How God Saved Me

I was born into a godly Christian home in Northern Ireland near to Slemish mountain outside the town of Ballymena on the 11th Feb 1953. 

My parents were in fellowship in the assembly of believers who met in the Gospel Hall at Buckna. I have very happy and hallowed memories of my Sunday school days when, faithful Sunday school teachers taught us from the scriptures the importance of salvation and warmly presented the gospel message each Lords Day. One of the many choruses we learned was: 

“I‘ve a soul to be saved, may this truth be engraved on my mind and my heart while I‘m young 

O, how awful the cost that my soul should be lost, and in hell if I die as I am“. 

This truth was impressed upon us, that we would dwell forever either in heaven or in hell. The first time I was really spoken to was at the age of 11 when my grandfather died, I can well remember standing at the side of the coffin looking into his cold remains and knowing for sure that he was in heaven, Why? Because as a young man through a verse of scripture (Romans 10 v9) was pointed to the Lord Jesus and through faith he laid hold on the promise contained in that verse. His eternal destiny was changed from being lost in hell for ever to the eternal pleasures at the right hand of God. The stern reality gripped my inward being that day “If that were me, my soul would be lost in hell and that for all eternity“, Why? Because I did not have a moment of conversion, I was born a sinner and at that point in time still a sinner, and if I died a sinner I would be under the wrath of God for all ETERNITY. 

Sad to say not long afterwards those thoughts left me and it was not until March 1965 the following year that Mr Tommy Wallace and Mr Bobby Neil were conducting gospel meetings in Buckna Gospel Hall. It was normal that if there was an evangelist having gospel meetings that he would be invited to speak to the children of the Sunday school. That day Mr Wallace with softness and trembling voice warned us faithfully of a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. He also told us lovingly of the Lord Jesus, how that he suffered upon the cross to provide salvation for all who believe in Him. God spoke very definitely to me that day. The reality of being lost in hell forever gripped my inward being and from that moment I sought after salvation with all my heart. 

The next day at school I was not found with the boys at lunch time but was well out of the way on my own searching for salvation. I went to the gospel meeting on the Monday evening, I don‘t remember anything the preachers had spoken but I came home and went straight to my bedroom and again read over all the verses I had learned at Sunday School. Whilst reading a verse in the Old Testament, (Isaiah 53 v 5) I began to be occupied with the Lord Jesus suffering upon the cross of Calvary, the verse reads: 

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, 

the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed“. 

Looking back, it is hard to understand, that knowing the gospel message so well, 

“How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor 15 v 3&4) 

I was totally in darkness until whilst diligently meditating and pondering over the verse in Isaiah 53 v5 it dawned in upon me, that it was MY sins He suffered for and through faith I rested on the finished work of Christ upon the cross. This verse now became very precious and personal to me and I now treasure being able in truth to read it like this: 

“But He was wounded for MY transgressions, He was bruised for My iniquities, The chastisement of MY peace was upon Him, With His stripes I am healed“. 

The experience I had as a boy of 12 at about 10.20pm on the 22nd March 1965 is one I will never forget. Over 55 years later, it is as fresh in my mind as if it were yesterday and having proved the faithfulness of God over these many years, I can testify to the reality of not only the saving power of God, but also the keeping power of God. 

I then began to read my Bible and learned that a believer should be baptised, fellowship with fellow believers and each Lords Day remember the Lord Jesus Christ in breaking bread and partaking of the cup (Luke 22 v 19&20). Out of obedience to the Lord’s command I was baptised on the 12th of June 1965 and received into fellowship in the Buckna assembly on the following day. By the grace of God, I have continued in fellowship with the Lords people, presently in Spencer Bridge Road Northampton. 

James Moore

14th June 2020