Why do you believe in God?
19 10 2006I have to admit, when we placed our first post on this blog I never expected to have a visit from “The Antichrist”… at least that is what his MySpace page describes his occupation as.
In a personal back and forth email exchange, I found this man to be more than just an anarchist or rebel… I found him as a brother without the experiences of a relationship with Jesus that I have been so fortunate to receive. Does this mean he is wrong and that I am right or that I need to convince him to follow Jesus in a lengthy email… no, at least I don’t believe so. I believe that we are called to love our neighbor and not judge. We are called to let our lives be our greatest witness by how we treat other believers and seekers of truth. It’s not a debate as often debates just create more tension and animosity. We’re to let our relationship with the Lord shine through our actions and how we live. It’s between a seeker and God as to what they come to choose… we’re just to share the good news.
I’m thankful to everyone who took the time not only to share what it means to Live Like JESUS, as a believer, but to also engage in a discussion that we really could not have predicted if we tried. What it means to engage in a conversation with someone who not only doesn’t believe in God but who is down right disgusted with the Christian faith.
So this draws our next question… why do you believe in God?
Were you raised in the church? Have you had a personal experience you’d like to share that changed your life? How is your life different now than when you did not know Christ? What sustains your faith each day?
Click the “Comments” link below to share your thoughts. Remember, be real. We’re all human… at least I hope. 
It’s okay to have faults. It’s okay for us to have differences in opinion. We’re just a big family of people coming together to talk about things that matter and how we can all help each other live the life we were called to live.
I believe in God because he is. I believe in God because when I wake up in the morning and breathe I have to thank him for that precious breath. I believe in God because I choose to do so and when I look at a wonderful sunset or the beautiful birds or the stars in the sky, I know a he is in everyone of these things that he created. I once heard someone say this on a radio broadcast that even when things are worse than you have ever thought that they would be, if you will just step outside and listen to the birds than there is still a song. Somehow I found this to be true. No matter how stressed I can be if I will look around me and listen there is always a song. I believe in God because I believe in Love. I believe his love is perfect. I praise his name and I want everyone to know him intimately as I do. God Bless You All!
I grew up in a small town in Kentucky. Living next doors to my grandparents all my childhood, I would talk and visit with my grandpa quite a bit. He always had heart problems, but he was always happy even after having a heart attack. He was thankful that he was on the planet to be with his grandchildren. Not just to be with them, but to know them. Before I was born he had a heart attack and was declared dead. I believe this because my parents were there to witness it. As a friend was praying for him, he began to breathe. He was never strong again or at least not like he was but he was a strong man. When I got older he would tell me that he was here because of God. He was my billboard for God. You couldn’t know him and not believe in Him. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when I was 18. He was still happy. He said he had been blessed for 20 years and that we were not to get upset. Yeah right. I got angry at God and let myself drift away, but God was always there. He never gave up on me. At my grandfather’s funeral several people accepted CHrist because of the life my grandpa lived. His example and his faith is what drew me to God, and is a big reason as to why I believe. That is not all, but that is a big part. There is more theology and stuff like that, but that is too complicated at the moment. So, my grandpa is who introduced me to God, and is a big part of the reason I believe today.
God created us in His own image.He had breathed eternity in us.And He created us in order to have fellowship with us.
So subconsiously or consiously we long for something and that something is God. Unbelievers tend to fill their heart with all the unnecessary things but God alone can fill that void. As believers we did not choose Him but God in his amazing love chose us.
i believe in Jesus because i was raised in a christian school and they opened my eyes to the truth. they let me know and experience the goodness of God. avtually i dont have the anility to chose Christ or to believe in Him and to love Him. its Him who chose me. He saved a wretch like me..ü he touched my heart so i have accepted me..ü
I was introduced to the idea of God while growing up in a moral church family. Unfortunately, no one really knew Him and as I grew up, I ceased involving myself with religion.
When my wife and I got together, we KNEW we had to start going to church for it WAS THE THING WE HAD TO DO! But even so, there was something missing. After several years, we were in Connecticut and going to a local church where the Lord showed the pastor’s wife that I need Him. When confronted by the reality of their lives, I surrendered to Him, or so I thought.
Through many trials and tribulations, though saved, I did not really KNOW the Lord but only knew of Him, as so many do today. In reading, studying, and seeking the Lord I came to the place where I actually surrendered to HIM being my all and began to walk in obedience. It was at this time, the Lord began to open the scriptures to me and teach me what HE said through them. When I ceased clinging to my own ways, ideas, wants, desires, abilities, doctrines, teachings, RIGHTS, etc. and allowed HIM to determine EVERYTHING in my life, HE THEN revealed Himself to me in accordance with the scriptures.
“Joh 14:15 If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.
Joh 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever–
Joh 14:17 The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you.
