Warm Water.

[Mike.]

First I would like to state that I have not shared my story with many. I have only shared this with friends and family while we were already in discussion about our beliefs, Religion and God in general. I may have told this to maybe 20 people in total, but everytime while I'm in the middle or at the end of telling somebody something in me tells me that I should tell more people.

I don't because it makes me feel like a hypocrite or "preaching" while I do not follow in the foot steps of God on a daily basis. I don't feel "right" telling my experience to people because I'm not a religious person by the eyes of many but still have belief and pray almost daily.

First before my story I would like to delve deeper in my belief system. While I know it may differ than many here and may sound a bit blasphemous but I do not believe that you have to go to Church to worship or speak with God.

I believe that you can have one-on-one with God at any time, at any place. I believe that he is every where, watching everything at all times. I don't feel the need to go to church just to PROVE that I am his child and that I speak to him.

He is my father and when I speak to him I decide to keep it personal between Him and I. And every time I do speak to him either aloud or inside of my head then at that very time I'm inside of our, His and Mine, personal church.

I will admit right now that I have not read the Bible. I have a few scriptures here and there but I don't feel the NEED to read the entirety to try to fear, love or understand him. He is the silent father. The guiding hand that allows you to travel your road but won't leave you astray if you ask for help, but will certainly allow you to depart from his path if you choose to and even though it might hurt him, as his child, he will allow you to choose your path. If you want more explanation then feel to PM me. I digressed enough.

I was a young man living in Las Vegas, Nevada at the time while I was feeling very lost in my religious world. Nothing horrible was going on in the world or in my personal life. I remember constantly thinking about all the times that I spoke to God and received nothing in return, at least nothing in return on what I could physically see.

One night it reached a boiling point that about an hour before I went to bed I considered becoming an atheist, a non believer, I was going to start believing in science other than our father, our creator.

I was laying in bed staring up at the ceiling angry, agitated, confused and quite honestly hurt. Then I closed my eyes and even though I told myself I wouldn't speak to him again I asked him "God, if you're really there you're going to have to show me right now. Make me believe again in you. Make a sound in the room. Make a noise. Do anything. Please make me believe."

I laid there for maybe 3 to 5 minutes with nothing in return. After I was about to give up and open up my eyes it was at THAT moment I felt like the center of my heart literally opened in my chest without any pain in it at all and a wash of warm liquid entered it and surrounded it. It felt as if I were a new born and you were getting that perfect temperature of water running across my head and hair for the first time and trusting my mother it wouldn't reach my eyes, nose or mouth, but it was in and around my heart.

When I first felt that it almost took my breath away, but I stayed still, I allowed it to flow through and around my heart. After a few moments I opened my eyes and I sat up and I just felt this presence around me and in my room. I felt like he was there in my bed room, without words, telling me that he was there.

At the time I was big time into chatting online so the first thing I did was hop on my computer and told a few online friends what happened. I felt like I was on a "high" with his love. I had to share what I felt but had nobody to share it with but the few people on my friends list.

Now? I don't know. I feel like he showed me that he was real for a reason and I don't know what to do with it. As I said previously I have only shared my experience with only a few family members and friends. It's as if I have this knowledge that I feel compelled to keep secret to only ones that I'm in deep religious conversations with.

Now? I still feel very human. Filled with flaws and sin. I regret to admit but I have sinned even after him showing himself to me. The worst I have done after is stealing when poor. And every time I have done that I look into the sky and say "I'm sorry" and I mean it Every. Single. Time.

Now?I still, even after that experience, do not know how to live life without sin. But I do know and believe that he loves me and everybody that still lives with sin in our daily lives.

 

[quietthinker]

First I would like to state that I have not shared my story with many. I have only shared this with friends and family while we were already in discussion about our beliefs, Religion and God in general. I may have told this to maybe 20 people in total, but everytime while I'm in the middle or at the end of telling somebody something in me tells me that I should tell more people.

I don't because it makes me feel like a hypocrite or "preaching" while I do not follow in the foot steps of God on a daily basis. I don't feel "right" telling my experience to people because I'm not a religious person by the eyes of many but still have belief and pray almost daily.

First before my story I would like to delve deeper in my belief system. While I know it may differ than many here and may sound a bit blasphemous but I do not believe that you have to go to Church to worship or speak with God.

