Testimony Time

[andreessen1992]

i work for god at my school, thats my job discription,and thats my good testemony

 

[Abel1337]

God Bless

 

[windcatcher]

Glory glory glory!!! Wow, What amazing testimonies! How powerful they are! I am so moved. I am so thankful to the Lord. His mercy and grace are amazing.

Thank you for sharing those stories all. Glory to God!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[andreha]

Thank you for sharing! To the Lord our God all the glory!

 

[Torah]

My testimony

My name is Otto Strand
I was born in Norfork VA in 1953; my parents moved to Miami Fla in 1956. My Mom & Dad were good parents My Dad took me fishin, hunting, & camping. But when it comes to things of G-d my parents did not put much time into. I might have gone to Church two or three times. I had no teaching of G-d.

At the age of 18 I started smoking pot. This started a 6-year drug and alcohol abuse, each day I would start off smoking pot and by the end of the day I would start heavy drinking and sometimes popping pills. To help supply my drug habit I would sell drugs. I had friends who were killed, arrested, and overdosed on drugs. After about 5 years of this life style I was sitting on the roof of my apartment complex on a Saturday night. I looked up at the stares and said. “G-d is this all there is to life. Getting high, go to work and then get high again? God if your there let me know”.
It was 1974 and I went to see a play called “Jesus Christ Superstar” There was a seen where People with disease were pushing in on Jesus and asking him to heal me. Jesus yelled at the people stop pushing me there are too many of you. Leave me alone! I had little knowledge of who Jesus was. After the play I started to ask myself. Did Jesus push people away? Was he as the play portrayed him? About this time I met this nice girl, Jackie. She was refreshing from all the girls I was use to hanging out with. We started dating. She was a Jewish girl, She too was having questions about G-d. She had a Good News Bible that we would sit and read and try to figure out what we were reading.
I had moved into a new apartment and meet a man and his wife Tom & Gill. And it did not take long before they started buying their drugs from me. In 1976 Jackie and I got marred. I keep up my drug use and would still sell to my friends. Tom & Gill had not come by my apartment for about 3 weeks; So, I went to their apartment to see how they were doing.
When I saw them there was something different about them. What was it? There was a glow or something?. “What’s up”, I asked. “You got some good dope”. They just smiled and showed me a new Bible. O-NO I said. Don’t tell me you guys are Jesus freaks! They
Tried to tell me about being born again. And ask me to come to Church with them.
”No way! am I going to a Church”. I did not see Tom & Gill for about 3 month’s. One day
They show up at my door. Otto & Jackie they asked, would you come to some friends house with us. There will be a gaiter player from the group called “Black oak Arkansas”. This got my attention, I loved rock music. And I had a chance to meet a rocker. G-ds trap was set.
What I didn’t know was that the rocker was going to give his testimony and the house was part of the Vineyard movement. And the gentlemen that lead Tom & Gill to the L-rd Would be there also.

[Wade] Tom & Gill picked us up and we went. The Rocker sang some songs and then gives his testimony. The gentlemen Wade sat down and talked to me. He laid out G-d’s plan for salvation from Genesis to Revelation. He spoke of things like sacrifice and blood Atonement, and how Jesus was our Sacrifice and one time blood atonement.

We talked for hours. He answered all my questions. Then he asked me! “Would you like to ask Jesus into your heart right Now?” Now?. But I do drugs; I drink like a fish, I use bad langue. I said, That’s O, K Wade said, don’t worry about that stuff. Come to him just as you are. So I said O, K. He leads me in a prayer, and I repeat what he say’s.

The prayer is over, but I keep my head bowed and my eye’s closed. I’m thinking I want what Tom & Gill have, but what will all my friends say. But tom & Gill look so happy & new, But my friends.

I want it, I don’t, I do, I don’t, do, don’t, do, don’t. I felt like I was about to explode. Then I threw both my arms in the air and yell. “JESES”.

With my eyes still closed. I saw a hole open in my chest and a light comes out of me. I was standing in the living room looking at myself and could see the light come out of my back and my chest and out the walls. I was next standing in the street and could see this light going through the houses and down the street. I was next in space and could see the light going off into space.

