Witness For Christ
Last Updated:
03/05/2008 20:39
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To the unbeliever and
believer, for the sake of encouragement and planting of the seed of our
blessed hope in Lord Yeshua (Jesus) the Christ, I would like to
share my witness for Christ and also witnessing to others. Love is the
reason and motive and if that is not there, we are not a good witness for
Christ.
Please read the whole
chapters for the sections of scripture relayed here. Understand context when
you are reading the Bible and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all
things. After all, it was the Holy Spirit who authored the Bible.
2 Peter 1:21 Nothing in the Bible is to be hidden, but is
for the benefit of all mankind because God loves His creation.
Luke 8:16-18
All have sinned and
fallen short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:21-26 To know God, we must obey Him and if we love
God, then we will obey His commandments.
John 14:15 Just as actors must put themselves in the role
of the character they are going to portray in a film, so too must we obey
the Laws that God gave us because by following those Laws, we align
ourselves with His ways, acting like Him. All the Laws of the prophets hang
on two given by Yeshua. Love God, and love others as yourself.
Matthew 22:35-40 These both revolve around who God is,
Love.
1 John 4:1-15But God made the things of Christ simple to confound
the wise.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Why? Because the wise have puffed
themselves up with pride. Knowledge and understanding does not make us
better as is commonly taught in this world. Christ and the heart of God we
have when we obey His ways of love are what make us better. God gave us
those laws so that we would not live in sin that He knew would take away our
joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, and all the fruits of the
Spirit. Galatians 5:22-26 Sin
is transgression of God's Laws 1
John 3:4 and the wages of sin is death.
Romans 6:23 Yeshua the Christ was the only man who was ever
sinless because He is the Son of God. 2
Corinthians 5:20,21 Christ was born of a virgin by the Holy
Spirit. By His own free will, Christ became sin when nailed to the cross as
the curse goes.
Galatians 3:13 He did that to give His creation an
opportunity to gain something they don't deserve, and it is through His
grace. Grace is unmerited favor and that is the gift of God to them that
believe and obey Him.
Obedience to God isn't weakness, it leads
to righteousness. But to the world who are blinded by their own pride and
self-centered desires, it is foolishness. They will mock just like those who
lived in the days of Noah did, only this time from a place of looking back
at history from the distorted view produced by evolution and the other
attempts to deny God's existence and cover His creation with fables of vain
imaginings. 2
Peter 3:3-13 So it will be at the end before the day of the
Lord comes. This is the time that is just like the days of Noah. The world
is planning for the future, not knowing that there is no future for them who
are not in Christ.
Matthew 24:37-39 His wrath is coming on all the children of
disobedience who dwell on the whole earth.
Ephesians 5:1-13 It will come suddenly like a thief in the
night, just as in the days of Noah and Lot. 1
Thessalonians 5:1-11 But in both cases, there was an escape
for those who were righteous.
Luke 21:34-36 God's wrath is not for those who obey Him. Do
we punish our children for obeying us? God made our relationships to be
examples of the heavenly things we don't know. This is why the family
symbolism is used everywhere in scripture.
To those who work evil in this world, the light of God
is a terrifying thing because it exposes their deeds that they know are evil
because we all have a conscience.
John 3:17-21 Let us do the works of God in His love that we
may approach boldly the throne of God and be joyful of the light which will
expose a mirror image of God's love for His creation. Without the covering
blood of Yeshua the Christ, who died for our sins, there is no remission of
sins.
Hebrews 9:11-28, Acts
2:29-39, Matthew
26:28
So to you who do not believe, if this understanding
from the Bible has resonated with your spirit and you would like to have
that relationship with your Creator right now, then repent and be baptized
in the name of Yeshua.
Acts 2:38 Repenting requires an action of turning from
those things which break God's Laws and doing them no more. In Greek, the
word used is metanoeō, or to
think differently. God
doesn't condemn the repentant, and the truly repentant do not sin any more
because their thoughts are no longer dwelling on the same sins.
John 8:1-12 We should also recognize that our sins are much
of what causes our problems in life, even in health. This is how our spirit
can be manifest in the flesh. If you constantly suffer from malady look at
your spirit, with what is it aligned? God's Word or the world? This can be
seen by the example in
John 5:1-15 where Yeshua healed the lame man at the pool in
Bethesda. "Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple,
and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." Right here we
see the principle that our sins produce negative consequences. This is why
God doesn't want us to sin, out of love because He wants us to live lives of
joy and peace in His presence. He created us for communion with Him!
I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Large Cell Type B
Lymphoma when I was in the Air Force. I believe that is a result of the life
that I was living. I didn't read the Bible so my only foundation was from
the memory of what I learned as a child, which probably saved my eternal
life. I have my parents to thank for that. But I was focused on the things
of the world. Where your treasures are, there also is your heart. Matthew 6:19-21 Everything
on this earth and everything physical will one day melt with a fervent heat.
All the works of man will be gone for eternity.
2 Peter 3:7-18 So what should our focus be on? Those things
that will never fade away, the things of the Spirit which are of God. When
we live in God's love for Him and others, He recognizes us in heaven.
Matthew 6:16-18
I also believe that my experiences in life were for a
purpose that has led me to the beginning of the fulfillment of God's design
for my life while on earth. I was born for such a time as this. So were you,
if you accept it and hold onto the promises God has given you. We shouldn't
dwell upon our sins, we should turn from them and leave them in the past
from that moment on because that's what God does.
Psalm 103:8-22 Dwelling on our sins only keeps them in the
forefront of our minds, tempting us more because the desires of the flesh is
strong and a spirit not founded in Christ is weak to the lusts of the flesh.
So I encourage you to seek out Christ and you will find
Him, He has promised you that. Matthew
7 He wants to take your burdens and give you in exchange
His, which is freedom from sin. That's why He died on the cross for you.
Matthew 11:25-30 I don't ask that you believe me, just that
you look in the Book, the Holy Bible. Not everyone will choose to obey God.
Those with pride will resist and God also resists the proud.
