Here is a continuation of Bruce Bennett’s testimony, but on this page, it is a testimony of the power of God in his life in the immediate days (and years) after receiving Christ as his Lord and Savior. The setting is in Squamish back in the 80’s, after he’d been radically saved by the Lord. To catch Bruce’s full testimony (which I would highly suggest) please head over to Found in a Ditch by Bruce Bennett.
After reading these thoughts from Bruce, why not go and look him up and give him a shout on his G+ account called BB717PoW Set Free!!! ? Also, he has his own Google Plus community called: What Must I do to be Saved?, where there are always fresh new posts from other Brothers and Sisters of the Lord of like minded faith, proclaiming the Glory of the Lord, sharing the Gospel, and lifting up and praying for one another.It’ll be a blessing to you!
A New Man
Now it still gets very cool (THIS TESTIMONY OF HIS GOODNESS), as if HE, like Adam, walked with me for a good seven years real close and the Surfing off the TOP OF A WATERFALL AND RIDING THE GUSHING WATERS LIKE AN ABSOLUTE EXPERT (NOT ME BUT CHRIST). U KNOW THE HEAVENS WERE AND ARE SINGING UP A HOLY STORM WHEN ONES TONIGHT GET A CRACK IN THEIR CONSCIENCE AND GUILT BEGINS TO OVERPOWER THEM… AS Bob Dylan sings, or no, Leonard Cohen…There has to be a Crack to let the light shine in!
I go dancing and singing (pretty near), to work, I open the office and this gorgeous woman comes up behind me and says basically (I forget exactly) but “man are you cute” she says. I fumble with the keys and my new HOLY SPIRIT inside me grieves me. YEAH, I’M NOT KIDDING. I was being instructed as to what I do do or don’t anymore
(what a loving GOD)
Anyway, The Spirit of Truth that was given to me deep in my NEW FLESHY HEART, not a Stony heart NO MORE. I wasn’t swearing EITHER! I never even had the slightest desire to that bomb shell woman standing before me! So I’m fumbling with my keys and she is right behind me, shuffles in with my step… I go to the back of the office and turn on the lights… She is gleaming at me! You know what I mean…
Then I say, Hey, I’m sorry but would you like INSURANCE (remember i’m an insurance agent in Squamish… Lovely place) and she said well no, but can i have your number of can I….
I JUST GOT SAVED LAST NIGHT.
She looked as she saw a ghost and she literally RAN out the door. aaaa… I felt much better, my New Spirit stopped grieving.
THEN IN A FLASH…
My Indian friend, stands at the door (with my watch on his wrist), and says, “HEY BRUCEY OR BRUNO”, I forget, “YOU ARE ALIVE!”
“I sent my woman down to find you, I’m glad she did! Come buy me a beer.” I NEVER WOULD HAVE SAID NO to that, and frankly I didn’t know what I was going to do. But I felt that grieving again and KNEW I’D GIVEN MY LIFE TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST..
“NO MAN I GOT SAVED!” AND BEFORE I COULD EXPLAIN HE RAN AWAY! RELIEVED AGAIN Within me.
THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT… MY BOSSES DAUGHTER.
My bosses daughter comes in from the back as her Dad (my boss; small capital), owned the stereo store next door too. “HAPPY NEW YEAR BRUCE! YOU WANT TO HAVE TAKE A TOKE?”
I Would have never said no to that either. That grieving feeling so again (third time) I said, “No thanks. I GOT SAVED LAST NIGHT!” And before she would listen,she looked at me as if I was nuts and left back into the other store.
Let me tell you, I could hardly contain my happiness and when my girlfriend Marianne came back from her mom’s place in Parksville. SHE WAS SO AMAZED AFTER JUST TALKING WITH ME; JUST TALKING, NOT PREACHING OR SAYING ANYTHING; AS I WAS SCARING PEOPLES AWAY, AS YOU KNOW.
She asked, “what happened to you Bruce?”
“Why?”
“You are so nice and loving and gracious, (I forget exactly), but oh…you are not swearing?”