I open my eyes and it felted as if I had just taken a backpack off my back. My skin felt as if it was aglow. For month’s people would ask what was different about me.

When we were driving home that night, Wade said to me, that I should tell someone as soon as possible what happen to me tonight. I rolled down the car window and yell at some lady Walking her dog.

“Jesus saved me tonight!” When I got home I pulled up the 6 Marijuana plants and put them in the trash, I flushed all my pills’ and poured out the booze.
My life was changed that night. The craving for drugs, pills and booze was gone.
My old friends eventuality stop coming by. But the trade was worth it.
One week later Wade, Jackie, Myself, and another brother named Trace.

Went to a little food store to hand out tracks and to tell people what happen to me last Weekend. We were handing out tracks when a Policeman drives up. I hand him a track And he becomes irate with me for handing him some religious martial.

He starts accusing us of soliciting for money. He makes us stop handing out tracks. I start telling people what happen to me last week. The police officer ask for our Idenafaction, witch we hand over.
He puts our driver Trace in his portal car and tells The rest of us to go home.

This we can’t do. We tell him because you put our driver in your portal car. He tells us to stop talking to people about Jesus or he will run us all In. We keep sharing.

Sundely! In front of the convenient stores there is a three-car accident. In about 30min there are now. 6 police cares and
2 ambulances. By this time people start gathering around to see what is going on.

Thanks to that angry police officer I got to shear with a lot more people than if he had not showed up. After the accident was cleared up and all the people left Trace was cleared and we all went home.

I begin to read the Bible with a new understanding and hunger. One day while I was reading my Bible I come to Psalm 103:12
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

As soon as I read this I hear a small voice say, “I showed you this.”


It has not always been an easy walk with the L-rd. My wife and I have raised five children. All Still Believers!

I know that I have been given a FREE gift. And there is nothing I can or could ever do to deserve this free gift of my salvation. This is perfectly clear to me. In 1996 something started to happen to me that was as powerful as my salvation exspearrents.

 

[Torah]

I started to wonder after reading. 1Corinthians 5: 8

“Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.”

Now I have read this scripture 100 times. But this time it jumped out at me.
“Let us keep the Festival”. Keep Passover? I was not keeping Passover. I went to my Pastor and asked, “ Why don’t we do Passover.” Because! He said, that’s OT teaching and we are free from all that. Wait a moment this is the NT. (Don’t rock the boat just keep rowing)

I called a local Synagogue and asked their Rabbi where I could find information about putting on a Passover Seder. He sent me to my Library. In 1996 I held my first Passover Seder.

In 1997 I held another Seder at home. And in 1998 I held a Passover Seder at my church.





My wife and I started asking more & more questions about the Jewish part of Christianity That was not there. I would ask “If Christianity come from Judaism why is there nothing Jewish in Christianity”?

In 1999 my wife and I found a Messianic congregation. Now! I did get an answer to my question. “If Christianity come from Judaism why is there nothing Jewish in Christianity”?





John 7: 2 But when the Feast of Tabernacles was near, however, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he [Jesus] went also, not publicly, but in secret.
“Jesus keeps the feast of Tabernacles [Sukkot]? Why don’t we keep the festival of Sukkot?

John 10: 22 then came the Feast of Dedication [Hanukkah] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade.

Jesus keep the feast of Hanukkah? Why don’t we? What other Feast is there that we don’t keep? And why not? Pastors would tell me. “That is all the OT and we don’t need the OT we got the NT.” “NO! This is all NT,” I would say. One pastor told me The Jews have there Holidays and we have ours. And this is how it has always been. “Why”?
I just had more Questions, like

Luke 11: 27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."
28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

“Obey the word of G-d”? Jesus could not have been talking about the New Testament! The only other word Jesus could have been speaking of was the Old Testament. “OBEY THE Old Testament”?

This is not what Pastors are teaching! They wanted me to shut up and go along with what has been tough for about 1700 years. But why? Where did Christmas come from? Or Easter? Or Halloween? And why have we made them Christian Feast days? No place in Old Testament or new Testament does G-d call these Feast days his. And what about the seventh day being the Sabbath? and how and when did it become the first day. And I learn very quick not to bring up OBEYING [as Jesus said] Leviticus chapter 11. So!