Joh 14:19 Just a little while now, and the world will not see Me any more, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
Joh 14:20 At that time [when that day comes] you will know [for yourselves] that I am in My Father, and you [are] in Me, and I [am] in you.
Joh 14:21 The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]”
NOTICE, HE WILL reveal Himself to us IF and WHEN we OBEY HIM!
So the real reason I believe in Him is because I chose to obey Him and HE revealed Himself to me in such a way that I cannot doubt that HE is real!
If you know what I mean, I do not have to explain. If you do not understand, there is no way to explain. But I will say this>>>>
There is a song most people in America know that goes like this>>>
“Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. . .”
That is so very true, yet I tell you the truth, until we hear that “I LOVE YOU” from His own lips, we do NOT have the kind of relationship with Him that He desires and commands us to have.
a bondslave in Christ Jesus, Dirk
hi, every one i m esther/medha,. i was not raised to a chritan school nor i had regular trips to church. i did’nt use to do anything which christan’s do. now let me tell u that, my own heart rose me towards JESUS and believe, is so obvious because any place i m in this world, any place u can say, i feel his presence. i feel his his presence in my ownself, i know that he is there with me, situated in my heart. so i need not to have show off on his name. so its very obvious to have a believe in him. now comes, the part to trust, so he is the most trustworthy ever and u can very well know about it because even after we comitted so many sins, still JESUS died for us on the cross. so u can well know about it. his birth on this earth was a for a very, very special reason and the reasons are unlimited. believe in JESUS and trust him. he will surely lead to a very high position one day. try to be away from the humann greed. if u believe in THY.
MAY U HAVE A STRONGER AND A MORE FAITHFULL BELIEVE IN HIM.
ALL THOSE who are interested to know and share there thaughts about JESUS and need some kind of help in knowing about JESUS and about the relation with him, please contact me at
mysight_friends@yahoo.co.in.
i would just love to talk about JESUS and make all of our believes in him more stronger.
MAY GOD BLESS U !!
Thank you
With love
MEDHA
I want to encourage everyone across the world, who because of what Jesus has done in their lives, now realise that the formidable power of the Holy Spirit of God is drawing them further and further forward into active service in the Kingdom. My 22 year old son, also a Christian, once painted on his bedroom wall the following words,”If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space.” Living on the edge means being able to look into the chasm in front of you and like Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade” then throws a handful of sand across the bridge he knows is there but cannot see.” Bible says in Hebrews 11:1 in the NIV ” Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” Push forward tonight and put your weight on God, he will not let you down when you move forward in faith. God Bless!
prise the lord
thank u for u r messages
pray for me to grow in spiritual.
I’ve abig testimony of myself . I’ve come from avery middle class familyand instead of mr father and mother my grandma rasedme till this long and even I’m in hk b’coz it her prayer’s answer for me and even b’ing in .hk I’m facing such troubles b’coz I’m staying as a refugee in hk and yet I know the lord is going to workout for me and for my family, coz there is no one in my family to eran and I know how the Lord made a way for his people by dividing the red sea into 2 parts then how come he won’t work for me I know there is a day set for our heavenly Bl’ssings in him. which I,Myfamily and the people of my vilage are going to share in future. that’s not enough yet there is more to share but I think this is enough.
I believe in God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit. They are the beginning and the end. Alpha and Omega. Jesus is our intercessor to the Almighty God and the Holy Spirit is the Guidance in life. I love Jesus so much and because I wanted to know Him better and get closer to Him and be able to understand and defend my christian faith, I started going to Bible classes. Jesus left His legacy for us, in the Scriptures. I attend seminaries, retreats, joined an organization, read books and much more. The results of all these studies are that I became a better and loving person and do feel very close to my Creator. I have become a full-fledged Lector and a Eucharistic Minister in our parish. I council troubled teenagers, do voluntary work. Visit the sick at the hospital and pray and sing christian songs with them. I do errands for the elderlies. I have disciplined myself to wake up before dawn to give thanks, pray and worship my Savior. This is better than any exercise on earth. I feel invigorated and am ready to face the challenges of the day. I do all the above in the name of Jesus. Now I understand also that Jesus sends us crosses to bear so that we can get closer to Him.
P.S.
The video of the homeless man brought tears to my eyes. We have homeless people also and I see how they are chased away and treated with no dignity. I don’t punish them because they are alcoholics or drugaddicts, I pray for them and I believe they are Jesus in disguise, He sends them in our path to see how we will react. I always think what if he/her was my child? I give them money with a smile on my face and say God bless you. If they beg for food I ask them to wait and I go and buy a fast-food meal for them.
May God bless you and may your website be a succes.
Calista
I believe in God, not because of my godly parents but because of a real experience I had in that God showed me when I was twelve years old how much he loved me,and I still consider Him to be a friend that sticketh closer then a brother and the only one who loves me for who I am and sees me for what I could become with His help
I thank Jesus for his encouragementupon me,I also thak Joseph,Daniel, shadrach,meshach and Abednego for their faithfulness,they mademany people in diferent countries to worp true God Jehovah.
Please my dear friends,would you sit and read these books, ”Haggai 1:2-4.
Romans chapter12 verses3 to 14.James chapter 1 from verse 2 to 27.
Mathew 19:26.
Pray for me to make my ministry to grow so that I can manage to help many suferings in my country.
Moffat.
I will pray for you Moffat and be encouraged in that ministry! May God Bless you as you share the Gospel with those who do not know and may his loving hand of protection be on you in your going in and going out.Read Psalm 91. This is what I pray for you. God Bless you and keep up the good fight for Jesus!
Love In the Name of Jesus Of Nazereth,
Alicia Tunby
I believe in God because of my personal experience of following Jesus for the last nine years. God is real. Jesus is real. Everything else is temporary.
we bless to be called children of god.many people around the world dont understand the word salvation,but i have this to say just give god the chance tobe part of yr life and u will not regrete did.see i havebe a christian for almost four year and i have lack anything in life becos i m bless to be a part of his kingdom.my brother my sister just give him the chance by be born again and u will see the manefestation in yr life
hello im jey and before i be came a christian i was sinner who did not know christ nor arything about him dought i had friends who were christian
non did draw me to the light,but one day a man called eric met my friend who iused to chill with and he share the true word with them at that moment they gave their lives to god it was a satruday and on the sunday they came to me and ask me to accompany them to church i did.whiles in church the preachin hit me i also thought of givin my life to God dough i did but i did not have the ture meanin of salvation and iwent back to evil but eric never cease to followup till one day i decided to give my all to the church,it was than i came to know jesus my redemer.Now my heart belongs to him and him alone,and i thank God for the life of eric.If someone did it for me i should also do it for someone,give God the chance to direct yr life u will be blessed
STAY BLESS
MAY THE PEACE
OF GOD BE WITH
YOU.
JEY.
jESUS IS TRUE AND HE IS LIVING gOD AND HE WILL A
NSWER OUR PRAYER.
THANKS
roy
There is a longing in everyone of us to worship or to connect to something or someone supernatural.This is how we are because God created in us the longing to worship,adoration, and love.The sad fact is that the devil always creates lies about what people should worship,but God in His love draws close to us and makes Himself known to us.we do not know God,rather He makes Himself known to us.He does this through His Word,and in many other ways.We can only know who we are if we believe in God.God is real.We can see Him in His Creation,we can feel Him speaking to us in our conscience.we want to connect with the supernatural because we were made in the image of God.we can tell right and wrong.we love.we do all these things because we are the image of The Almighty God.
I belive in Gods creation and handy work , which
is all around us, He said the fool has said in his heart there is no God . I thank the Lord
for opening my eyes to his reality, the ansered
prayers and many blessings
thank you for your site
Love Joan
I believe God has to be there somewhere because he brought me somewhere i really dont want to be. that i could quite easily leave but i cant because i kno i meant to be here. Because of the way he brough me here. And all the crap i am going through in order for God to sort me out to serve his purpose. do i like it? no, do i kno i have to go through it? yes, does it make me believe God is there and loves me? yes unfortunately it does. That is why i kno God is there, because i really dont want to belive it, i want to tell him to F@@k off and leave me alone but he never does. That is why God is Good to us. I wish i had a nice way of saying that but i dont. And it does feel like shit a lot of the time but God is there and he does care. But the devil is there and he does try to mess stuff up and that is the battle. But… and its a big but… eternal life is better than anything we will and can imagine which is the ultimate goal. far reaching anything we can have in this world. God is there. you just need to look for him. he wants you to find him.
…Because God is everything, and everything is God ! That’s all .
Alicia Tunby, - I smell something untrue in Moffat !
Hey gem, how are you ?
I feel that God is thinking :
” I like you, … but your way of speaking .. is dirty !
Controle your lips before speaking and repaire your words, then come to me .
Ok ?
Sure Ok !
Because you love me . ”
Gem, why you are so boring with your hometown ?
Joan !
You are a boy or a girl ?
Just for curiosity !
Good bye .
Hey Joe, how are you ?
In Albanian, we say ” I mbinatyrshëm ” for ” supernatyral ” .
Did you knew this before ?
Sure not !
I believe in God because he shows to me what unconditional love is.
Hi everybody, I’m regain !
Learn my phylosophy .
1- Those who loves Autumn, they know where did they come !
2- This life is like an hallucination :
Initially, it seems ostensibly it is ;
then, it is not ;
then, it is something else !
__________________________________
A question for you : Did you enjoyed this ?
Of course not !
. . Because it’s TREMENDOUS !
. . But TRUE .
I WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH U: PRAYING IN THE EARLY MORNING
“I love them that love me, and those that seek me early find me.” Proverbs 8:17 (KJV)
I - INTRODUCTION
The early morning is when the dew falls, moistening and fertilizing the earth as a refreshment for the dry ground. Seeds will receive water to bloom and be fruitful. It’s the beginning of a new day that’s still quiet. All are sleeping and it is calm. The birds begin to sing, announcing that the night has passed and the sun will soon shine.
II – PATH IN THE DESERT:
In the desert, the manna fell along with the dew in the early morning. Numbers 11:7-9.
The people were fed by this manna as they walked through the desert towards Canaan. God sent it to them every day in the early morning. The people had to gather the manna in the morning before the sun came up or else the manna would melt in the heat of the sun’s rays. Ex. 16:21.
Therefore they collected their daily portions early so that it would be preserved. The food they collected would be used over the course of that day. When the sun shone, the manna in the field melted. The sun speaks of the heat of our daily struggles and the work and fatigue that many times surrounds us. Because of this, we need a provision that allows us to remain in constant fellowship.
We encounter the Lord in the early morning (” those who seek me early find me”) and this is a promise made to us in the Word. The church walks in the desert, a dry land, on the way to the heavenly Jerusalem, but along the way there is refreshment, shade for the heat of the day, light during the night, and food to sustain the tired soul.
It was imperative that Israel sought the manna every day. They had to work with the food that they collected to prepare it to be eaten. Numbers 11:7-9.
The manna was like coriander seed and it was the color of bdellium [1], which is a crystal from a white rock.
The people collected the manna and ground it in hand mills or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes, and it had the taste of something made with honey or fresh oil. Exodus 16:31, Numbers 11:7.
The manna in the desert speaks of the Lord Jesus, the Bread of Life. He was crushed for us and by his stripes we are healed. His suffering and pain brought us peace. Jesus, the son of God and the lion of the tribe of Judah, became flesh and lived in our midst. Through his sacrifice we know the sweetness of his love (Judges 14:18), and the joy of the Holy Spirit. The cakes with the flavor of honey speak of the Lord Jesus and the fresh oil of the Holy Spirit. This is the food that we receive in the early morning. Just like the manna in the desert sustained the life of the people, Jesus, the Bread of Life, sustains our spiritual lives.
III - NEED
We feel the most need to seek God in the early morning when we are afflicted.
Psalm 78:34 - “Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again.”
IV – AFFLICTION
Hosea 5:15 - “Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me. ”
V - SECRET
Seeking in the early morning has surprising results.
“It’s a secret of My work” – and the secret is the manna in the desert, the revelation, the presence of Jesus, the Bread that comes from the Father and is of the Holy Spirit (Hallelujah! Glory to God!)
Jesus, the manna in the desert, is the secret!
VI – BREAD THAT COMES FROM THE FATHER
The fruit of seeking in the early morning is food that is complete, nutritious, and sweet like honey. It gives us the joy of the Holy Spirit, the fresh oil. Its food for our souls and the fulfillment of a promise: ” those who seek me find me.” If we seek the Lord, we will find him, because his promises do not fail.
VII - PRACTICE
We seek heavenly bread in the early morning. It is our daily portion, personalized and exact. Each one collects what he can eat: nothing more, nothing less, only the exact measure. Collecting more speaks of anxiety, of seeking in anxiety when we are afflicted, without knowing the Lord’s rest. We need to remember that the mercies of the Lord are new every morning. Collecting less speaks of negligence and a lack of interest. The exact portion is the one that is sought with wisdom.
VIII – CONCLUSION – WHEN IS THE OBJECTIVE REACHED?
There came a time when the manna ceased. The people had reached the promised land of Canaan, the land of milk and honey. They were going to enjoy the fruits of the land. One day we will arrive at the heavenly Jerusalem, the promised land, where we will enjoy the presence of the Lord in its fullness. We will be in a different place: one of glory, in eternity.
i thank u all if u want to contact me ;kwame_derrick @ yahoo.com
Why do I believe in God ?
God is LOVE… and if I exist it’s by the power of God’s LOVE ! Once I realized this simple fact… I believed in God and He never left my side… !
I strongly believe in the power of LOVE… It can cure anything, change anything… It has brought me to your space on the net… just for a little chat, a little exchange.
A very beautiful soul, (philosopher & theologian) once said :
“LOVE … and do what you want !!”
In other words do everything with LOVE in your heart, and you can’t go wrong.
The FREEDOM these simple words give is tremendous…
DO EVERYTHING WITH LOVE… !
Thanks for the chat and keep on nourishing your “blog” with Love.
i believe that God is the only true and living God.He is the author and perfector of my faith. I love Him because He is my ever present help in times of trouble. He promises never to leave nor forsake me. I everthing, He does not lie. His word is my life’s manual, and He teaches me to live right, and in harmony with the entire world. I love Jesus for He died for me on the cross, just imagine it saints, someone loving you to the extent of dying for you…
I just love God for who he is and for what he has done in my life!
i am looking for christian correspondants.my e-mail address is mmmutasa@yahoo.co.uk
I believe in God, because I know he believes in me. He created us all for a purpose. We will all find our purpose at one point or another, but through him, we will all reach a common good.
I thank him every day for his blessings, and know that everything he does is just to make us better people.
God is with her, she will not fall- Psalm 46:5
Hi.
I found your Web Site by Google
And I wish you the best you can get,
the peace of God through Jesus Christ.
Welcome to visit my Site.
Allan Svensson, Sweden
Why does the revival tarry? It is because God’s
people tarry to obey the powerful command of
the Lord in Rev. 18:4. This is the most powerful
revival message of the Lord to his people in our time.
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/INDEX.HTM
As in the days of Lot, it is now. Lot was not interested
to leave Sodom. God sent two angels to rescue him,
and they must persuade him to leave Sodom. When
he yet lingered, one of the angels said to him:
“Flee for your life sake …”
Just like as Lot, God’s people are not interested to
leave the great Babylon, but finally they must flee
for their life from there.
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/PAGE88.HTM
God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
because their preachers have rejected knowledge.
Hosea 4:6-11. Instead to preaching the truth of the
Assembly of God, they have preached lies about the
Assembly of God. The Pentecostalists have abused
the expression “Assembly of God” and used it as a
name of their church.
Evil spirits in the churches
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/SPIRITS.HTM
What does hinder the Antichrist to appear?
What is the Restrainer?
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/MESSAGE.HTM#Antichrist
Why did the Pentecostal Revival take an end?
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/CRISIS.HTM
The coming revival, a nameless revival
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/POWERFUL.HTM
A catastrophic course
http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/COURSE.HTM
I believe in GOD because it is GODS will that I do.
I discovered the hard way that you can only come to GOD
when he calls you. (That is found in the Bible) If you want to
know where I got that bit of info you will have to read the Bible for yourself.
So many times you can tell someone something and they just ignore
your efforts. So if you want to know something; look it up for yourself
and pray to GOD even if you do not believe in Him, that He will answer your
questions. When GOD answers you it will be when He thinks you are ready not
before. Sorry but we are depended on GOD and His will for us not the other way around. I will share my story with you now and remember this is one and only one way that GOD can make Himself known to you.
My story is as follows:
SAVED MORE THAN ONCE
It all started the day I was born of water (from the womb) of my mother. I was born in 1949 in a city of about 100000 people in Minnesota. It would appear I did not want to come into this world because I was told later that I was a blue baby at birth. I believe that means I lacked oxygen. In those days the doctors must not have been able to tell if a woman was having twins. In my case they didn’t know I was still in my mother after my brother came out. My mother told the doctors it was not over, just in time, and than I appeared to everyone’s surprise. My parents were very responsible in the raising of their children. I have 3 brothers and 1 sister. My dad was Catholic and my mother at the time never went to church. Many years later I discovered my mother was Lutheran. The reason my mother never went to church was because she did not want to cause trouble between her and her husband over religion, so she let my dad raise us kids catholic. My mother would stay home when we all went to church and read her bible. (I found this out years later) The following prayer was written by my mother on the inside cover of her bible for her family.
“Dear God please hear me that this prayer be everlasting.
I pray my family may always have faith in thee & live
their lives in Jesus love. May they always feel love for
others and may they always feel loved. May they always
have good health. May they always have respect for their
fellow man and come to the aid of the less fortunate. May
they know the meaning of humility and the need for it in
our lives. I give my life to thee dear God that I may fulfill
my purpose here on earth. Please guide me always. Amen”
All I can say after typing this prayer is that I love my mother very much. My mother passed away April 28, 1987. Before she passed away she became a child of God and was
baptized on May 11, 1980. I was asked by a pastor friend of mine at the time my mother was dying, as to how he should pray for her. Because she fought with cancer for over 17
years, I told him to pray she dies in peace and with a smile on her face. The next event
that I am going to tell you really happened. You see I was not at my mother’s bed side when she passed because I was in flight to her after I heard she might die. A short time after my mother’s death, something very unusual happened to me. I was taking a nap in the middle of the day, when for no apparent reason I rolled off the sofa I was sleeping on. You see, I was half on the sofa and half off the sofa, because I had caught myself with my right arm. So there I am wide awake, when something caused me to look over to the far corner of the room and what I saw was my mother. (I know from the bible that the dead have nothing to do with the living) but there she was and not only that, she was in living color and all of her was showing. I thought I was dreaming so I closed my eyes and looked down at the floor and waited until I figured she would go away. When I thought she was gone or should I say (I was awake) I looked over their again and she was still standing there. I couldn’t believe it so I just watched. What I saw was my mother at the age she was when I was born. She looked at me and gave me the
most beautiful smile I have ever seen and than she faded away. I just want to say one thing more about my mother before I go on. The pastor who spoke at my mother’s funeral asked my family what should be the theme at my mother’s funeral? I spoke up and said:LOVE! That was the impact this human life had on me. (Thank you Jesus for her prayer). My dad showed his love by taking care of his family and left the teaching of God in the hands of the Catholic Church. The influence the Catholic Church had on me was to teach me the Ten Commandments, good morality, and to confess my sins. You see at that time Catholics still went to confession. This taught me to discipline myself so I would not embarrass myself during confession. I could not tell a lie during confession, so it was easier to just be good. My parents love and what I learned in the Catholic Church set the stage for what was to come. Sometime in my mid twenties I had an experience that I will never forget. I used to trap fox in Minnesota as a hobby and at that time I was getting as much as $90.00 per pelt. My trap line was around a frozen man made lake with a dam on it. I would follow the shore line around the lake to my sets and only cross the ice where it was safe. I found myself at my last set which took me to the other side of the lake opposite the dam. Not wanting to go back the way I came, I decided to cross the lake. The ice was not frozen in all places so I walked the shoreline until I found a safe place to cross. The object was to cross to the nearest shoreline and than walk the rest of the way back to the dam. While half way across I happened to look behind me and discovered that my foot prints were filling with water. I stopped with alarm and decided what to do next. Going back looked more dangerous than going forward, so before I took another step I decided to chop a whole in the ice to see how thick it was. It shocked me to see the ice was only one to two inches thick. In fear I started walking and made it to the nearest shoreline. While following that shoreline I decided to go back out on the ice about two hundred yards from the dam. I checked the ice for thickness and proceeded. What happened next was a miracle. I carried a walking stick with a metal point on it in case I went through the ice and could use it to put across the hole or use the point as a means to grip the ice around the hole. Now picture this; I was wearing waders that went up each leg and fastened to my belt, warm cloths with two jackets on, a pistol, hatched, knife and a pack sack full of steel traps. One minute I was walking and the next minute I
went threw the ice. I was up to my neck in water and my hand had automatically shot out and stuck the metal point of the walking stick into the ice around me. The first thing I did was try to feel with my feet for the bottom but discovered I was in water over my head. The next thing that happened was I relaxed and a current started pulling me under the ice. I didn’t know it at the time but I had fallen into a current which was created by the dam being slightly open. As my body was being pulled at I remember looking up and all that was showing above the water was my face and my hand gripping my walking stick. I don’t know if I screamed it or thought it but the words No God, No God, were racing through my head and the thought accrued to me I was not ready to die. I do not remember pulling myself out of that hole. One minute I was screaming in my mind and the next I was face down on the ice near the hole looking at the nearest shoreline. This is the only way I can explain what happened. (It was like a big hand came down and scooped me up and placed me on the ice) This all happened so fast I didn’t actually see it, but there I was. I did not become terrified until I was laying near the open hole trying to get my body to move away from it. I was paralyzed with fear, that the ice might break again. It took unbelievable will power to move away from that hole. Once far enough, I stood up and dumped the water out of my waders. Putting my waders back on, I started for my car. The weather was 0 degrees or colder so by the time I got to my car I was a walking ice man. My coats were frozen to my body. I could only get the zipper on my outer coat to go half way down because of the ice on it. Once I removed the coat over my head I tried to remove my gun belt and found it was frozen to my body. I used a rock to smash my belt buckle so I could peel my pistol, knife, and hatchet off of me. My pistol was frozen into its holster so I just threw everything into the trunk. What a time for the heater in my car not to work It was a cold ride home. I took my twin brother back to the lake the next day to show him where I went through the ice and to my surprise there was no ice near where it happened, just open water. I didn’t tell anyone else until years later. The next major event in my life took place while visiting my sister in Texas. She had invited some people from her church to her house while I was there and while we were all sitting around she said; let’s go around the room and have everyone answer the question; have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savoir? Everyone including her husband said they had and when she asked me I said; I don’t know what you are talking about. The look she gave me tore through my heart, because she thought I was a Christian. You see all my life I was a moral person, I stayed away from drugs and treated people the way I wanted to be treated. I could not relate to what Jesus had done for me because I did not do anything so bad that he should have to suffer like he did, but I was happy to know that real bad people had him for their savior. The next event took place when I was 31, while attending a local vocational school. My job was going away, so I decided to go back to school using the GI bill. One day while driving to school three questions popped into my brain:
1.Do I believe there is a God?