“Nope nor looking at woman(might have left that one out), Drinking, smoking pot, nothing.” It took a week for her to watch this man before her, still a wee bit overly happy, but WHY NOT?
But very sane and very intelligent and a very settled disposition. It amazed her and my cup over flowed onto her (as I pray to you, NOW). She wanted GOD, she wanted what I had and she prayed in her own way before me, both on our knees. SHE WAS SAVED, AND SAYING THE VERY SAME THINGS AND THINKING THE VERY SAME THINGS AS I WAS!
IT just affirmed my faith over and over. We stopped, you know, grieving Him for a time. I asked her to marry me and in April 1986 we became one flesh. Boy oh boy!
I preached to Every Indian I ever Saw and every one and my old friends. Man you know, I don’t know that any got saved. I really truly couldn’t believe that my old high school party mates that were Thick as Thieves with me, didn’t believe me! Nada, Nothing!
They actually said to me, (and THANKFULLY…PRAISE THE LORD!)…
They would say, “Where is Bruce(Bruno)? You are like Gone. You are this different Wholesome loving Peaceful guy!”
Unashamed of the Gospel
So yes Quickly, I ended up exhausting anyone that would listen in Squamish. Back then (and still) my two brothers both worked on CPR (Railway). I was led to think that if The Lord was here again, then He would probably Witness of Himself to the many, many, many Heathens on CPR! hehe …I”M NOT KIDDING, What a LOVING GOD!
So I walk in to see these Important looking CPR office for an interview. They shook my hand, and there was 300 applications for these 12 jobs. They shook my hand each of them, 3 or 4 big wigs (in their minds, but Lord loves them). “Hi Bruce Bennett, please have a seat.”
I SAY, “NO! IT IS OK, I PRAYED ABOUT THIS AND GOD TOLD ME TO COME AND GET THIS JOB AND PREACH TO THE LOST HEATHENS ON THE RAILROAD!” (Well my version of His Words, God, is much more Sweet, Gracious…YET POWERFUL, WITH ONE FOOT IN PACIFIC AND ONE IN THE ATLANTIC LOOKING DOWN EVEN NOW, SO PAY ATTENTION…)
They said, “But please, we need to know a few things.” after they had composed themselves; shocked by my confidence.
I think, it was a cool 30 seconds of silence. I didn’t waiver in my FAITH. “No, I’ve got my new wife outside and I’m resting with her in my arms in Hawaii and when I come back you are going to phone me and tell me I get the job.”
I TURNED AND WALKED OUT. AS GOD IS MY WITNESS AND I WITNESS FOR HIM/THEM, THE THRICE HOLY GOD.
So I come back from the Holiday, walk into my apartment; now living in New West. I put my bag down, and a few seconds later the phone rings. (I’d not even spoke about whether I would or wouldn’t get that call; no way no how, not when you get that great a sense from GOD; are you nuts? I remained strong in The Faith He’d Given Me)
I pick it boldly up and say: “Hello, Bruce Bennett!”
“Yes…You go the job…See you on Monday!”
PRAISE THE LORD! 7 years on CPR and nicknamed “Bible Bennett”
You know; get in the unit locomotive with these cursing, swearing, womanizing, pot smoking, drunks. I knew it All too well! And they are stuck across from me (like you) for 6 to 15 hours in a Locomotive unit. Up the Fraser Canyon and back again. “So how’s you soul??” I’d say…
Be sure you Know before you go…
GOD IS LOVE; GOD LOVES YOU; GOD LOVES ME!
Oh and read the history of the song “AMAZING GRACE” AND “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL/When Peace like a River.” More Testaments of His Grace and Love and Awesome Care for us all…
THE ALMIGHTY AND LOVING GOD; All the Glory goes To YE!!! In The Name of The Ever Precious and Loving Savior: The Lord Jesus Christ!!!
