John Breazeale

I want to thank God for the privilege to tell just a little about what He has done for me. Truly I am thankful for the old-time religion.

In my early life, I spent many years in the world of sin, seeking a good time, going to everything that came along. I was defeated at every turn of the road. Oh, I thank God for His mercy that He ever sent these people my way, to a little country schoolhouse, to tell me how to get out of a life of sin, and how I could find reality, real peace, and happiness in my life! In one of the church meetings I was in, the minister said to me, “Why don’t you take a week off and pray?” That stirred me up. I said, “If I ever go back to that altar again, I will get saved.”

I turned the Gospel aside, thinking it was too straight for me. I went my own way for years and each year I drifted deeper into sin. I became an old pool hall fi end. I tried to quit that life in my own strength, but there was nothing in me that could say no to sin and stay with that decision. But God was merciful to me and brought these people my way again.

I said, “If I ever go back to that altar again, I will get saved.”

As I stepped into that Apostolic Faith meeting, the minister said, “It will help my brother Bob if you will go up there and get saved.” I said, “I don’t want to stand in anyone’s way.” He said, “Are you going?” I knew the Lord had my number and I said, “Yes, I am going to seek salvation.” I stepped out in the aisle and went to the altar of prayer. I lost sight of the old pals that night. I was willing to do anything if God would come into my life and give me the victory these people told about. When I prayed an honest prayer, the Lord came into my life. Jesus came to my rescue and took out those sins that had me bound. I had cigarettes in my pocket, but when I went home I put them in the stove. God gave me victory over all sin and evil habits. Thank God, I have had victory now for many years.

I have proved the old-time religion on the job too. For many years, I worked in the logging woods and I never saw a time I felt like backing down on serving the Lord.

God helped me to go back over my past life and straighten it up and make confession to those I had wronged and to those I had robbed. I had stolen and lied. I even lied to my own brother. I went to him and told him how I had lied to him. He took me by the hand and said, “You are a better man than I thought you were.” It was nothing in myself, but what God had done for me.

My oldest son was raised and saved in the Gospel, but he turned it aside and went out into the things of the world. He was in New York singing in the big operas. Then he got a disease, and the doctors said there was no hope for him. He came to Medford, Oregon, and I took a week off to pray for him. After a week of praying for him, Brother Carver went to pray with him and the Lord wonderfully saved him. We began to pray for his healing. One day the Lord told my wife to put a plate on the table for Bobbie. It wasn’t many days until he was sitting at the table. The Lord added six months to his life, and then took him home to Glory.

I have a hope in my heart today, to be there on the Golden Shores. I praise God for this wonderful Gospel.