James 4
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even
of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill,
and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not,
because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye
may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye
not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever
therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think
that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth
to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the
proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to
God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he
will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your
hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your
laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble
yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not
evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and
judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if
thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is
one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that
judgest another? Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go
into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get
gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your
life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then
vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live,
and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such
rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it
not, to him it is sin.
Get alone and quiet. Your flesh will do anything it can
to stop you. Thoughts will race through your head and distractions will
arise like never before. Things you need to get done, things you would
rather do because they're more fun, and anything you can (and will) think of
to pull you away from developing that relationship with God. This is the
enemies of God trying to prevent what they know full well will take you from
their grasp. Understand that
thought is the voice of the spirit realm. Rebuke those thoughts and
remain focused on God, pressing through to clear your mind of everything but
Him. He knows you're seeking. Ask Him for help, guidance, and
forgiveness. He will answer in a still, small voice.
1 Kings 19:11-13 This is why many people don't hear God.
They fill their minds with noise from TV, radio, friends, conversation,
anything to remain occupied. It is the still, small voice in which God
speaks to us though.
So ask, listen, obey, and love your God. He has your
best interest at heart even if you don't know it yet. God loves you with an
everlasting love that never changes. He doesn't want anyone to be separated
from Him. 2
Peter 3:8,9 but He created us with free will and even God
will not interfere with our own choices because He loves us and wants us to
love Him because we want to, not because we have to. I think any person can
relate to that, we were created in His image after all. We experience
emotions, which are part of the spirit-world in which we fight. We don't
fight against flesh and blood, but principalities and darkness.
Ephesians 6:10-20 God has all the answers you seek, if you
only have faith to believe and ask, receiving His answers with an open heart
and in accordance with His Word. He will never tell you anything that
is contrary to the Bible, so guard your mind with the Word of God,
proving what you learn by searching the Word daily. Time is short before the end comes. The signs are given
to us in the Bible. I offer you my research in Bible prophecy and watching
events in the news to open your eyes as mine have been opened to the glory
and majesty of God's plan, known before the world existed and being
fulfilled exactly as foretold in scripture.
HIStory, Our Future: Pearls for the Bride May God bless you and keep you as you walk with His
Word lighting your path. May His blessings be manifest to you as you remain
in Him and offer yourself to Him as an empty vessel, to be filled with the
power of the Holy Spirit. And bless the name of the Lord and the Holy
Spirit, who just brought all these scriptures to remembrance so that I could
write this to you. I give God all the glory. If you have not already, I
exhort you to search and discover the peace that passes all understanding
that comes when you develop your relationship with Christ even more daily.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring
all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And
before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one
from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he
shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
[Sheep]
Then shall the King say unto
them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred,
and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a
stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye
visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the
righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed
thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and
took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in
prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them,
Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least
of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
[Goats]
Then shall he say also unto
them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye
gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger,
and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison,
and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord,
when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick,
or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them,
saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the
least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into
everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
The Mercy Seat Stan
Smith
Where does God live in the earth?
In Moses’ days, He gave detailed instructions about the tabernacle
where He would dwell. There were three rooms: the outer court,
where sacrifice for sin took place; the inner court, where priests
maintained a testimony before God; and the Holy of Holies, the
innermost room where the ark of the covenant was placed. And there
God dwelt, on what He called “the mercy seat.”
He could have called it anything, really. The Bible names two
other places where He sits, the throne and the judgment seat. But
when He described where He wanted to live among His own people, He
called it the mercy seat.
Our bodies are temples – the Greek word means not just temples,
but holy of holies – for the Holy Spirit. Our hearts need to
contain not just a throne or even a judgment seat, but a mercy seat,
a place where God can feel at home.
When I was a teen-ager, I heard that someone had seen a vision of
God as a man with a suitcase, going from one place to another, and
wanting nothing so much as a place to rest His feet. But wherever
He went, His people tried to capitalize on His presence and get Him
to do something for Him.
As soon as I heard of the vision, I prayed that I would be a man
with whom God could feel at home. Many times over the years, I have
invited God to sit in the car with me when I was driving or to sit
in the comfortable chair in my living room. Over the years, I’ve
learned that He feels most at home sitting in a mercy seat.
In the church today, there are moments when God makes His glory
felt. And one of the first effects of His presence is that people
feel ashamed of their judgments against one another and of the
offenses they have harbored in their hearts.
God’s presence awakens us to His mercy, mercy not only towards us
but also towards everyone around us.
If we are merciless as we walk out our faith, it is only because
we are out of touch with God’s presence. He sits on a mercy seat.
Psalm 136 shows that God’s mercy
takes many unexpected forms. It shaped the heavens and the earth,
and set the sun to rule the day and the moon to rule the night.
Jesus said this is evidence of God’s love towards all humanity, for
He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good.
Then the Psalmist details the events of the exodus and wilderness
wanderings, and shows a recurring theme of God’s mercy towards
Israel. He brought Israel out of Egypt, opened the Red Sea before
them, gave them victory over hostile armies in the wilderness, and
gave them a heritage in the land.
But another side of mercy emerges. The same events that brought
mercy to Israel brought judgment to their enemies. God brought
Israel out of Egypt, first crippling Egypt’s economy and then
releasing the plague of the firstborn. He opened the Red Sea before
Israel but used this same miracle to decimate Egypt’s army. He gave
victories in the wilderness to Israel but slew their opposing kings,
Sihon and Og.
Judgment and mercy can be two sides of the same coin. For God to
show mercy to one person, He must judge another. It’s not that God
lies awake at night trying to figure out how to judge those whose
ways displease Him. It’s that He has committed Himself to showing
mercy to His covenant people, and this moves Him to vanquish their
enemies.
Covenant is the issue. The mercy seat is part of a piece of
furniture called “the ark of the covenant.” God sits not only on a
mercy seat, but He is enthroned on His covenant.
Psalm 103:17-18 says, “The mercy of
the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His
covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.”
The story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt is a chronicle of their
wrangling with God at every turn, while He blessed them in spite of
themselves again and again. They were in covenant with Him, and He
poured out mercy on them.