“Where two or three are gathered there am I in the midst”
xxx to the LORD, xxx to ABBA FATHER, AND THE SPIRIT TOO xxx! SO HUMBLE…OH WHAT LOVE!!!
thanks Sheen, Katrina , Sarah,…Teti…Manuel…Pete…for being there back on Dec. 17th to pray and support for me getting this out. Again, The FATHER THE FATHER OF GLORY IS GLORIFIED. CHRIST IS GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS.
EVEN SO COME LORD JESUS COME! WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO REMISSION. WHAT A BLESSED HOPE AND CALLING OF HIS COMING. Praise The Lord!
Thou art fair my love there is no spot in thee. HE IS NOT KIDDING; WHAT A LOVING GOD! IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST our lives are HIS! Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I am evidence…Bob….next time the long answer!
big hug, I love you Bob (struggling with even Creation’s witness) as Christ first loved me!
58th post later, Dec. 29th, 2013, I posted another comment; on my Community “What Must I Do To Be Saved”…
Still leaving My Personal Testimony; I am Evidence” by GOD’s Mercy, so that One can see My Witness of What GOD did for me. EX-Boxer, Drunk, Pothead, Womanizer, get’s Salvation and is Praising GOD! 27 years later (28 years now as of Jan. 5th, 2014) and going strong now by His Amazing Grace!
How Sweet the Sound; That Saved A Wretch like me!?? What a Loving GOD! The CROSS is the CENTER OF TWO ETERNITIES.
Galatians 6:
14 God forbid that I should glory (boast), save in The Cross of The Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world.
C.R.O.S.S; came to me last year: Christ Removed Our Sins (with) Salvation…that works!!!
EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS DUE TO IT (THE CROSS), every molecule AND EVERYONE SHOULD PRAISE GOD FOR IT. Hey, not the symbol either. Just Look To CHRIST and GOD for what He did for you, please; Why Would Ye DIE? Arrogant Unbelief? Bold Arrogance or Arrogantly Bold? Yes I was.
Please….
“Every knee shall bow and Every tongue shall confess, Jesus as Lord in that day
So either NOW, or to late… “Behold NOW is the accepted time, Behold NOW is the day of Salvation”
The bus is coming down the road. Please Please dear sinner, as I was. Sure Christians still have a monkey on their backs. They are messed up if they think they don’t! But thrive in that First Love and if lost it Then Pray and The Father will give it back!
Believe! Let Go and Let God! Jesus Christ has Given u the Way, The Truth, and The LIFE …
NOW! And u can be Extremely HAPPY and CONTENT, RIGHT NOW! My problem is that I just often do not know How to control my Happiness! WOOO HOOO! Fun fun fun…
Peeps don’t go being foolish now!
And then then u won’t be able to speak, but u’ll have to admit and GOD will hear your crazed mind Announce it; woo there was a man named THE LORD JESUS CHRIST and HE was God!
Philippians 2:8-11
And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
then if on Wrong side, God will say to you:
Matthew 7:21-23
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
He made HELL for the Devil and those disobedient angels, NOT FOR YOU, Silly! GOD means that None should perish, but all turn from their wicked ways! Will your heart stay like an ugly Stony heart or do you Want a Heart Of GOLD? And will u keep putting it off for yet another party yet another joint!?
This is way better than LSD, It is JC all the Way, Baby!
in the name of The Lord Jesus Christ…
Bring em in, Lord! He is The ROCK!!!
From Brian
Again, head on over to Bruce Bennett’s Google Plus account and his Google Plus Community called What must I do to be Saved?, and subscribe!
Thank you Bruce for your submissions to this site! And I’d like to take this opportunity to invite anyone out there that is saved and washed by the Blood of the Lamb to come and share a sermon or perhaps some thoughts that the Lord has placed on your heart. You never know… It could be that the lord placed a message on your heart that he would like for you to share with the readership of this site? Perhaps it will impact someone in a way that wouldn’t be the same coming from someone else?
The Lord does things in a marvelous way, but always has his reasons for doing what he does. So if the Lord has placed a message or a sermon on your heart, it’s likely meant either for you, or for someone else. Makes sense right? Type it up and send it to me at: breyn2000@gmail.com , and I’ll place it under this Preach It section!