MY SALVATION TESTIMONY By: Craig Glickman - 7/30/02

I was saved in December of 1987. I can’t remember the exact date, but I know it was the middle of the month and it was the night of my baptism.  The story is long, but blessed.  Growing up, I was the son of a Catholic mother and a Jewish father.  I have a sister who believed in both religions.  I was raised around the Jewish traditions as well as celebrating Christmas.  None of my family was saved until my mother trusted Christ sometime in 1986. Growing up, my mom always told me about God and a bad place you would go to someday because of your sin.  She called Hell “A Hot Room”! Sadly it is much worse than that.  I said a sinner’s prayer when I was 8 years old at a Jimmy Swaggart meeting.  But I can not remember if I was sincere and did not feel that I was saved there.  When I was 12, my mom started going to an old-fashioned Bible believing church.  I had been to Catholic church a few times in my life and I really did not enjoy the meetings at all, but when I went there, I really liked the people and the atmosphere. Everybody was so friendly.  I started attending Sunday school and the services and began to learn and grow.  I felt I was saved because I believed in God and Jesus.  At the time, it was only head knowledge. I had never personally trusted Christ as my Savior from sin and given my life to Him.  At age 12, I was still having nightmares of a terrible place of torment which I believe to be Hell and was always afraid of where I would go when I died.  I used to remember going on car rides through the country in the Pocono area and on a rock was painted, “Where Will You Spend Eternity? Heaven or Hell!”  I saw it many times and I got to wondering if that was me, where would I be?  But feeling that I was saved, I asked to be baptized after being at the church for a few months.  I understood why I needed to be baptized.  My pastor asked me several questions about my salvation and I answered them to where he felt I was saved and he planned for my baptism.  It was the night before my baptism and I still was not 100% sure of my salvation.  My mom must have known the same.  We were in my parent’s bedroom when she said, “Let’s pray and make sure that you are saved.”  I willingly said “OK” and that night I knew I wanted to make sure I was saved.  I wanted that blessed assurance that Christ was mine.  I knelt by the bedside and prayed with my mom, and by faith believing, asked the Lord to saved me. This time I understood what those words meant and unlike at the Jimmy Swaggart meeting, I meant it with all my heart. I knew I was a sinner. I knew I was deserving of Hell and that only Jesus Christ could save me by his grace through faith in him alone and nothing else.  I believed Jesus died on the cross for my sins, was buried, rose again, and lives forevermore. I asked him to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and save me.  I don’t remember today the exact words that I said, but I knew that I was a changed person. I knew I was saved. I knew that the Holy Spirit had came into my heart and life immediately when I trusted Christ as my personal Savior.  I was so happy.  I felt a joy that I had never felt before and I wanted to tell others of my salvation.  I went to my baptism the next night at the local YMCA as the pastor asked me again several questions to make sure I was saved. I believe he and my mother knew, but most importantly I knew that I was saved from sin and hell and on my way to heaven.  I was then baptized by my pastor in a proper and Biblical manner.  After that night, I began to tell teachers, friends and others that I had been saved.  From that December night I never had another nightmare about that terrible place of torment. I never felt I was lost or was never saved.  I had and still have a great desire to learn and grow in the things of the Lord such as prayer, Bible reading, and church attendance.  Sin bothered me more than it ever did before.  My eyes were opened to new things in the Bible. I understood things I did not understand before and I kept growing and am still growing spiritually today.  I desire more and more to serve my Savior better everyday, live by faith, pray and have daily devotions in his word, be in church, and be a witness.  I had several periods of backsliding throughout my life, some serious, but the Lord always led me to repentance and back to his precious side.  Today, I can’t imagine my life without Christ and his amazing grace, love, compassion, and mercy.  He is my precious Savior and I long to praise and serve him the rest of my life and for all eternity.

ABOUT SAVED TODAY MINISTRIES FOUNDER CRAIG GLICKMAN

I am single and currently work 2 jobs, but God is good and provides and blesses in so many ways.  I thank the Lord for Saved Today Ministries and what He has done. I can't imagine life without Jesus Christ. Thank you and God bless.

Click on the link below to see my Statement of Faith and Belief

WHAT I BELIEVE