So we misunderstand God’s mercy if we think it means He will
always be good to everybody. He gives some mercies to all, like
sunshine or rain. He reserves other mercies for those who walk in
covenant with Him, even when it means He must come down hard on
their enemies.
The mercy seat had an interesting history. At first it was kept
in the Holy Of Holies, the innermost chamber in Moses’ tabernacle.
Then in the days of Eli the priest, it was carried into battle and
captured by the Philistines. They found it too hot to handle and
returned it to Israel. David brought it up to Zion and kept it in a
rude tent, where for a few decades it was on display. Then it was
returned to the Holy Of Holies, this time in Solomon’s Temple.
This means that for about a thousand years, the ark of the
covenant was hidden in the holy of holies in Moses’ tabernacle or
Solomon’s temple. God’s presence rested on the mercy seat. But He
was hidden from His people, accessible only once a year as the high
priest walked through the rituals of the Day of Atonement.
But for about forty years, this was changed. David’s tabernacle
put the ark on display. Not only the high priest but anyone who
wished could come and peer into the tent to behold God’s glory.
David ringed his simple tabernacle with worshipers who served God
with prophetic song, day and night.
Centuries later when the ark was again hidden in the holy of
holies, Amos prophesied, “On that day I will raise up the tabernacle
of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will
raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; that they
may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called
by My name.” (Amos
9:11-12)
The early church quoted this prophecy when wrestling with the
theological issues of taking the gospel to the Gentiles: could
God’s covenant mercies extend to other nations? The words of Amos
satisfied them that they could.
I love prophetic worship and believe it is one of the major
things God is doing in the earth today. But the restoration of the
tabernacle of David is more than music. It is His way of extending
of covenant mercies to those outside the community of faith.
If ever the tabernacle of David was restored, it happened when
Jesus came.
John 1:14 says the Word was made
flesh and dwelt, or “tabernacled” as the Greek word says, among us.
He wasn’t like the tabernacle of Moses or the temple of Solomon,
where the glory of God was hidden. He put God’s glory on display
through His works, His teachings, and His love. He was a mercy
seat. People who came to Him found encouragement in the things of
God.
He also showed the prickly side of mercy. He rebuked religious
leaders and rulers of the land; He didn’t always play to public
expectations; He often spoke sharply to His disciples. But even
then, there was always an undercurrent of mercy.
He made the glory of God accessible. The leper could not come
near the temple, but He came to Jesus and found healing. The woman
with the issue of blood likewise was shut out, but she touched Jesus
and was healed. The Syro-Phoenician woman with a demonized daughter
was a gentile, and even she was able to coax a life-changing word
out of Jesus. Zacchaeus the tax-collector could get no further than
the outer court of the Temple, but He found a new life when he met
Jesus. The list goes on, but Jesus proved to be a temple on two
legs who went to those who could not get to the sanctuary.
Then when Jesus left the earth, He poured out His Spirit on us so
we could live as He lived. And today as never before, ordinary
Christians are stepping into the supernatural works of Jesus.
A generation ago, we thought the gifts of the Holy Spirit were
only for the “priests” and only to be released in the sanctuary.
Now we are learning that every believer is a priest, and the earth
is the Lord’s. Wherever we go and whoever we meet, God is ready to
move.
We see Jesus, looking at multitudes and moved with compassion
towards them. He is looking for mobile tents filled with His
presence, so He can send us to them, bearing grace and mercy to
transform their lives. Be a mercy seat.
2 Corinthians 4
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have
received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden
things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling
the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth
commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of
God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are
lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of
them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our
hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of
God, and not of us. We are troubled on
every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in
despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not
destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the
Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest
in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto
death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made
manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but
life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it
is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also
believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up
the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall
present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that
the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many
redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but
though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day
by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are
temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Romans 1:16-32
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God
is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of
God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their
imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to
be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God
into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted
beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness
through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between
themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and
served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women
did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise
also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one
toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving
in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as
they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a
reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled
with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil
things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers,
without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment
of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do
the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 1
John 3:18
A bell is not a bell
until you ring it,
a song is not a song until you sing it,
love is not love
until you share it.1 Peter 4:15-19
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an
evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as
a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it
first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of
God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the
sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God
commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful
Creator.
Witnessing isn't necessarily
walking up to strangers and talking about
Yeshua
(Jesus), although that is the only message
that will save. It is in your everyday actions
and comments. It is what you project to others that is a witness as well. In the
world today, Christians should stand out. They should be willing to help anyone
who asks and give freely. Love is selfless and giving, it produces
charity,
and
God
is pure love. If
He
lives in us, so should He be evident because without Him, we are not
selfless creatures. We become selfish and self-absorbed. We think only about our
own lives, our own desires, and even sometimes step on others to achieve those desires.
Those who have repented and accepted Yeshua as their Savior should desire that
for the lost, which we all once were.
2 Timothy 2:22-26
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace,
with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned
questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the
Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In
meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will
give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may
recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are
taken
captive by him at his will.2 Corinthians 4
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint
not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in
craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by
manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in
the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid,
it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves
your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have
this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of
God, and not of us. We are troubled on
every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that
the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake,
that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So
then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of
faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken;
we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the
Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might
through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet
the inward man is renewed day by day. For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we
look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not
seen are eternal.
Matthew 7:1-8
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge,
ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to
you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye,
but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou
say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold,
a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out
of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out
of thy brother's eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither
cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet,
and turn again and rend you. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that
asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened.
This is key to being a good witness for Christ, we need to be more like Him
ourselves. We can't be perfect, but we have grace in Christ. But we need to
be obedient to the Word of God. If we are not obedient, how can we expect
anyone we witness to to take us seriously?
Another principle this shows is in the warning not to "cast
that which is holy unto the dogs." What does that mean in context of
judging others? I believe it has to do with witnessing to others. This term
referred to not sharing the holy things of God with those who were not Jews.
God set aside the Jewish people to represent the people of God in the world.