My wife and I started praying about, wanting to know the truth about the Jewish root of scripture. One Friday night we were driving by this Church and we notes a big Star of David that covered a cross that was on the front of this church. [This Messianic synagogue rented this church for Friday night] My wife and I decide to try this synagogue next Friday night.

We arrive late and the service had already started. When we walked through the doors I feel the L-rd speak to me, “This is where I want you”. I no sooner had this though and my wife says to me. “I feel the L-rd just spoke to me and said, “This is where I want you.”

At this point my wife and myself knew nothing about Messianic Judaism. But if this is where G-d wanted us, then we will do everything
The L-rd say’s. It was not till almost a year after we entered this Messianic synagogue that I was reading Exodus 19: 7-8 and this scripture jumped out at me. Befor knowing, we said, “We hear and we will obey”. We felt like the children of Israel who had received their salvation from slavery [in 1976] and, now, were on our way to receive
G-ds instructions on how he wanted us to live our life befor him.

We had questions, fear, and needed understanding. A new world open to us, and it was overwhelming at times to learn that we had inherited lies based on Anti-Semitic feelings To the origin of the Jewish N T scriptures and the History of the Church.

1) History of the church.

To understand we must go back more than 2000 years ago to Roam. When Roam conquered a country, Roam would bring into Rome the god’s from the country Roam had conquered and the worship of that god into Roam. But! That country Roam conquered was required by Roam, to worship the gods of Roam. This being the Sun god called “Mithra”. Interesting facts about the sun god Mithraism.
. Mithra is the god of light
. Mithra was born of a mother-rock by a river under a tree
. Sunday was kept holy in honor of Mithra,
. The 25 December was observed as Mithra birthday, the natalis invicti, the rebirth of the winter-sun,

When Roam conquered Israel. Israel would not worship the god’s of Roam. This created friction and right out hatred between Roam and the people of Israel.
This is the setting that the messianic believers were faced with from Roam.
More and more Roman’s become believers in the sect of Judaism. Then persecution started on all the Messianic Believers Jew and Gentile. Until about 325 CE (AD) when Constantine, become Emperor of Roman. His reign marked the alliance of church and state. The pagans no longer persecuted Christians. But not so for the Jew!
The Roman Catholic Church comes into being with this friction towered everything Jewish. Christians were not allowed to practice the Biblical feast days, or keep the seventh day Sabbath Etc. This is why there is nothing Jewish in Christianity. And today’s Church was birthed from the Roman Catholic Church. By the time Constantine called the first general church council together at Nicea in 325 CE, anti-Semitism was already endemic in what had become apostate Christianity. The Council of Nicea was attended by 318 bishops, none of whom were of Jewish extraction. In fact, no Jewish believers were even invited, even though Messianic Judaism continued to persist among many Jewish believers, as well as Gentile God-fearers.

Constantine was a worshipper of the “Sun God,” Mithra, and through The Roman Catholic Church Constantine incorporated or blended Mithra worship and the Church.
By this blending of Mithraism & The Church it was bringing more people into the Church and making Christianity as the largest religion in the world and Mithraism all but faded away except for the traces that were blended into the Church.
Summary: The first believers were Messianic and a sect of Judaism. The early Church fathers divorce itself from its Jewish roots. And to fill it’s Churches the Church changed G-d’s feast days to accommodate the pagan worshipers on the days they were use to worshiping on.


This was a hard pill to swallow, and at first I though this cant be true? But I remembered that I had asked G-d to show me the truth about the Jewish root of scripture. He answered my prayer but not with the answer that I wanted to hear. I next started praying and searching for the truth about G-ds Holladay’s.

