God Is My Salvation

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” – Isaiah 12:2

Peter Baltes played bass for the heavy metal band Accept, one of the hottest bands in Europe in the 1980s. Peter was named heavy metal bass player of the year in 1985 and was leading the classic rock ‘n roll life. Although he never tried hard drugs, he drank constantly when the band was on the road.                    

Although he was an atheist at the time, Peter and his lead guitarist were often drawn to churches while they were on the road.

“We went to churches all the time, me and Wolfe, the guitar player, because of the architecture, but it was a place of refuge where it was quiet and people were praying.”

Peter was confronted with his own mortality and began to search for answers. One Sunday, he and his wife attended a local church. 

“So I went, and I sat on the second-floor balcony next to the exit door. I was ready to leave. At any given moment, I could have just snuck out, but I stayed.”

Later that week, two members of the church paid Peter a visit.

“They started talking to me and asked me about God. I told them, ‘I don’t believe. I think it’s all humbug.’ They asked me more questions, and I got a little aggravated. For like three or four hours, we went back and forth. Then finally, I threw them out of the house.” Peter felt remorse realizing the men had come with good intentions. 

The two men returned a week later. This time, Peter was ready to listen to them.

They just asked me, ‘Would you mind if we prayed for you and with you?’ All I remember is that I started getting… first, I got cold, and then I got warm. Then I started sweating a lot and shaking a little bit. At the end, they just both asked me how I feel, and I said, ‘I never felt like this before in my entire life.’ They said, ‘Are you ready to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior because that’s the only way you will ever feel this way again.’ I said, ‘Absolutely, yes.’  That’s how I got saved. The next day, I never smoked a cigarette, drank a beer or any alcohol. I haven’t drunk alcohol for ten or twelve years now. My whole life changed.”

Salvation is found only in Jesus. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that He is your Savior.

“Never does a person see any beauty in Christ as a Savior, until they discover that they are a lost and ruined sinner.” – J. C. Ryle

God’s Word: “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” – Psalm 118:14