Scotty's Testimony Of Salvation
In the picture here you see a man with his wife and two children. We serve the Lord Jesus Christ together in everything we do. But such a thing was very unfathomable for either of us considering our lives before coming to the saving grace of Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the testimony of that transformation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
As a child, I was not brought up going to church nor reading the Bible. As a teenager, I had played church for a time, got baptized and thought I was good to go. As a young man, I was always looking to prove myself to others by fighting, playing sports and then later joining the Army. I was a young man full of pride and anger without any love for God, yet I still thought I was a "good person" with morals that come from the Bible. But rather I acknowledged it or not, as with anyone mixed up in similar iniquity, God hated me. The very first thing in a list of seven things that the Lord hates is a proud look.
Proverbs 6:16-19 KJV
(16) These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
(17) A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
(18) An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
(19) A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Not to mention, after graduating high school, I followed a life of drunkenness and getting high off weed, cocaine, meth, ecstasy or whatever seemed convenient to me at the time. If I didn't have something to get high with then I was drinking hard liquor. The Army would drug test us often. So me and others would smoke spice: (a fake form of marijuana that got you high man-made chemicals, but you would not pop hot on a drug test). I was still full of pride, hatred and arrogancy as before, but now I was full of covetousness, various forms of lusts of the flesh and drunkenness.
... There's no glory in any of this, I was a miserable man that thought I was cool ...
After boot camp/basic training, I deployed to Iraq as infantry in under a years time. God preserved me in war several times, as many bullets have came near to me. I was the guy up on top of the Humvee in the turret with a big bullseye on my back. A series of events happened, and after a fractured skull injury occurred, I was discharged from the Army under honorable conditions. Yet, I continued in my sinful life style. It quickly led me into being nigh-on homeless and going to a food bank to have something to eat. Still, I knew the gospel that many have heard. And like so many people today, they hear it, but yet they are still lost in their sins like I was. The gospel is how that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV). But at this point in my life I was thinking something could help me if I went back to "church". So, I started going to a Calvary Chapel in Reno, NV.
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I had already been seeing a psychiatrist for combat PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Men in that job office are also known as "wizards". This doctor had me on so many psych meds and I had had enough. I told them I do not want to take them anymore. So I was told by the psych doctor, in order to be taken off the meds I had to begin my detox off them in a mental ward under surveillance. Before I could go to the ward, I needed a physical examination to make sure I was not sick. While the security officer led me to the medical examiners, I asked him for a Bible. He got me one, and even though it was an NIV I didn't know the difference at the time and was thankful. While I was waiting to be seen, I decided to read the book of Revelation. There was a crazy man that was brought in by the police; he was shouting all sorts of things about abominations and the glory of God. But as I read Revelation 4:11 to myself, he was speaking it aloud. "How strange", I thought... so I reread it and, sure enough, he was speaking it as I read it over and over again!! Now he was quoting the KJB and what I was reading was a little different, but still it stood out to me.
Revelation 4:11 KJV
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
When I was brought to the mental ward the nurse asked me why I was there. I told her, "I guess it is so I don't become a crazy guy like the man coming up after me", referring to the man shouting God's word.
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After being admitted into the mental ward, I spent the next three days in my room alone, and fasting while reading the word of God. On the third day I decided to come out and have a meal. I didn't know anyone that was in there with me, but I made a friend with an older man reading a small pocket Bible. When he saw the NIV Bible I had he rebuked me for it and showed me several things wrong with it (missing verses, how it lies to the reader, etc.). Then over the next few days he went over several things in the KJV Bible with me. I eventually found out that this was the man who was shouting Revelation 4:11! Hindsight, I guess I did end up "crazy" like that guy after all. The old man ended up giving me that little pocket KJB and it was the most pure edition, the PCE! Praise the LORD for the way he works!
... I still did not get saved at this time, but my faith was increased ...