God gave them ordinances and laws which made them peculiar to those of the
world around them. However, the world didn't regard as holy what the Hebrews
held as holy. So in sharing the holy things of God with those who have no
regard for its holiness is casting the pearls before swine. The reasoning is
that they who view a peculiar thing with no regard for its holiness may
desecrate that which is holy and turn on the messenger.
I relate this to standing on the corner judgingly presenting God's Word.
Pearls are created by introducing an irritation into a living organism. That
pearl is removed from its place of growth as an item of adornment. To the
Jews it was actually unclean. So too when we learn, we must begin at the
basics with the Gospel message and understand the spiritual, digging into
the Word of God. We must present in witnessing the end result of this
process in us by our actions and life while expressing verbally the Gospel
of Christ's salvation.
Does this mean we don't share God's Word? By no means, it is absolutely
central and is Truth! Not everyone holds it as holy nor as Truth. What we
can do is understand God's Word ourselves and live it, understanding the
spiritual things and regarding the meat of the Word, not just the milk. Then
we can relate from experience because the things of Christ are simple and it
all boils down to selfless love for God and others. Sometimes we put a
little too much of our own effort into witnessing instead of letting go and
letting God work through us. God is Love. When we live in
relationship with Him, walking the walk, we are a witness by our being there
because in this world of darkness, we are the light. We are fueled by the
Holy Spirit who ignites our understanding of God's Word which is a light
unto our path. So what's a good thing to ask for because we will receive it?
Understanding when reading God's Word to know His will.
"Hell's Best
Kept Secret"
MP3
DOWNLOAD -
AUDIO
STREAM -
VIDEO
- Witness to those in Israel!
Tarshish
can direct you with ideas to help. Watch their introduction movie
to their ministry!
- What does it mean to be a Christian? -
How is a Christian supposed to live? What are the 10 Commandments and what
do they mean? Think Christians never live up to what they should? None of us
do, that's why Christ is the only way to heaven, because none of us can make
it on our own.
-
Luring A
Christian Into A Debate Is A Satanic Trap. When it comes to secular politics,
I usually enjoy and place considerable weight on what I observe and hear
during a debate. One of the more positive features of a debate is the chance
to see the candidates side by side and having them simultaneously be presented
and respond to the issues. We must be aware, however, that one of the more
negative results of a debate is that the “victor” may be determined by his
ability to debate & dodge the issues rather than his ability to present
solutions to the issues at hand. In spiritual warfare, it is critically
important to remember who our primary enemy is and how he operates. Our
primary enemy is not people, their plans, or their behaviors. It is Satan and
his forces of evil (Eph.6: 12). Satan seldom identifies himself and he always
uses deception to achieve his objectives.
-
What
is Hell? - What better way to witness than to understand just what
happens to the lost. With all the swearing, hell has become a less
understood term. I know some people who know they're going to hell and are
"ok" with it. They're nice people, just ignorant. They don't truly
understand that our spirits are eternal and there are only two places to
spend that eternity, with God [heaven] or away
from Him completely [hell], for all eternity.
There is no changing your mind. God is love, therefore the complete absence
of God is the complete opposite of love. The same goes for the side-effects
of love:
Peace | Torment
Joy | Sorrow
Comfort | Agony
Laughter | Wailing
and gnashing of teeth
FOR ALL ETERNITY WITH NO CHANGE EVER AGAIN...by
our own choices.
Testimonies
This section is meant to be a witness of God's love through testimonies I've
found and experienced.
Ex-Korn member on being saved – from himself
Canadian Christianity (November
7, 2007) - In early
2005, Korn guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch’s conversion to Christianity was
treated as a significant, newsworthy event. More than 13,000 people
showed up when he shared his testimony at a church in Bakersfield,
California. The next day, an MTV camera crew followed him to Israel,
where he was baptized in the Jordan River. Subsequently, he traveled to
India, where he opened Head Home, an orphanage for street children; he
also began writing and recording his first solo album. After the initial
burst of interest, things settled down. He recently released his
autobiography;
Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, And Lived
to Tell My Story. I spoke to Welch about his life before and
after, what got in the book, and a few things that didn’t. Korn is
credited with popularizing nu-metal, an ingenious blend of death metal,
electronica, hip hop - and in their case – bagpipes. By industry
standards, they’re seasoned vets, releasing their first album back in
1994, when Seattle’s grunge bands were all the rage. Based out of L.A.,
their sound was even more aggressive, and netted them – at last count -
nine top ten albums. Hits like ‘A.D.I.D.A.S.’ (an acronym for “All Day I
Dream About Sex”) and ‘Freak on A Leash,’ have made them millionaires
many times over. When the band started to make money, Welch invested in
real estate, and discovered he had a knack for turning a profit.
Supplementing his already considerable music-related earnings, he was
soon set for life. Professionally, things couldn’t have been better, but
on a personal level, his life was falling apart. His marriage had ended,
leaving him a single parent, and after a decade of abuse, he was
addicted to methamphetamines – speed - as well as Xanax, Vicodin, Valium
and Celexa. All are potent, and highly addictive. Meth, in particular,
is considered one of the hardest of all drugs to kick, with a very low
recovery rate. He had also developed a serious drinking problem; both
his father and grandfather were alcoholics, making Brian at least the
third generation to struggle with the disease. After a decade in L.A.,
he returned to his hometown of Bakersfield in 2004, where, shortly
before his conversion, he began a partnership with two local real estate
developers. Both were Christians, yet rarely shared – or even spoke -
about their faith with him. Nonetheless, their impact was significant.
“You know what? I saw something different. They were glowing; they had a
glow about them, and they were always in good moods. They were just
these guys in the real estate business, but I looked up to them for some
reason. I thought it was the business and the money, because they were
always wheeling and dealing, and that was my thing. Money was my god. It
made me feel powerful and safe, so I wanted more and more. And that’s
how awesome God is; he didn’t care that I was blind, chasing money. He
still used that to get me in. It was cool.” When he finally decided to
reach out, they were there for him.
more...
A great witness, I
recommend everyone read the whole thing. This also shows how
part of our witness and testimony to others is simply how we
act, the fruits of our choices to choose God or the world.