2.What does it mean to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
3.Who is the Holy Spirit?
Now remember I am a Catholic at this point in time so born again was not something I knew about. The first question was the easiest to answer, so I made an attempt to do just that, and discovered I didn’t know how to answer such a question. How do you prove there is a God? I figured I was talking to God, so I knew I would have to be honest and was saddened to find out I didn’t know what to say. The other two questions were out of my reach as well. To say the least I was very sad. About two weeks later I was driving to school and almost in the same spot on the freeway those three questions came from nowhere into my head. I figured I would have to answer the first question at least, so while pondering it as the scenery went by and while looking at my hand, the thought came to me based on what I could see, there was a God. The other two questions were out of the question. I was making progress but not to my satisfaction. Time went on and one day at school I seen a group of people giving away free bibles in the cafeteria, so I went over to get my free bible. God knows I like free stuff, so there I was with my hand out to get my free bible and while I was reaching for it someone’s hand landed on the top of mine and he said; before your take it, would you make a promise and read it. I thought for a minute and said; yes, because I wanted a free bible. I knew it was God asking me to read it so I made sure I would not lose it until I took the time to read it. Two years later I graduated and found a job working for a company in San Jose California. I didn’t have a TV when I hit town so I decided to make good on my promise and read the bible, which was the New Testament version, in an effort to find the answers to those three questions burned into my brain. After reading the whole New Testament I was still not able to answer those three questions. That was my first experience reading a bible of any kind. Three more years went by and one day while walking up some stairs in the house I was living in, I thought about those three questions and stopped to have a talk with GOD. I thought if I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior than maybe GOD would tell me the answers to those three questions. Believe me when I tell you, I actually thought that I might be doing something wrong by confessing Jesus as my Lord and Savior. The desire was so strong inside of me to know the answers to those three questions that I over came my fear of doing the wrong thing and confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savoir and repented of my sins. Not knowing the formula for confessing Jesus, even though I had read the New Testament, I did the best I could. I really expected GOD to make his presence know and when HE didn’t I was very sad. Everything happened to me in twos. About two weeks later I was again walking up those same stairs when I thought maybe I had said something wrong when I confessed Jesus so I did it one more time. Again I thought God would make his presence know to me but he didn’t. I was so disappointed that I threw up my hands and said; if you want me to know the answer to those three questions you will have to do it yourself because I am all done trying to do it myself. I didn’t realize what I had just said but God made it clear to me later. I was trying to do everything myself and because I was not looking to God for the answers, they were out of my reach. I am not sure how much time went by but I think it was a month or so after, that God made his presence known to me. I was still attending a Catholic Church by habit one day and while sitting there half asleep, from hearing the same old things over and over again, year after year, the priest said two words during his sermon which were; “Stephen Ministry”. When I heard those words I came awake, sat up strait and my heart just about burst from my chest. I thought I was having a heart attack. My heart was hammering in my chest like crazy. All of a sudden I had the burning desire to know the truth about the Catholic Church and to be a part of this new ministry.
STEPHEN MINISTRY IS…
a ministry that equips lay persons to provide distinctively Christian one-to-one care to those who are experiencing all kinds of life needs and circumstances, both in the congregation and community.
I also had the desire to go buy my first bible. I made an appointment with the priest to ask him questions about the Catholic Church and another appointment to find out if I could be apart of this new ministry. Both appointments were set up for a month from
that time. I went out and bought my first bible which was a paper back for 10 dollars.
The bible was the Good News Study Bible. That month went by and as I got ready to meet with the priest something made me grab my new bible as I was leaving the house for my appointment. As always I am early for appointments so I went to the mall near the church and parked my car to wait. While waiting I decided to play a game with God and said to him that this may be wrong but I would like you to teach me something so I am going to close my eyes and open the bible to a page of your choosing and place my finger there and read. I opened the bible and at random went through the pages and placed my finger down. That was when God blessed me a second time. This is what I read:
“ Then Job answered the LORD.
I know, LORD, that you are all powerful;
that you can do everything you want.
You ask how I dare question your wisdom
When I am so very ignorant.
I talked about things I did not understand,
About marvels too great for me to know.
You told me to listen while you spoke and
to try to answer your questions. In the past
I knew only what others had told me, but
now I have seen you with my own eyes.
