What has Jesus done for you?

[Tellyontellyon]

if you dont know, i am testifying the faith, this is what Jesus is doing for us all, a chance for all to repent, i am ending soon because the forum and all here are too crooked, who can acknowledge anything right, instead of disputing with me, to consent to the wholesome words of jesus christ, the doctrine which is according to righteousness, when christian forums receive anything right, all it can offer is more of its wrong.

Jesus surrounded himself with sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors etc. But you don't want to be in a forum with people who are not as pure as you?
You quote a lot scripture, but put yourself above everybody else... this Phariseeism is exactly what Jesus opposed... can't you see your hypocrisy?
Perhaps you should leave this forum and go find some good people to preach to, then you won't have to look down on anybody anymore..

 

[ldonjohn]

for the subtle exaltation in this thread, on all of these forums, all the world, it doesn't matter what way things are put, all who show their real love is their own selves, will be revealed by the word of god they make a mockery out of.



2 Corinthians 10:18
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.


2 Timothy 3.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godline

Proverbs 27.1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.


John 5.31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.



John 5.41 I receive not honour from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

John 7:18
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.


James 4.13 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:
14 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.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

for the subtle exaltation in this thread, on all of these forums, all the world, it doesn't matter what way things are put, all who show their real love is their own selves, will be revealed by the word of god they make a mockery out of.



2 Corinthians 10:18
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.


2 Timothy 3.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Man, you have hijacked this thread, and you are the one who is making a mockery out of our giving praise to the Lord for the things he has done for us. I do not appreciate the way you are twisting the meaning of my posts by quoting scriptures which seem to suggest that I am giving a false witness to the change Jesus has brought into my life. All of my posts here are about Jesus; they are not about me.

 

[Peacemaker1]

I remember
1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:.../KJV

what fear of god to not show the meekness of christ is how you answer why there is hope, not selfishness showing how good it is for you.

1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Romans 11.20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

 

[Peacemaker1]

Jesus surrounded himself with sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors etc. But you don't want to be in a forum with people who are not as pure as you?
You quote a lot scripture, but put yourself above everybody else... this Phariseeism is exactly what Jesus opposed... can't you see your hypocrisy?
Perhaps you should leave this forum and go find some good people to preach to, then you won't have to look down on anybody anymore..

the publicans and harlots repented, believed Jesus, were told to go and sin no more, it was the pharisees that dispute do not repent, do not believe.



Matthew 17:17
Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.


Matthew 21.31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

 

[Peacemaker1]

Man, you have hijacked this thread, and you are the one who is making a mockery out of our giving praise to the Lord for the things he has done for us. I do not appreciate the way you are twisting the meaning of my posts by quoting scriptures which seem to suggest that I am giving a false witness to the change Jesus has brought into my life. All of my posts here are about Jesus; they are not about me.

here is how god shows we speak, to glorify god in all things through Jesus christ, it is the oracles/ words of god which save our souls, mens words save nobody.


1 Peter 4:11
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

John 20.30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

 

[Divide]

what fear of god to not show the meekness of christ is how you answer why there is hope, not selfishness showing how good it is for you.

1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Romans 11.20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

I haven't even given a testimony yet. So you're saying that I should not give my witness of how good that God has been to me. That it is selfish of me to do that?
Can you hear yourself say that? It's a ridiculous statement and a couple out of context scriptures does not make less ridiculous.

It sounds like you don't want me to speak Testimony here! Like it's bad or something? Nah, a christian brother wouldn't be like that! Ok I realize the problem here. It's early and your grouchy. Have some more coffee and stop talking to me. I don't want to talk to you. Stop butting in.

And I am not perfect so don't hold me to your interpretation of whatever. And///God bless you.

 

[Dave G.]

It seems like the thread has spiraled downward.

