you can know 100% for sure you are on your way to Heaven when you die.
I John 5:13
God's way is the ONLY way to Heaven!
The Problem of Sin - everyone is a sinner!
Sin is the transgression (breaking) of God's law! (Example: Read the 10 commandments in Exodus 20, then read Jesus' exposition of the commandments in Matthew 5:17-48)
Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is NONE righteous, no, not one."
Romans 3:23 "For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men, for that ALL have sinned."
The Penalty of Sin - eternal death in Hell forever!
Because of my sin, I deserve to be condemned to Hell forever! Jesus speaks more of Hell in the New Testament than of Heaven. Hell is a literal place of fire, darkness, physical and mental torment forever and ever. Read Luke 16. The physical body will never be consumed, but constantly tormented. God is love, but He is also a holy, just God, who cannot have sin in His presence. Sin MUST be punished!
Romans 6:23 "For the wages (payment) of sin is death..."
Psalm 9:17 "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God."
Revelation 14:11 "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:
and they have no rest day nor night."
Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in
the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
The Payment for Sin - Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sin and give you eternal life in Heaven!
God's love is seen through His provision of a way of escape from eternal punishment...His SON, Jesus Christ!
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
I Peter 3:18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."
Titus 2:11 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men."
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
The Pardon for Sin - You must receive a pardon (forgiveness) for your crime of sin against God!
The fact that Jesus died for the sins of all mankind is not an automatic pardon for your sin. You must repent and receive God's pardon for your sin.
God did not create humans to be robots, but gave them the will to choose to worship, love, and serve Him. However, since Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), sin became the barrier between man having a personal relationship with his Creator, God. Yet, God, in His love, provided a way to restore that broken fellowship with man by sending His Son to die for the sins of the whole world (I John 2:2). Before salvation, man is described as a sheep gone astray (Isaiah 53:6) having no shepherd (Matthew 9:36), in bondage to sin (Galatians 4:3), dead (Ephesians 2:1-3), a child of the Devil (I John 3:10), and condemned to Hell (John 3:18). After salvation, God does not see man's sin, but the perfect righteousness of the blood of Jesus Christ! II Corinthians 5:20-21 "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
Reject or Accept Christ? It is your choice!
REPENTANCE ("to turn" from your sin to God) and FAITH (complete dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ) are required for salvation. Good works, religion, a prayer, baptism, none of these will secure you a place in Heaven-- no one could ever be good enough to meet God's standard of holiness (sinless perfection) Matthew 5:48
Luke 13:3 "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord." -- A gift must be received!!!
Friend, would you like to turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness for your sin and receive Him as your Saviour right NOW? God promises to save you if you will repent of your sin and believe the Lord Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sin through His death, burial, and resurrection. Romans 10:9-10,13 says, "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!"
Believe: Understand the facts of salvation, Agree with God about salvation, Depend on Him for salvation!
Salvation is a NEW BIRTH!
Read John 3
One birthday (physical) = Two deaths (physical and spiritual)
The physical death is unavoidable, but the spiritual, eternal death in hell is avoidable!!!
Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
Two birthdays (physical and spiritual) = One death (physical)
I Thessalonians 4:13-14 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
them which are asleep (physically dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have
no hope (unsaved). For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."
A birthday happens once, therefore salvation is not progressive. Once you are saved you are ALWAYS saved. You cannot lose your salvation because you sin after you are saved. However, that does not mean a saved person can or should live however they want. Read Romans 6-8, Ephesians 2, Colossians 3, I Corinthians 6, the WHOLE Bible!
__________________________________________________________________
My physical birthday is September 19, 1984
My spiritual birthday is April 12, 2000
___________________________________________________________________
I know without a doubt that if I were to die today, I would be in Heaven with God! How about you?
Sin is the transgression (breaking) of God's law! (Example: Read the 10 commandments in Exodus 20, then read Jesus' exposition of the commandments in Matthew 5:17-48)
Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is NONE righteous, no, not one."
Romans 3:23 "For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men, for that ALL have sinned."
The Penalty of Sin - eternal death in Hell forever!
Because of my sin, I deserve to be condemned to Hell forever! Jesus speaks more of Hell in the New Testament than of Heaven. Hell is a literal place of fire, darkness, physical and mental torment forever and ever. Read Luke 16. The physical body will never be consumed, but constantly tormented. God is love, but He is also a holy, just God, who cannot have sin in His presence. Sin MUST be punished!
Romans 6:23 "For the wages (payment) of sin is death..."
Psalm 9:17 "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God."
Revelation 14:11 "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:
and they have no rest day nor night."
Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in
the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
The Payment for Sin - Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sin and give you eternal life in Heaven!
God's love is seen through His provision of a way of escape from eternal punishment...His SON, Jesus Christ!
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
I Peter 3:18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."
Titus 2:11 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men."
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
The Pardon for Sin - You must receive a pardon (forgiveness) for your crime of sin against God!
The fact that Jesus died for the sins of all mankind is not an automatic pardon for your sin. You must repent and receive God's pardon for your sin.
God did not create humans to be robots, but gave them the will to choose to worship, love, and serve Him. However, since Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), sin became the barrier between man having a personal relationship with his Creator, God. Yet, God, in His love, provided a way to restore that broken fellowship with man by sending His Son to die for the sins of the whole world (I John 2:2). Before salvation, man is described as a sheep gone astray (Isaiah 53:6) having no shepherd (Matthew 9:36), in bondage to sin (Galatians 4:3), dead (Ephesians 2:1-3), a child of the Devil (I John 3:10), and condemned to Hell (John 3:18). After salvation, God does not see man's sin, but the perfect righteousness of the blood of Jesus Christ! II Corinthians 5:20-21 "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
Reject or Accept Christ? It is your choice!
REPENTANCE ("to turn" from your sin to God) and FAITH (complete dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ) are required for salvation. Good works, religion, a prayer, baptism, none of these will secure you a place in Heaven-- no one could ever be good enough to meet God's standard of holiness (sinless perfection) Matthew 5:48
Luke 13:3 "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord." -- A gift must be received!!!
Friend, would you like to turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness for your sin and receive Him as your Saviour right NOW? God promises to save you if you will repent of your sin and believe the Lord Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sin through His death, burial, and resurrection. Romans 10:9-10,13 says, "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!"
Believe: Understand the facts of salvation, Agree with God about salvation, Depend on Him for salvation!
Salvation is a NEW BIRTH!
Read John 3
One birthday (physical) = Two deaths (physical and spiritual)
The physical death is unavoidable, but the spiritual, eternal death in hell is avoidable!!!
Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
Two birthdays (physical and spiritual) = One death (physical)
I Thessalonians 4:13-14 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
them which are asleep (physically dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have
no hope (unsaved). For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."
A birthday happens once, therefore salvation is not progressive. Once you are saved you are ALWAYS saved. You cannot lose your salvation because you sin after you are saved. However, that does not mean a saved person can or should live however they want. Read Romans 6-8, Ephesians 2, Colossians 3, I Corinthians 6, the WHOLE Bible!
__________________________________________________________________
My physical birthday is September 19, 1984
My spiritual birthday is April 12, 2000
___________________________________________________________________
I know without a doubt that if I were to die today, I would be in Heaven with God! How about you?