- Dec 14, 2020
- 6
- 1
- 22
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Male
- Faith
- Baptist
- Marital Status
- Single
Hi! I'm Matthew Safley,
I was a narcoleptic, which is incurable, and I was cured on night at Christian Faith Center. Now, since I have entered the faith, and have given my life to Christ, I have questioned some of the teachings there, but I do feel that the Holy Spirit is found there. Otherwise I am a liar when I say Christ healed me. Also, what lead me there is a miracle in its self. One Saturday, I was lying in bed midday feeling sorry for myself and stressing and well... life just sucked. I kept hearing that voice in my head saying "get up" over and over again, until all of a sudden, I heard a commanding voice in my head ordering me to get up, and I hopped out of bed. The next thing I heard was to go to CFC. Now, prior to this, I had some seeds planted from different places, and was somewhat already thinking about going to a church, particularly CFC to seek God. But now? It was Saturday, and although they do have services in late Saturday afternoons, I didn't know that; I figured it would be empty. When I went there, it was long before service, but there was many people there. These people were getting others registered for a prayer line that was happening. I didn't know what a prayer line was, but I signed up and was excited to participate later that day. When I did, hundreds lined up, and there was healings, and demons being cast out, while hundreds prayed and worshipped. One by one a man laid hands on one after the other, and each time, that person wept heavily and asked to be healed, and they were, or they had a very violent reaction that came from a demon tormenting them, and he would cast out that demon, and once that happened they fell to the floor. I was amongst them that had a demon revealed and cast out.
This was a special experience to me, and after that day, I was given a Bible and was excited and unashamed of the gospel, and started telling people at school, saying that I am born again, and that I found Christ. I even brought a weary kid to CFC one day to have a person pray for him. Shortly after though, I became a lukewarm Christian. I was ashamed of the gospel, rarely went to church, and I barely read my Bible(I didn't even finish the book of Matthew, which is where I started). Now today I questioned whether I was truly born again, because clearly I didn't really give my life to Christ, but I was healed in his name.
I kept listening to secular music, practically worshipping my car and showing it off and its loud speakers. I was still obsessed with video games. Eventually I got into tiktok, and though I got it for humor and fun, I discovered the Christian tiktok community. I wasn't going to not like the Christian posts, but that just made more of them come my way in the For You page. At first I somewhat was annoyed, but eventually something happened inside of me that I didn't feel since I was little. When I was little, I used to fear God. No matter what I felt that I was going to hell, and that made me obey him, and for a while that made me happy. Regardless of whether your saved, simply behaving in a righteous manner because of your fear of God somewhat brings joy. Eventually I forgot him and got caught up in self righteousness, and behaving for self edification and human morality and ethics. Now after seeing more of these posts, I saw more and more about hell, and I started to fear him again. Eventually I started reading my Bible more and more without ceasing. After more tiktoks and bible reading, I learned the true Gospel. Before I thought that I was broken inside and that I needed Jesus in my life, which was true, but that's not the Gospel. I learned that I am a horrible sinner, and that I need a savior, that being Jesus Christ. One day I fell on my knees and asked God to forgive me of my sins, and to guide me whithersoever I go. I want Jesus to be the Lord of my life.
Now at the time, my Church was just tiktok and the Holy Bible, but one day I had to get my first haircut in a while, and the mall where I do so was closed thanks to Covid-19, so I was searching for the next nearest one and I couldn't find it. I was frustrated after maybe 15 minutes of driving in circles, and just directed my map to the next nearest one. In the same lot of that barber shop, I found Anthem Church Northwest, and they were having service in thirty minutes. After my haircut, I went in and I loved the service. I even cried because in it they had families present their recently born babies, and though I know I'm a guy, I wept like a little girl (I've always longed to be a dad one day). I truly believe that was God answering some of my prayers, that being I wanted to get back on track with my Christian life, but really take it seriously, but because I thought Churches were closed (or maybe I convinced myself and just kept telling myself that because of laziness) I didn't go. I also ended up going to CFC again, but today I don't go there anymore because I sort of learned that they preach the same sugar sweet gospel, which it also seems to be a more prosperity gospel. They also believe that one can simply get to heaven by believing that Jesus died for their sins, but there doesn't really have to be a repentance. I'll get more in depth into all that in another thread.
Now it bothers me that I don't know for certain when I was born again. Was it at CFC, or in my room. I was healed at CFC, and probably said I give my life to the Lord, but I'm not sure if I really did. Eventually, I hopped to another Church that appealed to me more: I discovered Faith Baptist Church. I liked it a lot more, because the more I learned about the history of Christian Rock and the style of modern worship, I began to question whether it was actual worship. I did a lot of research and eventually came the conclusion that modern worship often appealed greatly to the flesh, and was ungodly, but that's just my opinion and I may present a more in-depth argument in another forum.
So now I'm a Baptist. I'm becoming a part of the Church and stuff, however I'm not sure if I'll remain a Baptist. I do love the people there, but I've learned that they believe we no longer receive gifts of the Holy Spirit like healing and tongues, however I think that there is some evidence to prove that healings do exist, however evidence that also suggests that it doesn't. A lot of people are very one-sided on this topic in Christianity, however I think it is a rough and hard topic to cover. I'm eager to create a thread conducting an inquiry on whether spiritual gifts are still given today. I may explore some other Churches nearby, like a Methodist or Lutheran Church.