I believe that you can have one-on-one with God at any time, at any place. I believe that he is every where, watching everything at all times. I don't feel the need to go to church just to PROVE that I am his child and that I speak to him.

He is my father and when I speak to him I decide to keep it personal between Him and I. And every time I do speak to him either aloud or inside of my head then at that very time I'm inside of our, His and Mine, personal church.

I will admit right now that I have not read the Bible. I have a few scriptures here and there but I don't feel the NEED to read the entirety to try to fear, love or understand him. He is the silent father. The guiding hand that allows you to travel your road but won't leave you astray if you ask for help, but will certainly allow you to depart from his path if you choose to and even though it might hurt him, as his child, he will allow you to choose your path. If you want more explanation then feel to PM me. I digressed enough.

I was a young man living in Las Vegas, Nevada at the time while I was feeling very lost in my religious world. Nothing horrible was going on in the world or in my personal life. I remember constantly thinking about all the times that I spoke to God and received nothing in return, at least nothing in return on what I could physically see.

One night it reached a boiling point that about an hour before I went to bed I considered becoming an atheist, a non believer, I was going to start believing in science other than our father, our creator.

I was laying in bed staring up at the ceiling angry, agitated, confused and quite honestly hurt. Then I closed my eyes and even though I told myself I wouldn't speak to him again I asked him "God, if you're really there you're going to have to show me right now. Make me believe again in you. Make a sound in the room. Make a noise. Do anything. Please make me believe."

I laid there for maybe 3 to 5 minutes with nothing in return. After I was about to give up and open up my eyes it was at THAT moment I felt like the center of my heart literally opened in my chest without any pain in it at all and a wash of warm liquid entered it and surrounded it. It felt as if I were a new born and you were getting that perfect temperature of water running across my head and hair for the first time and trusting my mother it wouldn't reach my eyes, nose or mouth, but it was in and around my heart.

When I first felt that it almost took my breath away, but I stayed still, I allowed it to flow through and around my heart. After a few moments I opened my eyes and I sat up and I just felt this presence around me and in my room. I felt like he was there in my bed room, without words, telling me that he was there.

At the time I was big time into chatting online so the first thing I did was hop on my computer and told a few online friends what happened. I felt like I was on a "high" with his love. I had to share what I felt but had nobody to share it with but the few people on my friends list.

Now? I don't know. I feel like he showed me that he was real for a reason and I don't know what to do with it. As I said previously I have only shared my experience with only a few family members and friends. It's as if I have this knowledge that I feel compelled to keep secret to only ones that I'm in deep religious conversations with.

Now? I still feel very human. Filled with flaws and sin. I regret to admit but I have sinned even after him showing himself to me. The worst I have done after is stealing when poor. And every time I have done that I look into the sky and say "I'm sorry" and I mean it Every. Single. Time.

Now?I still, even after that experience, do not know how to live life without sin. But I do know and believe that he loves me and everybody that still lives with sin in our daily lives.

I can relate to your experience Mike. This is where the journey starts and there is much to learn about many things. It is the scriptures that guide us; they give us the directional pointers. It is important to become familiar with them as they are Gods words given through the human vessel. Without knowledge of God's word you become a sitting duck for any clever operator.....and there are many around. He has given us his word so we can discern truth from error.....he has given us his word so a love for righteousness is born and a hate for sin and anything pretentious.

Read the stories in the Old and New Testament.....some will be easy to understand, other parts are a mystery but bit by bit the puzzle will come together. If you can, find people who are sincere in their talk and walk......even for this you can ask guidance. Yes, that's what you ask for; discernment, wisdom, forgiveness and that you are kept from temptation.....and in all things be thankful. I sing his praises. There are many good hymns that express the sentiments of a seeking and hungry heart.....search them out and remember them. For example, 'A mighty Fortress is our God' by Martin Luther is a wonderfully strong and encouraging hymn. Choose hymns that give God the glory because not all do; many are self focused and self glorifying as having a cloak of piety.

 

[Giuliano]

It sounds to me as if you were born by water -- without the act of physical baptism. While I believed it possible, I've only run into you and one other person who seems to have been "baptized" spiritually by water. When people have a minister baptize them in physical water, they should be receiving the spiritual baptism too -- but the sad truth seems to be some don't.