Galatians 5:19-26
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which
are these; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance,
emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies, Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the
which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time
past, that they which do such things shall not inherit
the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, Meekness, temperance: against such
there is no law.
And they that are Christ's
have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If
we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let
us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another,
envying one another.
Post by
I've Seen Angels on
FulfilledProphecy (March 5, 2007) -
Okay.......................What
is the best way to make a person speechless??? Anybody? Print
the 70th
week from what Herb thinks and let people read it.... That became
part of my witnessing plan for those who I knew had not been living the life
they should...I call them weekend Christians. There was no argument, few
words and most cases no words. One lady said, "I need to get back in church.
today"
..........................................................................................................
When I walked into work Friday night the secretary met me and said, "What
you told me weeks ago...it's true. I've been watching the news and that
Solana guy...he scares me. she was excited to learn more and the people
around us got interested and I had Herb in my pocket...it was contagious. I
don't think anybody even cared about the don't say God at work rule...it was
as if they could not get enough. We talked all night between caring for our
patients.
..........................................................................................................
Saturday night...I knew that God was going to use me...I felt it and I was
ready....and it happened. I was drawn to the same room I spoke of before on
this board...374. The woman was very ill...her husband sat at her side.
Another nurse was caring for her and as she was placing water into her peg
tube (feeding tube in the stomach)...I noticed her shallow breathing and I
left the room and got an o2 sat monitor (it measures oxygen in the blood) I
placed it on her finger and it was very low...68...I got oxygen and she
improved her numbers dramatically.
I left and went back to the desk....probably an hour later the tech called
me back to her room...the lady who was having trouble breathing earlier and
who was looking very weak now was standing and was very animated (she could
not speak due to her disease). The tech was excited that she had
improved...I picked up a tube of lotion from the table as the tech was
making her bed and the patient sat down in the chair facing her husband.
I started rubbing the lotion on her back, my fingers could feel each bone
through her thin skin. Her disease had made her emaciated...but she was
still full of life...teasing her husband with notes and playful gestures. As
we started to leave the room she pointed to us both and raised both
arms...like she was imitating a bird..."Are you calling us birds?' I asked
playfully. Her husband laughed...."NO...SHE JUST SAID YOU ARE ANGELS." I
shook my head................."No, we are just children of God." As I walked
out...I felt comforted...she had been more of a witness to me than I had
been to her and I found it ironic.....that I had set out this weekend to
witness and instead God gave someone to witness to me. Praise God!
-Gail
Blessings2U
wrote:
Do
you ever hear a voice in your head or your heart, or deep within you, that
tells you to do something or say something to someone that you wouldn't
normally say or do, but somehow you muster up the courage to do or say that
something to someone? One time I was in my oncologists office waiting for my
turn. I was deeply engrossed in a book and people were coming and going. But
a lady came in and I looked up and saw her. I was drawn to her. I felt like
I was supposed to go talk to her, to encourage her. I am VERY shy, but I
felt like it was the LORD leading me. So, I mustered up the courage and went
over and sat beside her and her husband. I introduced myself and asked her
name. It turned out that I knew of her daughter. She worked in another
building and I had seen her name on the prayer list of our work Bible study.
I was shocked! I told her that our Bible study had been praying for her and
that I had been talking to her daughter about her. I had never met her
daughter at that point, just talked to her on the phone and emails. I prayed
with her and talked to her until they called my name. She was so
appreciative and I was blessed by the encounter. I feel that God spoke to me
and I moved on His behalf. He didn't speak to me audibly, but to my heart. I
hope and pray that you have heard that still small voice in your heart.
When I was first
diagnosed with cancer I was doing the Experiencing God study by Henry
Blackaby. We were on chapter 10. I had two separate friends come to me and
give me ...
John 11:4
When Jesus heard [that], he said, This
sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of
God might be glorified thereby.
I was encouraged by this, but still
wondered, why me. When I went to start my weeks bible study, I felt like I
was supposed to go back and re-read another chapter. I felt like I was
supposed to re-read chapter 6. I didn't want to re-read chapter 6, I like
7...that's God's number...I want to read 7...no, read chapter 6. So I
started reading chapter 6. That is the chapter where Henry Blackaby tells
about when his daughter was diagnosed with cancer. He was given the same
verse for his daughter! I had COMPLETELY forgotten about his daughter
having cancer, but the LORD wanted me to re-read this chapter for my third
confirmation of John 11:4. This sickness is not unto death, but for the
glory of GOD... I cried and told Him, ok! I get it now! Sometimes I have
to be hit over the head! I truly believe the Holy Spirit moves in our
behalf to encourage us, also. We hear in our "spirit" if that is the word
for it, or in our hearts, what the Lord is trying to get through to us.
But we need to be listening for His voice. The sheep know the shepherd's
voice and respond to him. The same is for us. We are the sheep and HE is
the shepherd and we need to know Him and be able to hear His voice when He
calls us.
Being Tortured for a Faith He Didn't Have Helped Lead this Man to Christ
(December 20, 2006)
"Now I can see that God sought me. I believe if I was the
only person needing salvation he would come and die for me."
Hussain Andaryas was fifteen when a man gave him pages torn
from the book of Matthew and part of Luke, from the Bible. Not even knowing
the source of the pages, Andaryas poured over them, keeping them hidden under
his bed sheets. He realized he recognized some of the names and places, but
the arrangement was different from what he knew from the Koran. It was then
that he began meeting with the man who'd given him the pages.
The two agreed to meet one night a week, Andaryas' goal was to try to convince
the man that Christianity was wrong, and the Koran had the true way. The
religious police caught them one night reading a Bible together. "I'm not a
Christian," cried Andaryas. "I only met with this man to convince him to
become a Muslim." But, both were taken, horribly tortured, and the other man
was killed. Andaryas escaped death since it was his first offense, but it
burned in his mind. Something was wrong with this way (of persecution). Jesus
taught His followers to "love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute
you."