To answer the OP topic. . God gave Jesus all authority to create, to save, forgive. allow repentance, to have mercy on sinners. That's me, I'm created in the womb,a sinner, saved by grace, forgiven and thank God, I get new mercy every day, because I need that. Additionally, Jesus said " no one comes to the Father but through me". And all will meet Him face to face one day, to many according to Him, not according to me, He will say "depart from Me I never knew you" ! And He was speaking of church goers or those acting in His name but never actually knew Jesus in the heart. He also said in the encounter with Nicodemus, "you Must Be Born Again" to pass through the gates of heaven. Those born again of the Spirit have life and know Jesus.. The new life changes us, for some profoundly, for others less profoundly. But that change is evidence that you know Jesus, that the Spirit is in you. On top of all that, for me and others reborn of the Spirit, documents were changed in heaven making us children of the one true God, joint heirs with Christ, we were lost but now we are saved. And that is available to everyone but many refuse.

If non of this has happened to you, You will still face Him one day and you don't know Him. Come to Him in faith and trust who He is and what He say's He has done ( God in the second person, incarnate on earth to offer salvation, died on the cross, shed His blood, risen on the third day and now ascended into heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Father). Offer yourself up to only that Jesus Christ, call on His name, because all who do will be saved and have eternal life. You will come to know a different kind of love, a love you may not even understand, yet is active in you. You will gain peace in your heart that you never could feel before. And scripture will open up to you in a way that it's as a road map through this life. You gain a calling from God that comes through your heart and that you can not deny.. That's the changed man or woman. And God wishes for all to come.

 

[ldonjohn]

It seems like the thread has spiraled downward.

To answer the OP topic. . God gave Jesus all authority to create, to save, forgive. allow repentance, to have mercy on sinners. That's me, I'm created in the womb,a sinner, saved by grace, forgiven and thank God, I get new mercy every day, because I need that. Additionally, Jesus said " no one comes to the Father but through me". And all will meet Him face to face one day, to many according to Him, not according to me, He will say "depart from Me I never knew you" ! And He was speaking of church goers or those acting in His name but never actually knew Jesus in the heart. He also said in the encounter with Nicodemus, "you Must Be Born Again" to pass through the gates of heaven. Those born again of the Spirit have life and know Jesus.. The new life changes us, for some profoundly, for others less profoundly. But that change is evidence that you know Jesus, that the Spirit is in you. On top of all that, for me and others reborn of the Spirit, documents were changed in heaven making us children of the one true God, joint heirs with Christ, we were lost but now we are saved. And that is available to everyone but many refuse.

If non of this has happened to you, You will still face Him one day and you don't know Him. Come to Him in faith and trust who He is and what He say's He has done ( God in the second person, incarnate on earth to offer salvation, died on the cross, shed His blood, risen on the third day and now ascended into heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Father). Offer yourself up to only that Jesus Christ, call on His name, because all who do will be saved and have eternal life. You will come to know a different kind of love, a love you may not even understand, yet is active in you. You will gain peace in your heart that you never could feel before. And scripture will open up to you in a way that it's as a road map through this life. You gain a calling from God that comes through your heart and that you can not deny.. That's the changed man or woman. And God wishes for all to come.

I think we need to stay on the subject of the OP and ignore this guy who calls himself 'peacemaker1," who is attempting to change the focus of this thread from praising Jesus for the things he has done for us to using scriptures out of context to accuse us of being prideful & selfish.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

I think we need to stay on the subject of the OP and ignore this guy who calls himself 'peacemaker1," who is attempting to change the focus of this thread from praising Jesus for the things he has done for us to using scriptures out of context to accuse us of being prideful & selfish.

Yes, giving your testimony is not being prideful. The question was about what Jesus has done for you, not what you have personally achieved.. I think that was obvious.

But peacemaker feels the need to make a show of piety that is rather transparent...

So yes, please share your testimony. It inspires me and is the only thing that could help me to convert. I'm really not interested in logic and theology, I'm interested in transformation.

 

[ldonjohn]

Yes, giving your testimony is not being prideful. The question was about what Jesus has done for you, not what you have personally achieved.. I think that was obvious.

But peacemaker feels the need to make a show of piety that is rather transparent...

So yes, please share your testimony. It inspires me and is the only thing that could help me to convert. I'm really not interested in logic and theology, I'm interested in transformation.

