A Believer at last

[dverna]

A few days ago, I started my first thread on this sub-forum...My First Prayer.

I spent a few hours reading the bible. Hogtamer suggested reading Luke. Thank you sir!

Last night I was laying in bed and my mind was racing. I have always looked at the stories in the bible as "fairy tales". Individually, most can be explained away. Then it struck me.....even if 25% of the stories are mostly true (I believe things may have been embellished and doctored), there are too many to dismiss the conclusion that Jesus existed and had powers beyond those of man. He could not have amassed the followers he did if his miracles, teachings of how to live life, and His goodness were all simply stories. He interacted directly with the people...and no one can fool everyone all the time. Jesus was killed because he was a threat to those in power. They feared not what He could do with the sword but the Word he spread and His presence as the Son of our Lord. He was, He is, He always will be.

And so rationally, yes rationally, Jesus IS. For an engineer, man of science and life long atheist this is a huge step. I do not have to accept every story at face value or as 100% correct. (I know many here will think this is sacrilegious, but it where I am now, and it is far from where I was as an atheist). There is too much evidence that Jesus walked this earth to dismiss it all as a huge fabrication.


Without the pain I suffered during my break up with the love of my life, and the emptiness of losing her, I would not have continued this journey to salvation. So, I thank God for putting her in my life...the one woman who can hurt me to the core and who led me to Christ. My wake up call. Maybe she has done her service and we will part....maybe God has planned for us to be together. We shall see. It has been tough not seeing her for 18 months. I still love her in spite of her faults. I have hurt her and she has hurt me but I have been spared the sin of Wrath. I no longer feel anger towards her. I have no desire for vengeance or to hurt her. I have forgiven her.


God has not answered my prayer and yet I believe. I may never have my prayer answered. But Jesus is now part of my life regardless of what happens. It is a strange feeling to be at this point after all these years....I do not have the words to describe it.

[jmort]

Thank God for the persons who planted and watered the seed of salvation.
Best news I heard all day.
God Bless you Brother.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Congratulations. Welcome to the family of God. I hope your faith continues to grow. And remember, some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers. At the time we desperately want whatever it is, but eventually when we see how it turns out we understand.

[Bzcraig]

All I can say is thank you Jesus! And don't you worry about what anyone has to say about what you believe because you are EXACTLY where GOD wants you to be! You are now a King's kid, a son of the living God, a co-heir with Christ of His kingdom! It doesn't get any better than that.

[trails4u]

I have spent many a Sunday morning listening to folks' individual devotions to Christ, and I have heard few that have moved me as much as this one. God is great!! Thank you, Don, for your open heart and your honesty as you've worked through your struggle with your personal relationship with Christ!!

[exile]

"Then they said to him, 'What must we do, to be doing the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in whom he has sent.'" John 6:28-29 (E.S.V.)

"For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." John 6:40 (E.S.V.)

exile

dverna, I look forward to meeting you on that last day, if not before.

Congratulations! If the last 35 years as a believer has taught me anything, it is that you can trust His Word. God bless!

[w5pv]

Thanks for the post it is inspiring

[Boaz]

You took the step that will change your life and give you life . Many doors have opened for you . I'm Glad to walk the road with you , may the Lord guide us .

[Hogtamer]

New life! Celebrate the date as your new birthday Don and understand that you are a "babe" in Christ this day. I will pray that God gives you a passion for His word. I won't quote chapter and verse of scripture to you as you "grow," just a preview. I can say that the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. That the miracles, the signs and wonders that captivate us are nothing for the Creator and Jesus often went out of his way to make them secondary to the real message of love and grace he embodied. He came not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. Luke was a man of what passed for science in his day, a physician, and gives a straightforward account of what he observed. John gives an entirely different perspective, of "kingdom" life, of Spirit, Love and the Light of life. The little letter of 1 John has meant much to me in this regard. One vital piece of advice: seek a fellowship of believing men with whom you can share and grow in Christ. They are out there and will encourage you in life and your Christian journey. Now to Him who is able to keep us from stumbling, and present us before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God alone who is wise, be power and dominion forever and ever. Amen. I no longer call you friend, but brother, and love you as such and will continue in prayer for and with you.