Years later he escaped his home to avoid being forced to serve for the
communist army at work in the country, and ended up in one of the largest Shia
universities to study Islam. But he was once again caught with a Bible, and
expelled from the university. Fearing for his life his mother had given him a
shirt saying to him that he should not wear or wash the shirt unless he was in
trouble. Now he found 500 American dollars sewn into the collar. Using the
money he paid to be smuggled across the border. His smugglers took the 500,
and handed back 400 of it to him. He was stunned by their generosity.
After nine years of studying the Koran and the Bible, he eventually found
peace after moving to a Hindi country where he met a fellow student from the
university he'd been expelled from. Together they went to a musical
performance, done in a language they could not understand. But when the
preacher began preaching, the words were clear for Andaryas to understand.
Later, Andaryas approached the preacher and asked him directly: "How did you
know how to speak Hazaragi?" (Hazaragi is a unique dialect of the Persian
language, with some Turkish and Mongolian words in the mix.)
"I never heard that language," he replied.
"But you spoke it," Andaryas insisted.
"I spoke in plain Hindi."
He gave his life to Lord that night, and since then, God has supernaturally
helped Andaryas to learn 12 different languages. He runs 25 different websites
where people can download the Bible in their native language. "Additionally,
Andaryas operates two daily radio and television programs for Afghanistan,
broadcast directly into Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Tajikistan. He is
editor and producer of
Afghan Christian Media.
As Andaryas looks back, he marvels at the way God arranged divine encounters
to win his soul as he traveled the Middle East. "Now I can see that God sought
me. I believe if I was the only person needing salvation he would come and die
for me." More testimony details on
the link above.
Evangelist Marvels at Divine Appointment that Underlines the Importance of the
Great Commission
(November 24, 2006)
Re-tuning focus often renews the vigor behind the GREAT
Commission. So says
Global
Advance's David Shibley.
He was in the Philippines for an international mission conference. Shibley
says he thought he was there to discuss strategies and forward movement with
other mission agencies, but God had a plan on a grander scale.
One day, Shibley hailed a cab to get to the morning's first meetings. A few
minutes into the ride, he discovered the driver spoke fluent English, so
Shibley decided to make the best use of his time and engage the driver.
In the course of their discussion, Shibley began steering it toward sharing
the Gospel with his cab driver. When he began telling the story, the driver
had to pull over because he was so overcome.
Then the driver said, "I've just been crying out, all night long saying, 'God,
it would be so great to be born again. Would You please put someone in this
cab who could show me how I could be born again?'"
A thunderstruck Shibley shares, "It was a tremendous honor to share the Gospel
with that man, pray with him as he received Christ as his Savior and Lord."
It's hard not to marvel at how God works. Shibley is amazed that God took him
halfway around the world, to put him in touch with one desperate man who
needed Him. It also shows the serious nature of the Great Commission.
Such an incident "...emphasizes the call that He's given to all of us. The
Commission that He's given to us, to go to every person on earth and insure
that every person has the privilege of hearing this wonderful story of God's
love through His S on, the Lord Jesus."
Global Advance's vision is to provide training and resources for one million
pastors and church leaders in needy areas of the world.
Shibley says, "We believe empowering national church leaders is the most
strategic, cost-effective, and culturally sensitive way to advance the
Gospel." Click
here if you want to help.
Heading Home from Watchman Speaks 2
(October 29, 2006)
I just wanted to share my recent God encounter on my way home from the
Watchman Speaks 2 conference this weekend. Firstly, it was an awesome
conference and there was even a healing miracle, but I'll let achildsheart
tell that one.
I was on my last leg back to Seattle from Houston. I was heading to my seat
on the airplane and there was a large black man sitting in the middle of the
three seats. I took my seat next to the window and eventually, the woman who
had the isle seat, Marilyn, came on the plane. Recognizing the uncomfortable
gentleman sitting between us, she asked if he would like to switch seats with
her to which he happily agreed. So she sat down next to me and he sat on the
isle.
The flight was full and there was a slight mix-up with the seating. It
turned out the black gentleman was in the wrong seat and was actually supposed
to be across the isle. This meant Marilyn's trade wasn't necessary and just as
they were about to all switch to their right seats, it was decided that it was
fine for everyone to sit where they were. So the flight took off and nothing
much happened. Then I started talking to Marilyn and she asked what I was
doing in Detroit.
Now I had been praying that if God had anyone He wanted me to interact with
that I was available and ready with His leading. I had determined that since
the topic of Bible prophecy isn't always the best way to start a conversation
with a Christian let alone a non-believer, that I would instead start by
saying it was a conference on European politics and lead into the prophecy
aspect later if it came up. When I had told her what I did for a living
(computer stuff) and that I was at a European politics conference, she
couldn't put the two together. I don't blame her, but it peaked her curiosity
and she asked how they are related.
So I told her I'm a Christian and started talking about the basics of how
European politics plays into Bible prophecy and showed her Herb's book,
Recommendation 666. I continued to talk with her about a whole bunch of topics
related to Christian beliefs and my personal testimony, etc. This brings me to
another digression.
Before I left for the conference, I knew I would need my collection of
DVD's on diverse Christian subjects on this trip. I figured it would be at the
conference where I could share some of it with those interested. While I did
find some interested people, there really wasn't much time so I didn't get to
show it. However on the way back, thanks to my company giving me a laptop to
use, I was telling Marilyn of the chariot wheels at the bottom of the Red Sea
and other archaeological evidence of Biblical stories. It suddenly dawned on
me that I could show her and she was interested so I did and she was
intrigued.
What was also fascinating was her telling me that she was noticing that
almost every stranger she started talking to was telling her that they were
Christians. I then pointed out to her the coincidence of her seating on that
flight and how if that black gentleman hadn't been in the wrong seat, she
would never have switched and we probably would never have talked. I could
tell that got her attention.
As it turns out, she was tired, but very interested in the conversation and
had been looking for churches and just moved to the Seattle area. I gave her
my card with my website and my church's business card, so she has the
opportunity to come if she would like. I would ask everyone who reads this to
pray for Marilyn, that God would guide her steps as she searches Him out and
continue to bring others into her path as she said has been happening. God is
calling her and I believe she is answering.