Churches can be confused in their teachings. They will tell you that being born of water and of the Spirit are the same thing. They aren't. It sounds to me as if you are still on the path, waiting for the birth by the Spirit; and that involves exactly what you set forth -- that you are aware when you do wrong things. The worst thing anyone can do is to try to pretend everything's okay when he knows it isn't.

It is a blessing when we can see our own flaws and sins. A blessing if we have the right attitude. It means we can change. What helped me was learning how to see my sins hurt other people. I had to ask myself if I could keep doing things after I could see I was damaging other people. The process can be a long one. When we correct one flaw, we may find God shows us another one to work on. No one become perfect overnight, that's for sure.

Some may tell you God made them perfect all at once or something like that. They have an idea about how Jesus pays for their sins so they don't need to bother. They are cheating themselves. I think God wants us to make the right decisions. When we make the loving choice, we are becoming more like Him. That's what God wants for us, I think.

I also think you're probably right not to discuss things with too many people. Let your life speak for you.

Do you know who you stole from when you were poor? If so, you'll feel better by paying it back. If you don't know who it was, you can donate something to charity. It won't fix the problem completely, but it will fix it some. I still live with regrets for some things I've done. I feel forgiven, but I still wish I could go back and change things so I had never done them.

 

[theophilus]

He is my father and when I speak to him I decide to keep it personal between Him and I.

The Bible says, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." Did God become your father because you received is son, Jesus Christ?

The Bible says, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." If you are not reading the Bible regularly you are starving spiritually.

 

[bbyrd009]

but i guess if you are reading it regularly under the wrong guy you will starve just as well
Paul said he purposely avoided other apostles for the first three years fwiw
as for your "sin," i would ask who has accused you, mostly bc it is said that satan is the accuser, and its pretty easy to start torturing yourself over virtual nothings when you are seeking Yah i think
Understand why the publicans and prostitutes are beating you into the kingdom
aight best wishes, and run from the religious ppl imo
No son of man may die for another's sins;
find the freaky stuff imo
i think you are already doing what Yah wants you doing

 

[farouk]

@Mike. Hi; good to hear from you. It's good to get into the custom of reading God's Word daily in a prayerful way so that faith can be strengthened and confirmed.

 

[Giuliano]

For the record, I have read the whole Bible only once; and I'll admit there is much of it I don't understand. I think it's more important to be able to hear the Voice of God for yourself. And yes, we will all be held accountable for "every word" we hear from Him.

Let's take a closer look at the Scripture in question:

Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

That does not say "read" the Bible. And it's definitely more than "hearing" the Word. Reading the Bible won't help much if he doesn't practice the parts he does understand.

Romans 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Adam, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had no Bibles. No, they could hear the Voice of God, and then they were doers.

 

[Angelina]

These experiences @Mike should draw you closer to him and what an awesome testimony it is! Jesus has revealed himself to you through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit! In John 14:6 Jesus [the Son of God] says: I am the way, the truth and the life, no-one comes to the Father but through me.

If you can imagine @Mike that you were driving along in a car and you picked up Jesus as your passenger. Now it's going to take a little time to get to know him better and have a personal relationship with him. Until you feel comfortable enough to let him drive that car of yours and get in the passenger seat.

I have a friend that told me once, her and her friend were stuck in another city and they were without money and extremely hungry. She called out to God and asked that he provide them some food. Suddenly from no-where, a lump of ham came flying over their heads and landed on the footpath in front of them Lol! they were blown away. Another time a friend and her husband were without any income for 2 weeks. They had no money and they had 3 kids. They decided to write a grocery list and lifted it up to God in prayer. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and a lady appeared asking if they were ....which they said they were. She then proceeded to bring in groceries from her car which was parked outside their home. When she had finished bringing in the groceries, they turned to thank her and she had disappeared along with the car she was driving. They checked the groceries and found all the things they asked for in prayer including extras...

When you get to that point of needing food or needing any help. Why not cry out to God. He will hear you and he does provide. This will be an exercise in faith and building a greater relationship with him. His word[the bible] talks alot about him and his character in better detail and so does his gathering of believers [Church]. This you will learn as you move forward and grow in grace.

Blessings and Peace!

 

[amadeus]

First I would like to state that I have not shared my story with many. I have only shared this with friends and family while we were already in discussion about our beliefs, Religion and God in general. I may have told this to maybe 20 people in total, but everytime while I'm in the middle or at the end of telling somebody something in me tells me that I should tell more people.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
...a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;" Ecc 3:1,7

Men may give you good advice, but don't count on it... and that includes me! God will never steer you wrong!

 

[Heart2Soul]

First I would like to state that I have not shared my story with many. I have only shared this with friends and family while we were already in discussion about our beliefs, Religion and God in general. I may have told this to maybe 20 people in total, but everytime while I'm in the middle or at the end of telling somebody something in me tells me that I should tell more people.

I don't because it makes me feel like a hypocrite or "preaching" while I do not follow in the foot steps of God on a daily basis. I don't feel "right" telling my experience to people because I'm not a religious person by the eyes of many but still have belief and pray almost daily.

First before my story I would like to delve deeper in my belief system. While I know it may differ than many here and may sound a bit blasphemous but I do not believe that you have to go to Church to worship or speak with God.

I believe that you can have one-on-one with God at any time, at any place. I believe that he is every where, watching everything at all times. I don't feel the need to go to church just to PROVE that I am his child and that I speak to him.

He is my father and when I speak to him I decide to keep it personal between Him and I. And every time I do speak to him either aloud or inside of my head then at that very time I'm inside of our, His and Mine, personal church.

I will admit right now that I have not read the Bible. I have a few scriptures here and there but I don't feel the NEED to read the entirety to try to fear, love or understand him. He is the silent father. The guiding hand that allows you to travel your road but won't leave you astray if you ask for help, but will certainly allow you to depart from his path if you choose to and even though it might hurt him, as his child, he will allow you to choose your path. If you want more explanation then feel to PM me. I digressed enough.

I was a young man living in Las Vegas, Nevada at the time while I was feeling very lost in my religious world. Nothing horrible was going on in the world or in my personal life. I remember constantly thinking about all the times that I spoke to God and received nothing in return, at least nothing in return on what I could physically see.

One night it reached a boiling point that about an hour before I went to bed I considered becoming an atheist, a non believer, I was going to start believing in science other than our father, our creator.

I was laying in bed staring up at the ceiling angry, agitated, confused and quite honestly hurt. Then I closed my eyes and even though I told myself I wouldn't speak to him again I asked him "God, if you're really there you're going to have to show me right now. Make me believe again in you. Make a sound in the room. Make a noise. Do anything. Please make me believe."

I laid there for maybe 3 to 5 minutes with nothing in return. After I was about to give up and open up my eyes it was at THAT moment I felt like the center of my heart literally opened in my chest without any pain in it at all and a wash of warm liquid entered it and surrounded it. It felt as if I were a new born and you were getting that perfect temperature of water running across my head and hair for the first time and trusting my mother it wouldn't reach my eyes, nose or mouth, but it was in and around my heart.

When I first felt that it almost took my breath away, but I stayed still, I allowed it to flow through and around my heart. After a few moments I opened my eyes and I sat up and I just felt this presence around me and in my room. I felt like he was there in my bed room, without words, telling me that he was there.

At the time I was big time into chatting online so the first thing I did was hop on my computer and told a few online friends what happened. I felt like I was on a "high" with his love. I had to share what I felt but had nobody to share it with but the few people on my friends list.

Now? I don't know. I feel like he showed me that he was real for a reason and I don't know what to do with it. As I said previously I have only shared my experience with only a few family members and friends. It's as if I have this knowledge that I feel compelled to keep secret to only ones that I'm in deep religious conversations with.

Now? I still feel very human. Filled with flaws and sin. I regret to admit but I have sinned even after him showing himself to me. The worst I have done after is stealing when poor. And every time I have done that I look into the sky and say "I'm sorry" and I mean it Every. Single. Time.Beau

Now?I still, even after that experience, do not know how to live life without sin. But I do know and believe that he loves me and everybody that still lives with sin in our daily lives.

I love your testimony....I feel the same about my relationship with our Father...it's not found in a church...however, my greatest spiritual growth came from hearing the Word preached...and the other members who were more spiritually mature was able to help me with some of my mental hangups about church. I might pm you...thanks for sharing!
God Bless!

 

[Giuliano]

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
...a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;" Ecc 3:1,7

Men may give you good advice, but don't count on it... and that includes me! God will never steer you wrong!

It includes me too. As Paul put it, "let God be true, but every man a liar."