[GhostHawk]

I strongly advise that you find a Red Letter bible in the version that works for you. Read what he said. And reread it, and try to live it. And find out how hard it is.

I have seen myself brothers reaching out for you.
We feel your pain, we hope you make it.
We are in your corner. At this point your faith is like a plant just sprouted from a seed. It is fragile. It needs some sun, but not too much. It needs some moisture, but a big rain will wash it out. Mostly it needs time to grow. Give it that time.

Luke is good, I prefer Mathew. But Luke first is fine.

There is help here if you need it. If doubt assails you, if you are overtaken by despair.
And of course there is help from above.

Lord, I ask that you send the Holy Spirit to dwell in Dverna's heart. Help him to clean his heart, purge it of hate, anger, fear. Those are like acid, they corrode everything in time. Clean it out, make it a worthy place for the Holy Spirit to live. And then let the Spirit guide my brother. Let it show him the way. Let it bring peace like a river for him as it did for me. I do not know your will Lord, and I do not go against it. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. But this is my wish. Make your new servant strong in the faith. A mighty soldier in the army of Christ. In the name of God the Father, his Son our Lord Jesus, and in the Holy Spirit I pray. Amen.

[Wayne Smith]

The angels in heaven are celebrating!

They killed Jesus not because 'he was threatening them' but for a very specific reason. Blasphemy - he claimed to be God incarnate and to them that was blasphemy and by the Law deserving of death. The religious experts of the day understood exactly what He was claiming and refused to understand and accept. That is the mechanism by which he was killed. He died for my sins and for your sins, that was simply a mechanism.

Understanding this throws in the face those who wish to argue that He was a good man. No, He was God incarnate and was killed because he publically made this claim. Either He was a madman or He was God.

[aspangler]

Welcome to the family, my new brother. May the God of all Creation and His Son Jesus Touch you and give you strength.
God please touch this new brother. Give him strength and help in the coming days. Give him wisdom and understanding as he travels this road. Bless and kepp him as you promised in your word. In the Precious name of Jesus I ask. AMEN

[Preacher Jim]

Welcome to the family of God. you are now joint heir with Jesus In the kingdom of Heaven. I walked your walk and met Jesus the same way so from my heart I can say, you have not seen anything yet. As you grow in Christ you will see things this world would call impossible.
Yours in Christ's service

[popper]

Welcome to the Church. I do not have to accept every story at face value or as 100% correct. Accept them as true now, after some study/time you will understand. Don't nitpick the small stuff, you just started down the road and there is a lot to see. http://changedlives.org/ Down to earth - was an atheist/businessman turned preacher. Passed in 2013 but his sermon collection is online and it is NOT the normal church stuff.

[Bo1]

Praise GOD, for He is great.

[dverna]

Thank you all for your kind words.

There are thoughts of the sins I have committed. In spite of trying to be a good person, I have failed others and myself many times. In my arrogance and ignorance, I have denounced God and Jesus. It helps to know that if I truly repent, God will grant me forgiveness. Not even God expects me to be perfect...so I can stop beating myself up. God's forgiveness is not a "get out of jail free card" to justify sin or make sinning easier to do. I have still not wrapped my mind around all sins being equal. My "common sense" sees lying as a lesser sin that the rape of a child. But my "common sense" has failed me in the past so I will try to understand.

I am ashamed that my first prayer started with the result I wanted and then a prayer for His guidance and wisdom. DG, your comments in post 3# are so important and helpful to me right now. Unanswered prayers have meaning too.

Regrettably the few churches I have attended did not seem a good fit for me. There is a nondenominational church about 12 miles from me that has been suggested by a friend of mine. My hope is to find a group to interact and grow my faith with.