2) G-d’s reckoning of time
The first thing we learned was that G-d’s reckoning of time was not the same as the Greek reckoning of time.
G-d states in Gen 1: 5, 1:8, 1:13, 1:19, 1:23, & 1:31
[“There was evening, and there was morning--the first day.”] The day starts at evening goes through the day and ends at evening. This is G-ds reckoning of time.
Also in Gen 1: 14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, [and let them serve as signs to mark “seasons” and days and years,]
The word “SEASONS” in Hebrew is “MOEDIM” this word means “APPOINTED FEAST” or HOLIDAYS. The planetary structure points to and regulates the Feast of
G-d. The Moedim=Feast are first and foremost part of the creative order of G-d. And not merely part of the covenant made with Israel at Sinai.

Lev 23: 1-2 The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'these are [my appointed feasts], the appointed feasts=Moedim of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.

In other words these are G-ds Holidays not just Jewish Holidays
The first of His holidays (appointed feasts) is the Sabbath.
Gen 2: 2-3 by the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, Most people will agree that the 7th day is [Saturday]. I realize that I would read scripture with a pair of Roman, gentile, western, glasses. Let me give an example.
Acts 20: 7 – 11
7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.
8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.
9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.
10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!"
11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.

I was taught that Paul started preaching Sunday morning took a lunch break, Went back to preaching Sunday night and preached till midnight and then left on his trip Monday morning.
With the proper understanding of G-d’s reckoning of time (day is from evening to morning then evening.)
the first day [Sunday] of the week starts at sundown Saturday night. Acts 20: 7 – 11 could read this way: Acts 20: 7 – 11
7 On the first day of the week [Saturday night] we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. [Saturday midnight]
8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.
9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.
10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!"
11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight,[Sunday morning] he left.

My/our understanding of scripture is bias, based on 2000 years of Anti-Semitic feelings past down to us from Roam. Example of this is in

Col 2: 14
Having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
This scripture I have used to argue that the Law (written code) was nailed to the cross. Meaning we do not need the Torah – [teaching]. But when I compared it to.
Gal 3: 13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

This is speaking of the curse of the written code of the law that condemned us. But He (Yeshua) becomes the curse in our place. So it is the curse of the law that was nailed to the cross. The law – teaching how to live a G-dly life still stands.
My wife and I have come to a new and refreshing understanding of G-ds word. We have found that obeying his commands are not burdensome. But has given us direction and freedom in our life.
We should be careful that by the rejection of this new understanding of G-ds word from a Messianic view, we could be rejecting a powerful move of G-d in these last days. For the sake of holding on to teachings that are but traditions taught by men. Could it be that just as when Jesus was talking to the Pharisees of his day in Mark 7: 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." That we have come full circle where he would say the same to the church today? “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men”.
The Messianic understanding in the past 20 years has come alive and is still growing. I thank G-d that he has taken away the secret power witch has had us blind and has open my wife’s and my eyes to the freedom we have in his Torah. 2 Thessalonians 2: 5-8
Shalom.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Thank you Torah for sharing your testimony with us.

 

[IowaPastor]

Thanks Torah for sharing your awesome testimony! What an amazing salvation story.

 

[WOFFER]

I will give the condensed version. I was a drug dealer and addict before coming to Christ. I overdosed 3 times in the 7 years of drug use. I was at a very low point in my life. I was about to get busted for dealing drugs and I was just not very happy with my life. I thought I needed religion. I knew that some of my former customers were going to church so I asked them to take me. It was an Assembly of God church in Monroe Michigan. It was pastored by a wonderful pastor named Carlos Lucena and his wife Lydia. Anyway, I started attending this church. One day I attended a prayer meeting at the home of one of the members at this church. The pastors wife prayed for me and asked Jesus to make himself real to me. That night he did! I was at home by myself when I felt like someone had entered my bedroom. It was Jesus. No, I did not see Him but he was there. All I could do was weep and repent. My life has not been the same since that night back in 1984.

In 1996 I went to bible college at World Harvest Bible College. I studied Pastoral Leadership. In 2000 I started my internet based ministry. I am currently unemployed but am starting college in June of this year to study Web Design. I have been doing web design for 10 years but do not have a degree. I am looking forward to learning new stuff in college. I started a new website business in January of this year to try and bring in an income. It is a church and ministry webhosting and design company.

That about sums it up.