I will add to my testimony that I think I found the truth I needed to convince me to believe because I was desperate to find that truth whatever it might be. I did not know what I was going to find by reading the Gospel of John; I had heard that the book of John was about Jesus so that is where my search began, and I was willing to accept whatever I found there if it convinced me that it was the truth. As a kid, I had read the book of John in Sunday school but it meant nothing to me then. As an adult who was desperate to know if God was real and/or if the Bible was true, and/or exactly what was meant by "believing in Jesus" if he was real, I think that God began to show me the truth because he saw that for me to finding the truth about him was THE most important thing in my life at that time.

 

[Divide]

Yes, giving your testimony is not being prideful. The question was about what Jesus has done for you, not what you have personally achieved.. I think that was obvious.

But peacemaker feels the need to make a show of piety that is rather transparent...

So yes, please share your testimony. It inspires me and is the only thing that could help me to convert. I'm really not interested in logic and theology, I'm interested in transformation.

Ok then since you do want to hear testimony I have several. Just tell me when to stop, lol.

This is, in my mind the biggest miracle that God has ever done for me. He sent an Angel to my garage sale and he over paid me to help me.

This is when I was still living in Colorado Springs CO, and I had a 4 BR house for 1000 a month. I've been self employed as a Mechanical Contractor (HVAC) since 1994. Back in the mid 90's I was doing great but the economy has been doing the big slide downhill and I found myself with less and less work, until I was 2 months behind in rent, plus, I had a utility shut off notice for Monday, for 300 dollars. This was Saturday. I had a 1-1/2 car detached garage and so was trying to make extra money by selling off all the household goods that a single man don't really care about having. But when my Wife left after 26 years...she took the gold & cash and good SUV and left. So I built two 4 X 8 tables out of plywood and set up in the garage for a garage sale. I had been doing this for a few weeks and on sunny weekends, I'd throw an ad on Craigslist and sit in the driveway on a couch, to sell the junk off, ya' know? Now you know how garage sales are...they don't pay the rent, lol. But it kept me fed sorta and in cigarettes, lol.

One Saturday I'm out doing the garage sale thing, and my landlord pulls up. He had my walking papers. He said Ed, I like you but I have bills too so I have to get someone in here that can pay consistently. I had been behind before some here and there, but then catch it up when a nice job comes in. I guess 2 grand was his limit. He gave me my 3 day notice and said goodbye and left. I sunk back down into the couch very discouraged. I prayed to the Lord for some help. After praying it was about dusk so I went ahead and closed it up and went back into the house. As soon as I went downstairs to my family room where my computer is and sat down, the phone rang. A man said he seen my ad on CL but could he come by after he got off work in about an hour and a half to look at my garage sale? I of course said yes. And He showed up exactly on time.

We walked out to the garage and I opened it up, and as soon as I stepped inside, He said to me, How much do you need? Now I went (tilt) because that's an odd question, so I ignored it and went into salesman mode and began telling Him about the stuff. I walked to a table, picked something up and talked about it...He didn't even look at it. He said again, how much do you need? (Tilt!). I began talking about other things and didn't answer His question. (What do you say to something like that?!). I was expectig Him to begin looking at my merchandise, but He didn't seem really all that interested. I forget what I picked up but I did and said blah blah blah, and handed it to him for him to check it out, and he took it and gave it a quick sideways glance and set it down and said, how much do you need?

And I still wasn't putting two and two together! So I ignored the question and began talking about other stuff. I handed him a couple different things but he set them back down so fast that I didn't think he was interested in the type of stuff that I had. He said again, how much do you need? (Tilt). I looked at him...and didn't get it! So he says, well how about 1900 for everything on that table over there? ...(Tilt!)

Now that is not how a garage sale goes. They just don't. So I couldn't answer Him. My head was spinning at this point. I looked down at the floor...then He says, well how about 2400 then? (Now I knew This was a joke, and I did want to hear the punch line, so I looked at Him and said, sure, sounds fine.
and the punch line was...he pulled out a stack of 100 dollar bills big enough to choke a horse and counted me out 24 of them! Now I began thinking that maybe He was some kind of dealer, a flea market guy wanting to stock up or something? (I hadn't yet remembered that I had payed for help!). But He paid me, so I asked if He would like some help loading it up into his pickup. He said, yes thank you. So I got some cardboard boxes and we bagan boxing stuff up. Then He reaches over and takes somethng out of the box that I had just put into it, and says, oh you can keep that I wont need it..that too, this too...(Tilt!) He wound up leaving about 25% of the stuff on the table that He had just paid me for! Not just the cheapest junkiest stuff, just random stuff. Some of it nice, my Wife loved to spend money.