Bless you all

[Smoke4320]

congrads .. like life there are lots of twist and turns along the road there will be snakes that look like doves ..
If it does not pass the smell test pray for guidance
again congrads ..Keep looking up

[Char-Gar]

Yes, from the deepest pain can come deep faith. That is the way it happened for me in 1970 and you in 2017. It took me several years to sort out the details of my faith and it will be that way for you. You are now on a life journey with Jesus and it will take you home in due time.

I will be praying for you all the way....

[David2011]

Congratulations, Don. Church can be a challenge. I find that many do not fit me either but that does not affect my Faith. Follow your heart.

[sparky45]

Welcome to the family of God. you are now joint heir with Jesus In the kingdom of Heaven. I walked your walk and met Jesus the same way so from my heart I can say, you have not seen anything yet. As you grow in Christ you will see things this world would call impossible.
Yours in Christ's service

Your words, Family of God, is one of my favorite hymns we sing every week at our service(s). Thanks, I just listened to it on Youtube.

[shoot-n-lead]

Congratulations!

The most important decision you will ever make.

[JimB..]

Welcome, and thanks for sharing your story. A great many people wait for God to answer their prayers, but you need to accept that his answer might simply be "no" or it might be complicated and take years to unfold. Sometimes you'll know, most times you won't.

I generally pray that I stay on the path he has laid out for me and recognize quickly when I've drifted. Will pray for your continued spiritual growth.

[Blackwater]

Wow! What a wonderful and inspiring testimony, Don! Thank you. You may not realize it, but stories like yours mean an awful lot to us who have preceeded you in coming to Faith. And as to failing others, and past sins - don't sweat it one single minute more, for they're gone - as far as the east is from the west. And BTW, ALL of us - each and every one - have ALSO sinned and let others down and been our own worst enemy at times. Even, sometimes, after coming to Faith! I hate to tell you this, but you won't quit being human just because of your newfound faith. Just as a heartbreak led you to Faith, so our errors will continue to lead us to broader and deeper understanding of our Faith, and its full value and power. Coming to faith isn't like flipping on a light switch. It's more a journey now, and you're at the wondrous beginning of it. All manner of wonders and confusion await you. Just remember, when God wants us to learn a really important lesson, sometimes He lets us suffer so we'll remember it well. Being a Christian isn't a life of ease and pleasure. It's a life of challenge and wonder. And the challenges usually precede the wonders. We are willful and strong willed creatures. The Lord HAS to deal with us this way if we're to prove ourselves, and truly and deeply discover the deeper and more awesome wonders that He has prepared us for. We're always in a state of "becoming," and if we're diligent, we're becoming more and more aware of more and more wonders, and greater understanding of how it all really works, for much of it is not quite apparent at first consideration or glance. But the further you go, the more satisfied you'll become, no matter what lies before you. And when the day comes for us to account for ourselves, remember, those things you did before coming to Light are gone, and can never be used against you. Now, it's just your job to grow in understanding, and I hate to tell you this, but that will take the rest of your life. You'll get glimpses of this and that as you go forward, and each little tidbit might seem like "nothing" at first. But when you've gone a ways further, and have collected a few more tidbits, it'll amaze you at how they all fit together and point the way forward, and provide validation of what you now accept on faith.

Faith never comes without reason, and that's why I have long believed you'd come to this point. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing your story. It has been truly inspiring, for all of us have a similar story. All of us. Really. Some of us were planted in more fertile fields, and grew earlier. You have come to faith in a much more hostile environment than most of us have. That, I think, automatically puts a feather in your cap! Just don't expect things to get "easy" just because you've come to faith. It won't. In fact, it may get harder and more puzzling. That's God providing the impetus for you to find so much more, beyond what you already have! If you're like the rest of us, you'll have many questions along your way. Go ahead and ask them. Others may be wondering about the same thing. This is why it's so important that we gather together for mutual support, and good, honest worship of our Lord, which is due to Him.

