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The day I received the Holy Ghost ( with the bible evidence of speaking in tongues ) the joy and peace was overwhelming and to have contact with God for real ,to know from himself he is..immediately smoking ,drinking, drugs, migraines (suffered all my life ) gone..no trying to give up , no withdrawals etc the miraculous began and still does ...he has never changed..just mans approach to him has..only one way only one God ,access by Jesus Christ..
Mr 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; etc............
.....Men and brethren, what shall we do?
acts 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
rom 8 v 9..........Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Mr 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; etc............
.....Men and brethren, what shall we do?
acts 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
rom 8 v 9..........Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
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Kerry
Guest
Love those Baptists!
Theologically, I am Presbyterian, but in my heart I will always be a Baptist.
That was the church I joined after my conversion. . .so much of the NT there.
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Kaycie
Guest
yours is one of the most powerful testimonies i've heard,
and i'm so glad you shared it.
Thank you sister, and my mind is still blown by how He's worked in my life, ALL praise to His mighty and merciful name. Another little fact I personally like about the whole thing is I died and was reborn in Him at 33 years old. I'm sure that wouldn't "wow" or mean much to anyone else, but I like it. I am still in complete awe that the Creator of the whole universe loves us the way He does, and truly frees us from the chains this world stacks on us from cradle to the grave, and Jesus just shatters them all and shows us how blind we were. I can't give enough praise with my small little words, but that will not stop me from trying, ALL glory to our King and Savior Jesus Christ.
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mikeuk
Guest
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MadParrotWoman
Guest
2nd January 2013 after weeks of being witnessed to by pm on facebook and a very short prayer for someone in distress. The next morning I awoke a different person and an emotional mess. I could never go back to life without Jesus.
As Jimbone testified, God continues to work in our hearts and lives throughout our Christian walk.
Sometimes that means testing us, sometimes it means suffering. It can also mean going into a spiritual desert.
Around 2001, my Rheumatoid Arthritis took over my llfe. I was not correctly diagnosed as severe, and was not on good meds. The pain was debilitating. I could not walk or dress myself. I knew God was real, but I didn't understand why he was allowing me to suffer so much, when all I wanted to do was serve him.
So some very dry, empty years! But God spoke to me, told me to read the Psalms. I could relate to the real emotions expressed in the pages of those verses. I realized that the "christianized" or white washed version of modern Christianity did not allow for pain and suffering, when these conditions were common to all of us, sooner or later.
God brought me through that difficult period of my life. I got on better meds, went to Seminary and became a chaplain, working with people in long term care who were suffering and those who were dying. God gave me a ministry out of my suffering, that I would be able to better understand and serve the hurting and the broken. Really, which comes down to most of us in one way or another.
So contrary to the Health and Wealth gospel, I found that God does have a purpose in suffering and is in control of every detail of our lives!
"More than that, we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces perseverence, perseverence produces character, character produces hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5
Sometimes that means testing us, sometimes it means suffering. It can also mean going into a spiritual desert.
Around 2001, my Rheumatoid Arthritis took over my llfe. I was not correctly diagnosed as severe, and was not on good meds. The pain was debilitating. I could not walk or dress myself. I knew God was real, but I didn't understand why he was allowing me to suffer so much, when all I wanted to do was serve him.
So some very dry, empty years! But God spoke to me, told me to read the Psalms. I could relate to the real emotions expressed in the pages of those verses. I realized that the "christianized" or white washed version of modern Christianity did not allow for pain and suffering, when these conditions were common to all of us, sooner or later.
God brought me through that difficult period of my life. I got on better meds, went to Seminary and became a chaplain, working with people in long term care who were suffering and those who were dying. God gave me a ministry out of my suffering, that I would be able to better understand and serve the hurting and the broken. Really, which comes down to most of us in one way or another.
So contrary to the Health and Wealth gospel, I found that God does have a purpose in suffering and is in control of every detail of our lives!
"More than that, we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces perseverence, perseverence produces character, character produces hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5
Roger, salvation is a three stage journey according to the Bible.
1. Justification (Rms 5:1) This is when we are legally made right or justified in the eyes of God. It is totally done by God, who changes the old person into a new creature. (2 Cor. 5:17)
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Cor. 5:17
2. Sanctification - (1 Thess. 5:23) This is the life long "process" or journey we walk with Christ, who transforms us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
"Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thess. 5:23
3. Glorification - (Rms 8:17, 8:30) When we are made into the image of Christ, when we die, or when Jesus returns.
"and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:17
"and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:30
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." 2 Cor. 3:18
So this is NOT process theology, but rather the natural unfolding of our walk with God. He is in charge of every step of this journey, and the Holy Spirit is the one changing, transforming and molding us into the image of Christ.
1. Justification (Rms 5:1) This is when we are legally made right or justified in the eyes of God. It is totally done by God, who changes the old person into a new creature. (2 Cor. 5:17)
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Cor. 5:17
2. Sanctification - (1 Thess. 5:23) This is the life long "process" or journey we walk with Christ, who transforms us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
"Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thess. 5:23
3. Glorification - (Rms 8:17, 8:30) When we are made into the image of Christ, when we die, or when Jesus returns.
"and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:17
"and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:30
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." 2 Cor. 3:18
So this is NOT process theology, but rather the natural unfolding of our walk with God. He is in charge of every step of this journey, and the Holy Spirit is the one changing, transforming and molding us into the image of Christ.
Steps two and three cannot progress without step number one. Are seeing salvation as step one justification. Our sins forgiven and our soul sealed unto the day of redemption?
My concern here is that we don't see the forgiveness of our sins as a process but as an event. The moment we come to the foot of the cross and ask Christ to forgive us our sins give us life eternal with Him.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
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mikeuk
Guest
So sorry Angela, and glad that you made a purpose from it.
Redemptive suffering is not a universal concept amongst christians, but 2 corinthians 1:4 has a powerful message
"God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things"
You seem to have lived that out that ministry in an exemplary way.
Here is a part of my conversion story I shared on another thread not too long ago. I say part, because there was many things that followed my conversion in the weeks and months later. But here is a part of my conversion story.
When I was a young man I read the Bible several times over, but never really understood it. I was baptized with the water baptism, but not with the Holy Ghost. I lived most my youth not guided by Gods words or Spirit until about 17 years later after my water baptism. Then one day the Lord revealed Himself to me in a big way, and it was just out of the blue. I was suddenly filled with His Holy Spirit and a great feeling of Love, peace, and joy came over me. The feeling was so strong that I wept for days afterward because of this great love, peace, and joy that was put in my heart.
At the same time I had this feeling of being weightless, like floating on thin air. And my whole body felt like it was illuminated from within, so much so that I had to look in the mirror to see if I could see it. lol But it was not to be seen with the naked eye, only felt from within. My vision also became crisp and clear, like I had been looking through a dirty window my whole life and suddenly it was made clean.
But one other amazing thing also happened at this time, and it was God's words came pouring into me like a clear mountain stream rushing over my heart. But the words that entered into me where the same words I had heard from my youth when I had read the Bible over and over again. But this time not only did I hear the words, but I understood the words in way I never thought possible before. Since that day the Lord has guided me in those same words by His Spirit, as His Spirit also brought back all those words to my memory like Jesus told His disciples.
Jesus also said in John 14:20 "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." As it was "at that day" back in 2007 those words came true in me. Amen.
When I was a young man I read the Bible several times over, but never really understood it. I was baptized with the water baptism, but not with the Holy Ghost. I lived most my youth not guided by Gods words or Spirit until about 17 years later after my water baptism. Then one day the Lord revealed Himself to me in a big way, and it was just out of the blue. I was suddenly filled with His Holy Spirit and a great feeling of Love, peace, and joy came over me. The feeling was so strong that I wept for days afterward because of this great love, peace, and joy that was put in my heart.
At the same time I had this feeling of being weightless, like floating on thin air. And my whole body felt like it was illuminated from within, so much so that I had to look in the mirror to see if I could see it. lol But it was not to be seen with the naked eye, only felt from within. My vision also became crisp and clear, like I had been looking through a dirty window my whole life and suddenly it was made clean.
But one other amazing thing also happened at this time, and it was God's words came pouring into me like a clear mountain stream rushing over my heart. But the words that entered into me where the same words I had heard from my youth when I had read the Bible over and over again. But this time not only did I hear the words, but I understood the words in way I never thought possible before. Since that day the Lord has guided me in those same words by His Spirit, as His Spirit also brought back all those words to my memory like Jesus told His disciples.
Jesus also said in John 14:20 "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." As it was "at that day" back in 2007 those words came true in me. Amen.
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mikeuk
Guest
Out of the blue! Fascinating. And thanks for sharing.
For most there is a turning point or event in their lives.
Did you feel called to any specific kind of ministry to others as a result - did an opportunity reveal itself?
For me it was more of a longing "I thirst"! - but trying to find how and where to satisfy was a journey that took another two decades to find!
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Oh believe me, it was both an event and a turning point. Praise the Lord!
Tell that story lol
Nah, that's enough about me, let others share their stories and let the praise be to God.