Hi! I am looking forward to chatting with you. I was born again in Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe) in a Pentecostal Fellowship. It seems they were days of revival and I found myself, first witnessing and very soon ministering God's Word. I am now retired from full time ministry but still love to share God's word. There are many issues where we as believers can agree to disagree, but as Jesus told Nicodemus "You must be born again." On doctrine we may differ but it is only the new person in Christ that will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. As the Apostle Paul wrote we only know those who have been born again by their lives (Jesus said Fruit), for me it was a complete turn around only accomplished with our Lord's continuous help. So that I can only say. "I am what I am by the grace of God." May the blessings of the Lord go with throughout the future.
I am what I am By the Grace of God.
- Thread starter Pilgrim
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Welcome! I’m sure you know that Paul said that he was what he was by the grace of God... as we all are!
Hi! Welcome to CC!
Hope you'll enjoy your time here Witt us ☺
God bless you and Happy New year ❤
Hope you'll enjoy your time here Witt us ☺
God bless you and Happy New year ❤
3
3angelsmsg
Guest
Hello and welcome to CC, Pilgrim. May you share those precious gems with us and those experiences that led you to be the person you are now. God bless
Hi and welcome to the forum, Pilgrim! I must say that, personally, I am thrilled to see a fellow Zimbabwean/Rhodesian here!! Already I feel a connection!
It blesses me no end to hear your story. The more I meet up with those of my parents generation, the more convinced I am of a wave of revival/spiritual awakening that swept through Rhodesia in that era, and you are the first I have "met" to testify of it. I believe my life is a product of that revival.
I do look forward to conversing with you and hearing more of your story.
Warm regards from Zimbabwe.
Wow! This makes it so much more exciting to hear of others who love and serve our saviour. God bless you all.
Hi! Yes it takes a lot of research to find reports of what God did in Rhodesia in those days. I was raised in Pietermaritzburg in Natal (Kwa Zulu) and had three brothers. I was sent to Sunday School in the Presbyterian Church by my parents. Dad was a Racehorse trainer, having been born in Scotland. Mom was of French decent. I married at the age of 20 and left to live in Rhodesia. Their only comment was now the black sheep of the family is leaving home. Let that be sufficient to indicate the life that I was living, I'm not proud of it because I was a rebel and not really worth having as a friend. My love of Partying however made me quite popular.Hi and welcome to the forum, Pilgrim! I must say that, personally, I am thrilled to see a fellow Zimbabwean/Rhodesian here!! Already I feel a connection!
It blesses me no end to hear your story. The more I meet up with those of my parents generation, the more convinced I am of a wave of revival/spiritual awakening that swept through Rhodesia in that era, and you are the first I have "met" to testify of it. I believe my life is a product of that revival.
I do look forward to conversing with you and hearing more of your story.
Warm regards from Zimbabwe.
Rhodesia in those days consisted of Northern Rhodesia (Now Zambia), Southern Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (Now Tanzania ) We were in Southern Rhodesia and loved it. After a disasterous time in Fort Victoria we moved to Umtali (Now Mutari).
One day a man came our door and said, "I don't look like a minister do I" My thoughts, "I've got a real nut-case here." He invited us to come to His church and left a magazine from Oral Roberts, an American Evangelist, with us which along with many other tracts etc. I had been given I put in the too hard basket. He and members of his congregation continued to invite us to Services and home fellowships with little hope of a result.
One day I returned from work to be told by my wife that we were to go to a home fellowship in our neighbourhood.
My reply was "I hope you enjoy it." But she insisted I had to go as well. The minister said, "Seeing we have visitors with us tonight I will not continue our study but answer questions." The questions came hard and fast which he would answer with a scripture reference that was always right on target. I sat there amazed! Remember I had been in Sunday School, was baptised and confirmed but I had never heard how relevant this Bible was to our daily living.
He closed with a summary of the Gospel - How that we all were sinners and need God's forgiveness which could only be had by accepting the Sacrifice of God's Son Jesus Christ. Then He asked all to bow in prayer and gave an altar call. That was when the Holy Spirit began to deal with us. Being a great excuse maker I began to think of every reason I should not respond but finally gave in. My wife surrender the same moment and after short instruction and explanation of what we were doing we prayed giving our lives to Jesus.
The rebirth is a gift from God to all who believe and our lives were changed. I look forward to telling you more of my Pilgrim Journey but for now I give Just two comments that were made by friends. One asked the minister what he had injected me with to change my life so much. While an old friend in South Africa when being witnessed to said, "You were the worst of the bunch.":
Thank You, I would to hear of your experience in meeting with Christ.
Thank you May your journey to Glory be filled with God's Blessings.Hi! Welcome to CC!
Hope you'll enjoy your time here Witt us ☺
God bless you and Happy New year ❤
I would love to share what great things God has done for me and hear hoiw He has and is blessing you.
So glad you came. It is refreshing to see how you prefer to focus on the things that matter most. What Jesus did for us, and what He wants to do in us if we will yield to Him. Oh for serendipitous situation! God is so good!
Welcome to CC, brother Pilgrim.
That's an awesome story you've got there - and to think it's all your own! I marvel at how the Lord's gentle way cracks the hardest nut. It gives me hope for so many people I know who are still living the life you had before your glorious re-birth. But yes, suffice to say, what the Lord started many years ago is still unfolding to this day, and I would so love to one day be able to connect all the dots, but that would have to be an adventure only the Spirit can direct!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful story with all of us, and we look forward to fellowshiping with you here.
Hey Pilgrim, I like the username! Welcome to CC. I'm actually very interested in the fact that you are from Rhodesia. I've watched quite a few documentaries on the bush war there again communist forces. I hope you are able to provide many blessings to everyone here at CC and likewise to you.
Hi! Yes those were turbulent times I was an Army Chaplain assigned to a regiment of mostly black soldiers. I left Rhodesia in July 1980 when Mugabe was put in power and I know many feel that they were robbed of their land. I pray for the people of Zimbabwe that they may find God as I did and be comforted by Him. I endeavour to remain politically neutral but long for the coming of God's Kingdom. I still believe we could have done better for the people of Zimbabwe.
The great commission given by Jesus to his apostles was to go out and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Spirit. Most people and church denominations think that this means one baptism with water in the name of three persons. That is not the case. It is three different baptisms. You are baptized in the name of the Father when He chooses you by granting the repentance necessary for salvation. You are baptized in the name of the Son when you put your faith and trust in Jesus' death for our salvation. You are baptized in the name of the Holy Spirit when you get filled with the Holy Spirit. It is when you receive the Holy Spirit that you are born again, become part of the body of Christ, and become One with the Father and Son. The Holy Spirit of God fills us with the same love that is shared by the Father and Son. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with all you heart, mind, and soul. The second is just like it. Love your neighbors as you love yourself. All the commandments are based on these two. So God has made it easier on us. If all our choices are made with love in our hearts, we will be obeying His commandments. At the end, Jesus will be presenting all of us perfect in love. Baptism is not something that we do. It is something that our God in three persons does for those He chooses.
I would be interested to see your scripture references for these statements.