I took a real close look at him to see if he was the type with more cash than brains...or what? He was well groomed, fit, well spoken, and drove a nicer pickup truck. Nope, He wasn't that type. My head was spinning. We finished loding up, shook hands, he smiled real big, and then drove off...I closed up the garage and went back into the house and as I was going back down the basement stairs and was feeling the wad of cash in my pocket...I said, Praise the Lord!...and then it hit me...that was an Angel come to answer my prayer!

Then I thought about my bills...2400...2 grand for the back rent...300 for the utilities, and a hundred bucks extra for groceries! Bam! Within 2 hours of praying for help. Then it all made very perfect sense to me. I needed help and prayed, He came, why He kept asking me how much I needed, all of it. There is no other answer to explain what happened. Garage salers do not come talk the price up! They talk it down, right? Right. I sat down and lost it...I cried and thanked the Lord and thanked the Lord and praised Him...!!!

Then I felt stupid for not realizing it was an Angel come to help when He was here! Entertaining Angels unawares...the Grace of the Lord...you have not because ye ask not...I knew all that! Why couldn't I see it when He was there?! I had so many questions I could have asked Him, lol! That was absolutely awesome. Praise the Lord! .../

 

[Divide]

Ok so my first Testimony was I think the biggest thing the Lord has done for me (aside from the Cross!). But the coolest thing that God has ever done for me was to answer a prayer that I thought about praying, but decided not to pray for it! SO how cool is that?! It's actually a double testimony, He did two things for me.

So in 9/2009 I was in a terrible auto accident and broke my back in two places. The Lord saved my life that day. I didn't die. Not only that, but I am not in a wheelchair or use crutches! I dunno how that works but the Lord made it work for me. It did take a lot of wind out of my sails. My posture was worse than ever and I could only walk short distances. But I walk on my own, Praise the Lord. I had 4 months in recovery to think about what happened out there that day? I felt an epileptic seizure coming on ((first one ever!) I wasdoing 70 on the interstate. A glance left & right showed me rush hours, traffic everywhere. Then I looked into the rearview mirror and I saw myself losing consciousness...All I had time for was to speak the words, Lord be with me...witnesses say I jerked my truck to the right and shot through traffic without touching any other car. I left the road at a high speed and then hit a downed log on the ground, which launched my truck into the air. While the truck was in the air, it hit a tree head on on the passenger side. This threw the truck sideways and I rolled three complete times. If I posted the pics of the truck, you would say, huh-uh, they died! It's obvious. So there was no other answer. I asked Lord be with me, and so He stepped in and saved my life!

I instantly knew then that, I owe God my life! So I did re-dedicate my life to God again and very seriously. And now....the testimony!

I had given my two sons control of my HVAC company before I left to go ohio my home state. I was only in Ohio 4 months before Ohio tried to kill me. So I had my sons come pick me up and I went back to colorado with them. The plan was they work, I run the office. And it gave me lots of time to read the Bible and to pray, and to go on Youtube and watch teachng videos about the Lord. I am serious.

So there I am one morning and it has been a little while and I felt...I have to help the Kingdom of God. I can't just sit and be an unprofitable servant. So one morning I'm praying and I get the idea, Lord I want to help. I want to be a profitable servant, but I can't go walking door to door. And the truck that replaced my new truck that I crashed was high mileage and needed repairs regulalrly. Lord, what can I do to help? I have no reliable vehicle, can't walk far....can you give me something to do to help that I can do from my easy chair? (I admit, that sounds terrible!) But I was sincere. So I said my Amen and Amen

Less than 30 seconds later (I kid you not!) the telephone rang. I answered it and it was an old friend that I had not seen in a couple years. Are you busy? You know about God do you mind if I come over and visit and pick your brain about God? I immediately perceived that God had answered my prayer! And my friend is a cool guy. So Praise the Lord Amen! He said he'd stop by. We hung up and I went upstairs to put on a fresh pot of coffee for when he arrived, and there was only enough coffee left to make 1/2 pot of coffee. I made it and felt bad because I'd have that drank by the time he got there, lol. And I did not have any more cash at the moment to buy more. I was getting ready to pray about it and ask the Lord for more work or some cash or something, But! I remembered that scripture that says He knows our needs before we ask and do not worry about what you will eat or drink or wear, God knows this already. So I decided not to pray for coffee money.