Romans 10:17 KJV
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
After getting released from the mental ward, I got myself a bigger KJB and I attended the Calvary Chapel church a few more times until I saw the corruption in it. Then I decided to just read the word of God for myself. I still met with a few others for instruction and discipleship here and there. I also tried other churches only to see more corruption within a proclaimed house of worship and faith.
It was not until I saw there was no where I can go and nothing I can do to get saved that I called upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ my Saviour (as it is written in Romans 10:9-14 KJV). And in August of 2016 I was born again, not by the will of men or any deed of the flesh (John 1:12-13 & Galatians 3:3 KJV). I was born again by the word of God and the promises in it (1 Peter 1:23 KJV). It was not anything of myself (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV), but to call on the only one that can save any man, Christ the Lord whose name is Jesus of Nazareth. He alone has the power to save. Praise the Lord I was humbled to call on him for salvation once I believed.
1 Corinthians 1:2 KJV
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
It was not long after I was saved that the VA determined me "unemployable" from the evaluations had in the mental ward that I was given a full military pension as a disabled veteran due to combat induced PTSD and the skull fracture I suffered. That is the vocation that I have been called into and wherein I serve God (I Corinthians 7:24; Ephesians 4:1). Having a pension gives me the chance to serve God with less distractions and I do not need to receive donation from the saints, walking blameless. But, God is continually renewing my mind and healing my stress disorder.
I knew the gospel it was like an old story to me. However, believing in it or knowing it does not grant the working power of God unto salvation. You must call on Jesus Christ the Lord who is able to save. He preforms the work of salvation not the hands of any man (Colossians 2:8-15 KJV). And Jesus Christ the Lord saved me because I trusted only in him by calling upon him.
I mean think about it... Do Catholics know and claim to believe the gospel? are all Catholics saved and born again? NO, none of them are born again and saved. They still trust in vain traditions of men that are often a reproach against the word of God. They do not love God in spirit and in truth according to his word, but only according to their religious practice by a private interpretation. Just the same as a Pentecostal or a Baptist, or even a Mormon, Methodist, Lutheran, you name it. Along with the "nondoctrinal" "nondenominational" crowd like Calvary Chapel. They all claim to believe and know the gospel, but there is still a form of themself they have involved for their salvation. Often saying "I know what I believe". As much as some would say salvation is only in believing, you still got Romans 10:13 and 1 Corinthians 1:2 saying you must call upon the name of the Lord... These are kind of like them in Romans 10:3 they go about to establish their own righteousness, they are just wresting the word of God unto their own destruction.
... Here is the Gospel I believed ...
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 KJV
(3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
(4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
The difference is that once I believed I turned to Jesus and called on him to save me. Not a priest to pray over me, or a pastor to dunk me in water, nor did I rely on my own thoughts and personal beliefs, but I called on the one I believed in. I called on the Lord Jesus Christ to save me.
Jesus is the only one who is faithful to save, why not call on him. And to say, "it is a work to call on the name of the Lord to save you" is very naive and shows no trust in the full word of God. For without calling on him you are only trusting in yourself if even what you think you believe.
Romans 10:13-14 KJV
(13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(14) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
He is the author and finisher of my faith, what about you...?
Hebrews 12:2 KJV
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Galatians 2:16 KJV
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Since the day I was born again, I started to study to teach others what I had been taught by revelation of God. The things that are according to scripture and not any vain tradition or routine of "going to church". First, I only taught my friends and family. Then, a little over a year later I started making videos on YouTube. I called the channel Grafted Branch Ministry, which now is the name of this ministry here, now with a collective effort of different brethren all by the grace and working power of God. And by the power of God we will continue to edify and exhort others by the word of God and through the Spirit.
Romans 11:16-19 KJV For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. (17) And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; (18) Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. (19) Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
1 Corinthians 12:13-14 KJV For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (14) For the body is not one member, but many.
Ephesians 4:16 KJV From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Here are some video testimonies with even more details that I have recorded:
