Friend, I'm not in the least bit afraid of going to hell because I know that if God judged me worthy of it, it would be the best place for me. But I believe hell is a place where people get exactly what they deserve—no more, no less.
Why Are You A Christian?
- Thread starter BarneyFife
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50th Wedding Anniversary
On June 25th, 2022 we will be celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary. Our place is small so we will be meeting at our daughter's home tomorrow with her and her brother for a dinner and celebration along with them and all of our offspring.
Give God the glory!
What a mighty God we serve!
It took me so long to find my Jesus (that's what my Grandma Bryant called Him, rest her soul), but when I finally did, I fell head over heels. I can remember crying as I sasked my pastor back in 1991, "Why is Jesus not real to me?" I knew so much about Him, but I didn't know Him. I finally met Him one sunny summer day in the woods of western Pennsylvania. I was at a week-long Lay Evangelist Training Seminar (LETS), and the people there were somehow introducing Him to me. I felt Him touch me (not tactilely) one day near the end of the lunch period, and I ran into the woods aside of the retreat camp where the seminar was being held. I opened my Bible to the Psalms and found this:
Psalm 13
A Prayer for Help in Trouble
1 How long wilt Thou forget me, O LORD? For ever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto the LORD, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.
A Prayer for Help in Trouble
1 How long wilt Thou forget me, O LORD? For ever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto the LORD, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.
After this, He revealed Himself to me over and over again, constantly, every day, even, at least once. I don't understand the delay or the breakthrough, but I just follow His lead. He's everything to me. I do remember being confused about how the Son of God could be God when I was a young adult but later on, I found out about sonhood as taught in the Bible, especially early on. It seems that babies were named for their character at one time. Parents would often wait several years before naming a child. They would call them "Baby," or "the babe," etc. until the child exhibited some definite character traits. This was actually done as recently as the 1800s to quite an extent. The new way of naming children is largely why people get all hung up on the sonhood of Jesus (we're very prone to making God in our own image). It's more about His likeness of character to God than His physical relationship. God's ways are not our ways, nor our thoughts His thoughts. Some folks can't seem to deal with that, I guess. I don't have to know everything about Him, to know Him. That frame of mind is what had me messed up in the first place. I was used to figuring (or "finding") things out. That doesn't work with God. As high as the heavens are His thoughts above ours. Okay, I've rambled enough.
This is so beautiful, John!
@Dropship Great verse there; John 14.6 also.....That's an easy question because- "There is no other name under heaven that can save us" (Acts of the Apostles 4:12)..
Hello there,
I heard that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that the wages of sin is death. I heard that God had provided the means whereby I could be saved from sin's penalty, because His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ had taken the punishment for my sin upon Himself and died in my place, that I through placing my trust in Him, may have my sin forgiven, and receive the gift of God, which is life - resurrection life, through His Name.
God began a work in me, which He will continue to do until the day of Christ. For He saves to the uttermost, all who come to Him for salvation. He has imputed His righteousness to me, and before His eyes I stand clean before Him, unblemished. Complete in Christ Jesus my Lord.
Praise His Holy Name!
Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris
I heard that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that the wages of sin is death. I heard that God had provided the means whereby I could be saved from sin's penalty, because His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ had taken the punishment for my sin upon Himself and died in my place, that I through placing my trust in Him, may have my sin forgiven, and receive the gift of God, which is life - resurrection life, through His Name.
God began a work in me, which He will continue to do until the day of Christ. For He saves to the uttermost, all who come to Him for salvation. He has imputed His righteousness to me, and before His eyes I stand clean before Him, unblemished. Complete in Christ Jesus my Lord.
Praise His Holy Name!
Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris
I don't recall ever having heard that put any better, Sister Chris!!
Thank you dear friend and sister in Christ!
Brakelite
Well-Known Member
Hell is only for those that God knows would hate heaven.Friend, I'm not in the least bit afraid of going to hell because I know that if God judged me worthy of it, it would be the best place for me. But I believe hell is a place where people get exactly what they deserve—no more, no less.
robert derrick
Well-Known Member
“But when they believed Philip preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”
(Acts 8:12, JUB)
I’m a Christian for the same reason they are.
(Acts 8:12, JUB)
I’m a Christian for the same reason they are.
Brakelite
Well-Known Member
That's a very good question. What kind of character has a sinner developed during his probation on earth? Has he developed a love for righteousness, or a love for selfishness? Has he developed a love for the company of those who love Jesus, or a love for the company of those who hate Jesus, despise holiness, and love wickedness? Has he developed a love for doing good for others at no thought to the cost of himself? Had he developed a joy in the things of a spiritual and holy nature?
If he has done none of the above, then his affections, his desires, his tastes, his habits, his entire character will find the atmosphere of heaven a distasteful obnoxious environment that he would despise and detest. Just as a sinner who enters a truly sanctified church fellowship for the first time will find it foreign and without the spirit of God moving upon his soul, would leave as quickly as he can.
I am a Christian because:
At a young age I knew that the world was not right; even though I didn't really know what the world was. It was really MY world that was not right.
I had a supernatural experience that opened my eyes like being thrown in a cold lake or slapped across the face. I was 18, car accident.
That experience put me on the path of finding truth.
My family was basically atheist, I knew nothing of God and no believers. I had never heard the Gospel or knew anything about Jesus. I don't even know if I knew the basics. (Jesus/cross/death etc....)
So! No internet so off to the bookstores I went. I read 'holy' books and just waited for something to light me up. I read part of the Bible and it made no sense. Hindu/Mormon whatever. Nada. Finally Buddhism felt right so I created my own religion, basically, centered around Buddhism but there was -zero- change in my life except even MORE self-righteousness ( I was a filthy man full of anger and hate but preached love.)
On I went for 7 years, miserable as can be. Doing drugs and trying to dig myself out of a constant pit of depression.
I had another supernatural experience and then immediately another one and the truth of the Bible was revealed to me in a nothing less than supernatural way.
I believed but I don't know if I was converted or not, eventually after many years of church I *got it.* I think I have even more to get but I know that Jesus is my Lord and the only one that saves.
At a young age I knew that the world was not right; even though I didn't really know what the world was. It was really MY world that was not right.
I had a supernatural experience that opened my eyes like being thrown in a cold lake or slapped across the face. I was 18, car accident.
That experience put me on the path of finding truth.
My family was basically atheist, I knew nothing of God and no believers. I had never heard the Gospel or knew anything about Jesus. I don't even know if I knew the basics. (Jesus/cross/death etc....)
So! No internet so off to the bookstores I went. I read 'holy' books and just waited for something to light me up. I read part of the Bible and it made no sense. Hindu/Mormon whatever. Nada. Finally Buddhism felt right so I created my own religion, basically, centered around Buddhism but there was -zero- change in my life except even MORE self-righteousness ( I was a filthy man full of anger and hate but preached love.)
On I went for 7 years, miserable as can be. Doing drugs and trying to dig myself out of a constant pit of depression.
I had another supernatural experience and then immediately another one and the truth of the Bible was revealed to me in a nothing less than supernatural way.
I believed but I don't know if I was converted or not, eventually after many years of church I *got it.* I think I have even more to get but I know that Jesus is my Lord and the only one that saves.
quietthinker
Well-Known Member
There yer go! God leads all who are desirous of truth. Often that leading is poorly heard, even misrepresented....and insisted on.
I'm sure Saul of Tarsus was sincere in his perception of what he thought constituted truth and yet he misunderstood.
I can attest to a similar journey as yours though not identical in detail but identical in principle.
I have in time discovered that Jesus is God's final Word; it is to him we must LISTEN. Jesus becomes the centre of the intent of all Scripture and unless we attempt to understand scripture through this lens we bark up the wrong tree.
Consider what the emphasis of the disciples was before the resurrection.....and then consider it afterwards.
Space_Karen
Well-Known Member
I had no idea what was going on in my teens. Utterly depressed and miserable. I don't even recall wanting truth I just knew that where I was mentally/situationally was NOT right. I was a drowning man.
Have you posted your testimony? I will expound on mine semi-soon.
quietthinker
Well-Known Member
I testify to Jesus; he is my hero.