Well that is my testimony, or at least a somewhat gross version of it, but I don't want to detail it too much and spend hours on this. I have school and well... life.
I was a narcoleptic, which is incurable, and I was cured on night at Christian Faith Center. Now, since I have entered the faith, and have given my life to Christ, I have questioned some of the teachings there, but I do feel that the Holy Spirit is found there. Otherwise I am a liar when I say Christ healed me. Also, what lead me there is a miracle in its self. One Saturday, I was lying in bed midday feeling sorry for myself and stressing and well... life just sucked. I kept hearing that voice in my head saying "get up" over and over again, until all of a sudden, I heard a commanding voice in my head ordering me to get up, and I hopped out of bed. The next thing I heard was to go to CFC. Now, prior to this, I had some seeds planted from different places, and was somewhat already thinking about going to a church, particularly CFC to seek God. But now? It was Saturday, and although they do have services in late Saturday afternoons, I didn't know that; I figured it would be empty. When I went there, it was long before service, but there was many people there. These people were getting others registered for a prayer line that was happening. I didn't know what a prayer line was, but I signed up and was excited to participate later that day. When I did, hundreds lined up, and there was healings, and demons being cast out, while hundreds prayed and worshipped. One by one a man laid hands on one after the other, and each time, that person wept heavily and asked to be healed, and they were, or they had a very violent reaction that came from a demon tormenting them, and he would cast out that demon, and once that happened they fell to the floor. I was amongst them that had a demon revealed and cast out.
This was a special experience to me, and after that day, I was given a Bible and was excited and unashamed of the gospel, and started telling people at school, saying that I am born again, and that I found Christ. I even brought a weary kid to CFC one day to have a person pray for him. Shortly after though, I became a lukewarm Christian. I was ashamed of the gospel, rarely went to church, and I barely read my Bible(I didn't even finish the book of Matthew, which is where I started). Now today I questioned whether I was truly born again, because clearly I didn't really give my life to Christ, but I was healed in his name.
I kept listening to secular music, practically worshipping my car and showing it off and its loud speakers. I was still obsessed with video games. Eventually I got into tiktok, and though I got it for humor and fun, I discovered the Christian tiktok community. I wasn't going to not like the Christian posts, but that just made more of them come my way in the For You page. At first I somewhat was annoyed, but eventually something happened inside of me that I didn't feel since I was little. When I was little, I used to fear God. No matter what I felt that I was going to hell, and that made me obey him, and for a while that made me happy. Regardless of whether your saved, simply behaving in a righteous manner because of your fear of God somewhat brings joy. Eventually I forgot him and got caught up in self righteousness, and behaving for self edification and human morality and ethics. Now after seeing more of these posts, I saw more and more about hell, and I started to fear him again. Eventually I started reading my Bible more and more without ceasing. After more tiktoks and bible reading, I learned the true Gospel. Before I thought that I was broken inside and that I needed Jesus in my life, which was true, but that's not the Gospel. I learned that I am a horrible sinner, and that I need a savior, that being Jesus Christ. One day I fell on my knees and asked God to forgive me of my sins, and to guide me whithersoever I go. I want Jesus to be the Lord of my life.
Now at the time, my Church was just tiktok and the Holy Bible, but one day I had to get my first haircut in a while, and the mall where I do so was closed thanks to Covid-19, so I was searching for the next nearest one and I couldn't find it. I was frustrated after maybe 15 minutes of driving in circles, and just directed my map to the next nearest one. In the same lot of that barber shop, I found Anthem Church Northwest, and they were having service in thirty minutes. After my haircut, I went in and I loved the service. I even cried because in it they had families present their recently born babies, and though I know I'm a guy, I wept like a little girl (I've always longed to be a dad one day). I truly believe that was God answering some of my prayers, that being I wanted to get back on track with my Christian life, but really take it seriously, but because I thought Churches were closed (or maybe I convinced myself and just kept telling myself that because of laziness) I didn't go. I also ended up going to CFC again, but today I don't go there anymore because I sort of learned that they preach the same sugar sweet gospel, which it also seems to be a more prosperity gospel. They also believe that one can simply get to heaven by believing that Jesus died for their sins, but there doesn't really have to be a repentance. I'll get more in depth into all that in another thread.
Now it bothers me that I don't know for certain when I was born again. Was it at CFC, or in my room. I was healed at CFC, and probably said I give my life to the Lord, but I'm not sure if I really did. Eventually, I hopped to another Church that appealed to me more: I discovered Faith Baptist Church. I liked it a lot more, because the more I learned about the history of Christian Rock and the style of modern worship, I began to question whether it was actual worship. I did a lot of research and eventually came the conclusion that modern worship often appealed greatly to the flesh, and was ungodly, but that's just my opinion and I may present a more in-depth argument in another forum.
So now I'm a Baptist. I'm becoming a part of the Church and stuff, however I'm not sure if I'll remain a Baptist. I do love the people there, but I've learned that they believe we no longer receive gifts of the Holy Spirit like healing and tongues, however I think that there is some evidence to prove that healings do exist, however evidence that also suggests that it doesn't. A lot of people are very one-sided on this topic in Christianity, however I think it is a rough and hard topic to cover. I'm eager to create a thread conducting an inquiry on whether spiritual gifts are still given today. I may explore some other Churches nearby, like a Methodist or Lutheran Church.
Well that is my testimony, or at least a somewhat gross version of it, but I don't want to detail it too much and spend hours on this. I have school and well... life.