I just put it out of my mind then. Those things happen sometimes. I has came upstairs and just poured the very last cup of coffee when I heard my friends knock on the door. Oh man, it's time to make coffee and be a host and I dont have any! And this my good friend who likes coffee I know. Oh well!

I go to the door and open it and the very first thing he does is to hold out a bag of Hawaiian coffee beans to me and he said, he knows that I like coffee so he got me some!


So I made like a Pinball Machine and went Tilt! I had not told him that I was out of coffee. I didn't even pray for coffee! And there is the coffee at the exact time needed to make a fresh pot of coffee! But how coincidental is this?

And the Holy Spirit whispered to me that, it was an act of faith done by me to not pray and ask for the coffee because I chose to stand on His Word that said, don't worry about it. So I sort of accidently acted in faith and so the Lord responded. That's what He does, respond to faith! And somehow I knew in that moment that this was true. The Almighty Creator of the Universe delivered 2 pounds of coffee to me through my friend! (WOW)

I forget what the name of it was. I remember it was Hawaiian and was some sort of gourmet coffe I think. It was very good I remember that too!

So me and my friend drank coffee and I witnessed to him about the Lord from my easy chair. The Lord answered my prayer of can I help from my easy chair, and Blessed me with Gourmet coffee for wanting to help. Praise the Lord!

I thik this might be (to me) the coolest thing God has ever done for me. And He did it within 30 minutes from when I prayed to when we were sitting down to talk about the Lord. I think in a way it sounds ridiculous to say that, God delivered coffee to my door. It sounds kookoo! But like they say, God works in mysterious ways. Many things that He does defy logic. Twilight zone stuff! But the Lord has always given me a confirmation when it was Him.

I did ask my friend why he brought me coffee. He siad he knows I like coffee and would like it, so he picked it up. He didn't know what was going on. All he knows is he got the urge to bring me some! Praise the Lord! Very cool, very cool. That's MY God that does that!

 

[Divide]

Hey I have another good one for you! With most minor miracles when God helps me, I have noticed two things over time...One is that the Lord has set a pattern of sorts. He always answers the prayer at, last minute, never late. And also that, I always proof from God but it is a confirmation that is for me alone and not anything of the sort which could be proven in a lab or anything like that. But I have the proof.

Most of the time, that is. I remember one time the Lord did something that I have two wirnesses too. And in the mouths of 2 or 3 witnesses shall the truth be established. I remember it now!



My friend, a Brother in Christ, I'll call him Richard, bought me a present of a new NIV Bible just like his so that we could bible study over the phone with the same version (when his wife wouldn't let him out!). It's a nice Bible, leather bound and gold lettering and all that.
We bible studied quite a few times together and I only had KJV Bibles before this one and the Shakesperian language annoyed him, lol.

Then one day another different friend came over, he's also a Brother in Christ. I'll call him, Dave. So Dave comes in and says oh new Bible huh? Cool. I said yeah and showed it to him and he said, I got the wrong version because he knows that the NIV version has many missing verses. I said, What?! So we sat the for about an hour and he showed me. We would look up a certain verse in my KJV and then again in the NIV and it was missing in the NIV. Wow!



So a couple weeks later I was on some christian forum talking (not here) and the topic was best version to read? A few comments had said that the NIV is a good version, so I felt urged to share my recent findings about the missing verses with the Brothers & Sisters.
So one of their most respected members asks me if I could give him some examples of the missing verses? So I said sure, let me put some together and I'll post them for you.

I couldn't remember what the verses were so I called Dave at work and asked him for some. And he gave me some quickly off the top of his head and I let him go back to work.
Now before I could post these verses, I had to have all my ducks in a row so I had to double check them first. So I looked one in KJV, it's there. I looked up the same verse in NIV, it is there also! Whoops, Dave must've made a mistake with that one.