So I am ashamed of all I have said and
repent in dust and ashes”
When I finished reading those words my whole body started to vibrate inside and my heart felt like it was filling up with GOD’S Love. I looked at my hand but it was not vibrating, I was vibrating inside. I didn’t know what to do and in another five minutes I was going to be talking with the priest. I pulled myself together and went to the meeting. The first question we discussed was about calling someone “father”. I said according to what I had read in the bible, we are not to call anyone father in a leadership role. He agreed that, that was true. The subject somehow got on a mothers love and that is when GOD’S Love overcame me and I had to grip the chair to keep from bursting into tears because of this new sensation in my heart. The priest seen there was something going on with me and was silent until I gained control. I didn’t explain what had just happened and continued with our discussion. We finished our discussion and I went home. On the way home I wanted to tell someone that I had been born again but didn’t know for sure if that was what had happened to me. When I got home I had to tell someone so I called my parents and I thanked them each for the way there individual love had gotten me to where I was today and in the process of explaining what was going on, the Dam broke. I wept so hard that I almost drowned in my own tears. To say the least it was uncontrollable, and I can’t say what my folks were thinking at that time 1800 miles away. My inner being just cried out to the LORD. I was so overjoyed that GOD made himself know to me I just wept. After hanging up the phone I went for a motorcycle ride to clear my head. I wanted to serve GOD so bad that I told him I would do whatever HE wanted even if it was just helping a little old lady across the street. About two days later I meet with the Stephen Ministers for an interview. While answering their questions about my qualifications to help, I had the overwhelming desire to tell them about my experience, and that’s when everything went wrong. My mind could not handle it all and it went blank. They looked at me like I needed more help than what I could offer. I understood their reaction and left very sad. I told GOD just let me do anything please and I will wait on you. GOD had something all lined up for me but on HIS time table. This is what happened! I was riding my motorcycle up in the hills one day and while coming back home I seen a car with a flat tire. The people did not look like someone you would want to help from a distance so I had second thoughts about stopping until I got closer. I remember telling GOD anything, so when they waved me down I stopped to see what I could do. It was a man and his wife and they had a flat tire. They asked if I could take their spare tire and get it fixed for them. I said that I didn’t have any rope to tie it on my bike with, so he produced of all things, a jumper cable, because he didn’t have a rope either. I don’t know how we did it, but that tire was tied on the back of my motorcycle before I knew it. I was so glad to help, I hurried home and got my truck , went to the gas station, and had the tire repaired. On the way back to them I told GOD I did not want any money for doing this, but I knew some people needed to do that, so I told GOD the most I would take for my trouble would be five dollars. It was dark when I got back and they were still waiting. I put my truck in front of their car with my lights on, while they put the tire on. When the man got done he said he wanted to pay me. I said I was happy to help, but he insisted. I relented while he reached into his pocket and pulled out some very wrinkled money. As he unfolded and handed it to me he said this is all I have and that he wished he could have given me more. The amount sitting in my hand was exactly five dollars. He did something that touched my heart to this day, he got out a piece of paper and wrote his name and telephone number on it and said that I was to call him day or night if I needed any help. I had all I could do to keep from weeping. Driving back home I was floating on cloud nine because of what had just happened. The desire to learn all I could about GOD overcame me. I bought just about every translation of the bible I could find and many religious books as well. I knew I was not going to get what I needed to hear from the Catholic Church so I went looking for a church that would feed me the word of GOD. I was out for a walk in my own neighborhood one day when I discovered a Baptist Church a block from my door. I could not believe I didn’t know it was there. This is how I explain what happened to me there. I used to work in a slaughter house in the shipping dept. and we loaded hanging beef on trucks. The first Sunday the pastor threw out a hind quarter for me to devour, and it went down very easy. The second Sunday he threw out the front quarter for me to devour and I gobbled it up before anyone else could. The third Sunday he threw out the whole beef and I eat the whole thing, but got sick. I was devouring the Word of GOD too fast for me to handle. During this time I was going to two churches at once. I would wake up in the middle of the night and start writing in a notebook. My brain would not rest. After I got to know the pastor and the people in the church, I informed the pastor, I wanted to be baptized, to show I have acknowledged Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I went through the process of getting ready for the event and on August 17, 1986 I was baptized. Because I looked to GOD for the answers to those three questions HE finally gave them to me while I was reading the bible from cover to cover.
1. Do I believe there is a God? (Hebrews 11: 1-6) By faith I believe in GOD
2.What does it mean to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
(Mark 9:37) (John 12:44-45) It means to receive GOD through his son Jesus
3.Who is the Holy Spirit? (Ephesians 1:17) Spirit of wisdom who reveals GOD
P.S. Please forgive any bad grammar and misspelled words
In conclusion I would like to add that when asked if I am a this or that I just
say that I am a Christian. To say more is misleading. I may not be the best
example of a Christian at times but with GODS help I will be all that He wants
me to be for your sake. I have never saved anyone in my life because that is not my purpose. My purpose is to plant seeds and get out of the way so My GOD and His Son Jesus can do their work. Thanks for your time and may GOD bless you with the knowledge of HIM and His Son Jesus.
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