She said she went to a Joel Osteen church in Texas and while he wasn't
there, his mother was and got up asking for tithes, even if you couldn't
afford to and God would give back 100-fold. She said she was put off by this
along with what she described as more of a concert than a church service. I
was excited to hear her recognize and be turned from that atmosphere and she
seemed pretty shocked when I told her our church has 20-30 members. I could
tell by talking to her that her heart was destined for heaven and a closer
relationship with Christ. So please keep her in your prayers as she has some
difficult life decisions to make in the near future and like us all, needs
God's love, support, and direction.
I Was A Witch
Witchcraft, telepathy, levitation, spirit channeling, ESP, and a host of
other paranormal activities were all I knew from early childhood. While we
attended church every Sunday and called ourselves Christians, my parents
started espousing Hindu beliefs and New Age philosophies. Soon, choir camp was
replaced with psychic camp, and séances, Ouija boards, crystals, and pendulums
became the norm in our home. Every night around the dinner table, we discussed
topics such as ghosts, poltergeists, and contact from the beyond. Yet as
strange as it sounds, we still considered ourselves to be Christian.
Then, when I was 17, my mother's slow, agonizing battle with cancer ended.
The void within me was too great to fill, so I found solace in my anger. To
anesthetize my pain over my mom's death, I turned to black magic, voodoo,
hexes, and curses. Since my future seemed so uncertain, I began reading Tarot
cards to tell my fortune. I even took on a new appearance—I
cut and dyed my light brown curls jet black. I wore white makeup, black
lipstick, and black clothes. Eight holes pierced my ear—my
new trademark.
My behavior changed as well. I quit high school and started hanging out
downtown with all the other misfits and vagabonds. One of my best friends was
a warlock named Stephen. Witchcraft became my haven, my identity, my
lifestyle. Although my dad and I were close, he was too caught up in his grief
to seem to notice the poor choices I was making. He later told me he was sorry
he hadn't been more of an emotional support for me during the time my life
started taking its downward spiral.
I considered myself a spiritual person. While I believed God is the Creator
of all things and that Jesus Christ is his son, one important element was
missing: reverence. I had no fear of God, no sense of accountability or
responsibility to him. In my mind, hell didn't exist, which alleviated the
consequences of evil.
As the years went by, I barely scraped out a living as a manicurist. I
moved from place to place—Atlanta,
Seattle, and finally Hollywood when I was 26 years old. With no money, no car,
and no telephone, life was hard. The tiny room I rented on the Boulevard was
hot and cockroach-infested. I stepped over used syringes and condoms each
morning on my way to the bus stop. I didn't fill my father in on all these
details because I didn't want him to worry. I persisted in romanticizing this
colorful and sometimes dangerous lifestyle, but it was taking its toll.
Suffering from severe anorexia, my 100-pound, 5-foot-5-inch frame had its
share of health issues. And with a weekly budget of fifty dollars, as the
years passed, I wondered why the Universe wasn't taking better care of me.
Surely the answer lay within the supernatural sphere of my mother's crystal
ball, which my father gave me right after she died. Though it was quite large
and expensive, the thought of selling it never crossed my mind, as it would
inevitably become a family heirloom. Still, whenever I gazed into it, I
received no word from the beyond. I sank deeper into poverty, and my health
problems progressed.
A stark contrast to my growing misery was Joyce, a woman who frequented the
salon where I worked. Her deep, sincere joy baffled me. I was in turmoil
emotionally and physically, and unfulfilled spiritually. I wondered what Joyce
had found that I'd overlooked. She didn't shove her Christian beliefs down my
throat, but planted a seed by saying, "You need to come to my church."
I remember the first time I took her up on that offer. The service was held
in the auditorium of a junior high school. I'd never seen people like those in
attendance that morning—hands
raised, singing, smiling. It was too much for me to take, so I left and didn't
return for several months.
In the interim, I tried everything I'd missed the prior 29 years of
searching, until there was nothing left to try. The Buddhists and the Hindus
didn't offer the joy and peace I glimpsed in the people at Joyce's church. I
didn't find the answers I sought in the psychic who "conversed" with angels,
in the book A Course in Miracles, or with the Christian Scientists. The only
thing I hadn't given a real try was found in that little church in the junior
high. So, somewhat self-consciously and most unenthusiastically, I went back
to find out more.
As I sat down, I silently shot up a desperate prayer: God, please give me
someone in this crazy crowd I can relate to. If you don't give me someone, I'm
walking out of here. At that moment, the pastor told the congregation to stand
up and shake a few hands. I introduced myself to Lisa, whose dyed-red hair and
nose ring suggested we might be at a similar place. My black-and-white hair
and spiked belt told her the same. Lisa, a fellow spiritual seeker, and I
became fast friends.
Looking back, I wonder how the church members stood having me in their
midst for so long. I was angry and exasperated as I sat listening to their
"good news." How could there be only one way to God? At the end of each
message, I marched down the aisle to the pastor and began firing off an
onslaught of questions. After three or four weeks of verbal sparing, he humbly
offered the associate pastor's ear. I made my rounds from one elder to
another, finally ending up at a Friday night Bible study looking for answers.
As I sat on the floor in the leader's living room, I felt a peace amidst
this group of people who seemed to care about each other. After the study,
Lisa sat beside me as Scott, the leader, patiently listened to my New-Age
arguments. But one by one, the Scriptures I'd carefully prepared to punch
holes in the gospel came back at me with hurricane force. Scott's words—but
especially the Bible's words—confounded
my cosmic view. After we'd sat there for an hour debating, I was exhausted. My
hardened heart and argumentative nature finally had enough.
As Lisa drove me home, my mind ached as I replayed Scott's words. All the
Old Testament and New Testament verses had one oddly familiar voice—one
tone, one heart. I wondered, How could a book written by so many different
people over the course of hundreds of years fit together perfectly as if one
amazing storyteller had written the whole thing? The Holy Spirit began melting
my vanity and arrogance with a power stronger than any hex, incantation, or
spell I'd ever used. Suddenly, the blindfold I'd worn for almost 30 years was
stripped away, and instantly I knew what I'd been searching for: Jesus! The
same God I'd neglected, whose name I'd used as profanity, whom I'd flat-out
rejected, was the one who'd sent his Son to suffer for me, to take the guilty
verdict so I could be found innocent. My eyes filled with tears as I exchanged
the darkness with which I'd grown so accustomed for the light of God's truth.