I looked up the next one in KJV, it is there. I look it up in NIV, it is there. (Tilt!)
I looked up every single scripture that he gave me and every one was now in the NIV. I thought I was losing my mind. This is the same Bible! The same verses They were not there before! What am I going to post ow for the man?!

I didn't want to bug Dave again at work so I googled missing verses in the NIV and got a billion hits. A huge list of missing verses! Way more than Dave ever gave me! I started looking them up, one by one. My heart sank with each one. They were all there. I sat there for a couple hours looking up missing verses in my NIV but all of them were really in there. If Google gave me lots of info about it then, I can't be hallucinating or making it up. They were not in there when me and Dave looked them up!

So in frustration I tossed my NIV Bible onto the table and slumped back in my chair to ponder these thngs out. I had a witness that those verses wer not in that Bible, Dave. As I slumped back in my chair I mumbled to myself, Lord what is going on here? Am I losing my mind? ...and my eyes drift to the NIV Bible and as the gold letters come into focus, I see very plainly in gold, NKJV

(Tilt!) Richard did not buy me a NKJV Bible. Richard bought me a NIV Bible! So this is a different Bible? (It's the same one!) I picked it up and leafed through it. Even my underlineings were still in it! But it was now a NKJV Bible and not an NIV. There are two persona friends who witnessed it. Richard knows he bought me an NIV. Dave knows it was an NIV. We all know that it is the truth, the Lord changed my NIV Bible into a NKJV Bible. (Whoa!)

I didn't pray Lord change my Bible today! I'm still not totally sure why the Lord did this. All I can reasonably conclude is that the Lord endorsed NKJV Bibles! He must like them and want me to read that version!

True story, with witnesses.

 

[Hazelelponi]

So yes, please share your testimony. It inspires me and is the only thing that could help me to convert. I'm really not interested in logic and theology, I'm interested in transformation.

But what does that mean, really?

We can look across the spectrum of belief systems and religions and you can find stories of "transformative experiences" in them all...

But all these belief systems can't all be true, and learning the truth is what we should be after so that our actions can reflect that truth. Learning who God really is, is not a "who's got the best experiences" shopping spree where the religion with the best experiences wins.

The entire point of Christianity is about being in reconciliation with God - a reconciliation man is not naturally born into.

There is a wide spectrum of transformative experiences in Christianity as all people are different and God recognizes us, His Church, both as individuals as well as a collective and treats us accordingly.

However, I have become personally convinced that theology and logic is the only place to start for a non believer. If you don't have a solid foundation of understanding anything you try and build as a Christian, should reading about transformative experiences convince you Christianity is true, will fail because of a lack of understanding.

It's just my thoughts for Christmas. I pray God blesses you with understanding of His Truth. Merry Christmas to you.

 

[Peacemaker1]

unfortunately the question is what has made you more important to yourselves, which happens to be the way of the antichrist.


Romans 16:18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.


Philippians 3:19
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

 

[Tellyontellyon]

But what does that mean, really?

We can look across the spectrum of belief systems and religions and you can find stories of "transformative experiences" in them all...

But all these belief systems can't all be true, and learning the truth is what we should be after so that our actions can reflect that truth. Learning who God really is, is not a "who's got the best experiences" shopping spree where the religion with the best experiences wins.

The entire point of Christianity is about being in reconciliation with God - a reconciliation man is not naturally born into.

There is a wide spectrum of transformative experiences in Christianity as all people are different and God recognizes us, His Church, both as individuals as well as a collective and treats us accordingly.

However, I have become personally convinced that theology and logic is the only place to start for a non believer. If you don't have a solid foundation of understanding anything you try and build as a Christian, should reading about transformative experiences convince you Christianity is true, will fail because of a lack of understanding.

It's just my thoughts for Christmas. I pray God blesses you with understanding of His Truth. Merry Christmas to you.