What a wonderful day this is! Praise the Lord! All heaven has rejoiced at your acceptance of the most wonderful and awesome Gift you'll ever receive!

[Hogtamer]

Put Psalm 32 on your reading list, was reminded of that this very morning.

[Ken in Iowa]

Welcome to the fold Don. :)

[skeettx]

Don
You have brought JOY to me tonight
Welcome Brother
If I can be of assistance in your growth as a Christian brother,
please let me know.
Remember Jesus did NOT come into the world to condemn the world, but
so the world could be Saved (adopted into God's family)
Welcome
Mike

[dverna]

I am heading to a new church shortly.

Thank you everyone for your words of welcome and encouragement.

I am humbled.

[mozeppa]

there is 3 ways god answers prayer....yes....no.....not right now.

but indeed he ALWAYS answers.

[Blackwater]

Don, being "humble" is THE mark of a real Christian, and especially the mature ones. When we come to realize that everything in the universe we know is a gift from God, and that everything in it except our individual wills, belongs to Him ..... well, how could we be anything BUT humble? All of it - our world, all the things and people we love, even our very lives themselves, all are a simple gift from God. Only our free wills are ours and ours alone, to do with what we decide to do with them.

I think you're going to progress in understanding much faster than those of us who came to light early in our lives. You'll be challenged, surely, but He will stand with you every step of the way. All you really need is the simple Faith to stick with Him, even when you get confused or frustrated, or have questions that aren't immediately answered.

What a wonderful adventure our Faith is! You're welcome in my tent any time! God speed, my friend!

[dverna]

The church I attended today was nondenominational. I had wet eyes during the hymns that started the service. The words were on a large screen and I found them profound and comforting. They mean so much more once you believe. I wished the woman I love had been with me. The sermon was about the seven letters of Jesus in Revelations. The pastor did a good job...maybe a bit slow for me, and with a bit more repetition that I needed, but I understand he must make his message understood by everyone.

It was a good mix of ages. When the children's bible study started, about 2/3 of the congregation remained.

I will attend this church a few more times and ask questions that Wayne has shared with me. Wayne offered great advice on selecting a church. I told him it should be a sticky in the Chapel.

After a few more visits I will know if this is the one.

[1johnlb]

The Holy Spirit alone brings us into understanding.

I found early in my walk if I doubted any part of scripture, it polluted my faith with unbelief making any faith I had, void. I had to make a conscious decision to believe all scripture, then and only then did all things become possible, for those who believe.

The word believe is what I call a funny word. I believe in a lot of things, people, places, etc... but I don't have trust in them, that they are what they say they are. Biblically, to believe is to have trust in , even when we don't understand and the world says otherwise.

Get real with God and He will be real with you. Ask Him where He wants you and He'll guide you. Block out anything or anybody in your life that opposes Him. Seek Him in every idle moment, put Him and His Word first in your life and you'll find your life in Christ.

All the answers of God are yes and amen in Him. keep praying, He hears you.

Welcome to the family.

[GhostHawk]

I have no disagreement with anything I have read thus far.

Seems like you are getting your house in order, your heart humble, and listening hard.

That is awesome news.
Sir it is a pleasure to see you come to him. You have made my day several days in a row. Praise him with great praise. Another lost one has joined the flock.

[Alabama358]

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with al thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

[Bazoo]

I have tears to hear this great news Don! Im very glad for you.

~Bazoo

[Blackwater]

Don, I know it'll be a while before you realize just how inspiring and touching your story is. But it IS. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences in this with us. It means more than you know right now. Thanks.

[flint45]

Stay in the word and find a church that teaches the whole Bible. God bless you brother.

[nagantguy]

Welcome home brother! We live in the same state so pm or call of you need anything, I'm not a man of the cloth but have gone far down the road of faith, and know first hand the lose of love,sin confusion and anger!

[WRideout]

It is not us reaching for God, but God reaching for us. Grab hold, brother Don!
Wayne