It was such a personal moment between the Lord and me that even Lisa, sitting
next to me in the car, had no idea what was going on.
I soon realized my life was filled with empty props, and it was time to
clean house. My first act of obedience was to throw out all my books on
witchcraft and the paranormal, as well as my Tarot cards. But the most
important possession—and
most difficult to discard—was
my treasured crystal ball.
I called Lisa. She came right over, and we immediately drove to the Pacific
Ocean. My heart pounded as if the demons themselves weren't far behind us.
We stood at the end of Malibu Pier, our beaming faces reflecting the
radiance of the setting sun. I unwrapped the crystal's black velvet cover, and
light streamed out like rainbows as the thick crystal met the sun's fleeting
rays. As I dropped the ball into the deep blue water, I knew my future was
secure. Now I had a Savior who would be with me always. It still moves me to
tears to think he waited through all those years of anger, disappointment,
fear, and bad choices. All the mistakes I'd ever made were wiped clean. It was
amazing!
I'd attended church one week to argue with the members, then returned the
following week in tears to pray the sinner's prayer in front of the entire
congregation. It sounds astounding, but that's exactly what I did. One by one
the Holy Spirit freed me from the trappings of my former life: the practice of
forfeit religions, smoking, cursing, promiscuity, drug use, lying, and
believing I was worthless. My old friends filtered out, and God replaced them
with incredible new ones. He took me from that one-room hovel on Hollywood
Boulevard back to my hometown and the security of friends, family, and a
Spirit-filled church.
By this time, my father had recommitted his life to Christ. He was thrilled
I'd found Christ, too, and knew it was true by the extreme change in me. A few
days before he passed away from heart failure in 1997, I asked him if he would
save me a place next to him at God's banquet table. He replied, "Sweetie, I
wouldn't have it any other way."
My life has changed dramatically since my conversion 12 years ago. I've
been healed of anorexia for several years, and I now help others with the same
affliction. I hope God will open the door for me to work with others trapped
by the occult as well.
There are times when I think back to my old life—the
selfishness and the isolation of life without God. It reminds me of what the
Enemy put me through. I wouldn't trade my new life for anything in this world.
THANK YOU! !!!!! Thank all of you for giving
me such a wonderful welcome.
This topic brought me from being an observer to actually
participating.....Mainly because it was an experience that I could not
understand that brought me here to this site. I have not discussed this even
with my family and only a few individuals at work know what I experienced
months ago but I feel I can safely share it here....I need to share it.
I work on a 36 bed neuroscience unit, mostly we deal with strokes, head
injuries and those types of problems. I work a night shift (7p-7a) and I
have seen many things in my career that I could not explain but knowing the
Lord since I was 8 yrs old I never have questioned the power of God. He is
awesome!
I received a patient to the floor at the first of my shift, mid thirties,
she was in a coma, had been for over a month. She was transferred from the
intensive care unit to die, the Hospice unit was full so she came to our
unit to wait until a bed was available. Her history was sad, she had been
admitted with a drug, alcohol overdose and her family was so angry with her
they would not even visit and according to the ICU nurse she was finally
pronounced brain dead (No eeg tracings).
I had seven patients that night and was in charge, we were busy but around
0230am I found time to stop and to finally chart. The hallway was empty. Our
floor is shaped like a T so the other nurses were scattered throughout but I
was alone. I was standing next to a raspberry (a portable pull down desk
)midway down the hallway charting when I heard someone whisper my name. I
turned and nobody was around so I ignored it, but then it happened again, my
name being whispered loud enough for a tech down another hallway to come to
find out what was going on....Her name is April, she also is a Christian.
We started looking in all of the rooms, thinking somebody may need
assistance. Finally after waking up a few patients we looked at each other,
"We didn't check 374 yet", her hand firmly on the door handle getting ready
to enter, I shook my head, I was like she is in a coma. "No Way April", I
followed her in and what I saw is still hard to talk about.
The room was completely dark except for a very bright light on the wall on
the right side of the bed corner (the door was to the left)...The blinds on
the very small window were shut but even if you pulled them the window faced
a brick wall. The bathroom light was also off. I made my way into the room,
now the dim light from the hallway barely gave enough light to see her face
but her eyes were open and her head was stretched ,she was looking at this
very bright light in the corner of the room, the light reached the top of
the ceiling and touched the floor and was brighter than any light I've ever
seen. I turned to the April, who was speechless, tears running down her
eyes. I called the patient's name and she slowly turned her head and looked
at me. I knew...I do not know how I knew but I asked her the only question I
could, "You're making your life right with God." A smile that was incredible
went across her face...She answered "Yes." then turned her attention back to
the light.
I gently nudged April out of the room and followed her out, shutting the
door behind us...We could not speak...there were no words for what we saw.
We have only spoke of this night once since and if was more of a
confirmation that we both saw the same thing....We did.
The patient was lying still, non-responsive an hour later and we transferred
her to Hospice the next day where she died. I would say she died alone but I
think every Angel in Heaven had to be in her room to comfort her, as a
matter of fact I am pretty sure they were.
I have prayed and asked God what He wanted me to see, what He wanted me to
do with this.
I was asleep one night, just a few weeks later when I awakened at around
0230am and I lay in my bed for a long while before I finally gave up on
sleep. I turned on the television and there were two men shaking hands, the
President of Iran and a man named Javier Solana. I quickly typed his name
into the computer and came upon a site by Chris Perver *Prophecyinthenews*
and I read a lot but my journey did not end with that site, I also found
this site for which I am very grateful. I think Herb's site is really great
and for someone trying to make since of the things around them....It is
perfect.
I can not help but to laugh sometimes when you guys have disagreements
because even Christians have disagreements but I really like it when you
make friends again.
I have said enough...I am really thankful that I found this Christian
site...God seems to always be leading us...I think God uses of all to do His
work...Thank God for each of YOU!
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