Why do you say they can't all be true? Many religions believe that only they have the truth... but maybe they all have a particular take on the truth. Particular mystics eg. Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, etc. may have had true insight, but then have to put it into words.
Maybe it's all the same truth-beyond-words that gets written down but then taken too literally and exclusively..
So, I challenge the logic of saying that the different religions 'can't all be true' because it is indeed possible (and personally I think likely) that they can all be true... not in a concrete literal sense, but in the underlying inexpressible essence upon which they were built.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

unfortunately the question is what has made you more important to yourselves, which happens to be the way of the antichrist.


Romans 16:18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.


Philippians 3:19
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Why don't you quote all the scriptures of the disciples and followers of Jesus who testified about what Jesus did for them, healed them, changed their minds and bodies, saved them? The Gospels and Acts are full of that, as are the rest of the New Testament.
You are too holy to give testimony and therefore put yourself above the apostles who gave freely of their testimony.
You've got on your high horse about something that has been a part of Christian teachings from the very beginning.
You are making yourself too high in all of this and projecting your self righteousness onto others... It is you who is in the grip of Satan.. and all the more tightly in his grip for not being able to see it. Have some humility.

 

[Peacemaker1]

Why don't you quote all the scriptures of the disciples and followers of Jesus who testified about what Jesus did for them, healed them, changed their minds and bodies, saved them? The Gospels and Acts are full of that, as are the rest of the New Testament.
You are too holy to give testimony and therefore put yourself above the apostles who gave freely of their testimony.
You've got on your high horse about something that has been a part of Christian teachings from the very beginning.
You are making yourself too high in all of this and projecting your self righteousness onto others... It is you who is in the grip of Satan.. and all the more tightly in his grip for not being able to see it. Have some humility.

this is what jesus did for all apostles..[ why jesus healed and forgave, as apostle testified of the purpose of gods mercy]..


luke 14.26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.


33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.



mark 10..21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.


mark 10.28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

Acts 915 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.


Philippians 3:8
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,


1 Timothy 1:16
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

 

[Peacemaker1]

Why do you say they can't all be true? Many religions believe that only they have the truth... but maybe they all have a particular take on the truth. Particular mystics eg. Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, etc. may have had true insight, but then have to put it into words.

jesus christ is the word of god, and didnt need to put what is living into words, he has always been.

Maybe it's all the same truth-beyond-words that gets written down but then taken too literally and exclusively..

the written down word is what saves us from words men invent, why would anyone on a christian forum believe a mans words, over the word of god.


John 20:31
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

So, I challenge the logic of saying that the different religions 'can't all be true' because it is indeed possible (and personally I think likely) that they can all be true... not in a concrete literal sense, but in the underlying inexpressible essence upon which they were built.

only one foundation...


1 Corinthians 3:11
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.


Ephesians 2:20
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

1 Peter 2:6
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Why do you say they can't all be true? Many religions believe that only they have the truth... but maybe they all have a particular take on the truth. Particular mystics eg. Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, etc. may have had true insight, but then have to put it into words.
Maybe it's all the same truth-beyond-words that gets written down but then taken too literally and exclusively..
So, I challenge the logic of saying that the different religions 'can't all be true' because it is indeed possible (and personally I think likely) that they can all be true... not in a concrete literal sense, but in the underlying inexpressible essence upon which they were built.

If I say, Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life - I am saying there is no other way under heaven to be saved.

No other way under heaven is either a lie, or it's true. It's not a "particular take on Truth" nor can it be because it allows nothing else beside it... It in and of itself makes a claim that can only ever be true or false because it makes an absolute claim.

Islam is similarly a claim to an absolute. If Christianity is true, then Islam is based in a falsehood and vice versa.

Religions that teach multiple roads to God likewise make absolute claims that stand in complete opposition to Christianity which teaches there is only one way given to all of mankind and man will either be found in that way or be eternally lost.

When religions make claims, it is to us to determine to learn what is actually true, and what is falsehood.

If I say there is only one way under heaven to be saved and His Name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the son of the living God, Immanuel, God with us... And you say there are multiple partial truths and God has left it to us to pick the best parts of them all, we are each making specific claims that are directly contradictory to one another in such a way only one of these statements can be true.

It's why the world loves "Jesus" (the parts they are willing to accept about Him anyway) but absolutely hate the Christian faith - it's because they run around worshipping a Jesus they created in their own minds instead of Jesus as He revealed Himself to us. A revelation that makes specific absolute claims.