 

[Alive_Again]

Here's an odd testimony that happened yesterday. I was walking down a shady semi-paved path about 50 yards away from a lake. The 1 mile walking/jogging trail is shaded about 80% of the way and it's a terrific place to walk and listen to inspirational music or listen to teaching.

Stage set! I was walking the trail listening to a teaching on the armour of God. You hear people say to put on the whole armour of God, but they never tell you how. I personally believe that beyond making believe that you're getting dressed (I don't see Jesus doing that), I believe putting on the armour means you put on (into your soul/spirit consciousness) an awareness of God's covenant meeting every potential vulnerability you may have. We use the scripture to build that awareness by meditating on scriptures talking about the righteousness of God (and all the other areas), declaring scripture, etc.

GET THIS!

After my mp3 player batteries ran out, I was enacting a scenario in my mind, where I was warning someone (in my mind) who was walking the path, not to be paranoid, but to keep watching where you walked (not in fear), because there are serpents in our midst.

The moment I was saying: "Look down, because there are serpents" There was a serpent at that exact moment in the path!

It was small and didn't startle me. Pretty bright green.

But the Lord pointed out that part of His covenant of protection was to make us aware of enemies serpents on the path. Though peaceful, shady, etc., we're in a zone where the enemy is on the path we're on.

Our job is to be watchful. Not fearful. You couldn't have timed that inner dialogue any closer, nor was the lesson to be made any plainer!

I was really aware that God was with me after this, even though I didn't sense any great presence. Thanks for watching God!

 

[do justly]

I was anxious to do something for God, one more small step, and I couldn't figure out what. So I decided I should fast that Saturday with no food or water. Then God wakes me up at night and I hear this in the spirit: "write down these Jewish words: ashom shebet" so I write it down and forget to do anything about it because I was worried it wouldn't mean anything. Then on Saturday I'm really thirsty and I go on-line, transliterate the words to Hebrew, and look up the meanings, and it was roughly something along the lines of "to value the Sabbath" So I figure it's a green light to get some water. I got some water, but still skipped out on a couple meals cause I wanted to finish the fast.

Then I was looking up random things about God on google and I came across the Jewish feasts. Turns out the same Saturday that I decided to fast there was a feast.

 

[Alive_Again]

So I figure it's a green light to get some water. I got some water, but still skipped out on a couple meals cause I wanted to finish the fast.

Speaking of fasting, I finally decided to read a recommended book on fasting that I've had for 20 years. I knew one day when I read a sentence somewhere that talked about fasting, that I should do this. You see the Lord's invisible "handwriting" on something and just know in your know-er.

I was wondering how to do this and soon after had an urge to turn on the TV. It was a cooking channel and the guy said, "Always have breakfast." "Never skip breakfast". There was the Lord again and I understood I could have breakfast. I wondered what kind? They showed me a soy milk banana, strawberry, blackberry smoothy that I made and it was fantastic!

Not that I had great success in my efforts, but I know that a successful New Covenant believer should incorporate prayer and fasting together.

The Lord led me to a teaching by Gary Carpenter, who the Lord spoke to about fasting and called it a "scourging post", where you deny your flesh. It was to be completely optional, but you can reach a point in your growth that you won't really get past until you obey. He said the hunger and thirst will build until you do. -- So there is a food you'll partake of to satisfy the hunger.

It's kind of like a back door entrance into where it's really happening! You know you want to go there and here's the key...

Here is the link to the conversation the Lord had with Gary about "The Scourging Post". Be brave!

F980903-The Scourging Post

 

[alancrookham]

After nearly three years of paperwork, I finally have full residency in Panama! It may not sound like much, but leaving my wife and son to go sit in a hotel for three days to renew a tourist visa is rough. So I praise God for that!

 

[SUNSTONE]

2 weeks ago I had a sinus swelling. Not sure from what, I went out and played basketball, first time in years.
Well the next day my sinus is swollen shut.
I took some advil and nothing happened, it remained swollen for 7 days.
I wasn't sick, it didn't hurt, it didn't get better or worst.

So finally I commanded a healing, and the next day I was perfectly fine.

 

[ChrisSloan]

I never really thought that I would find the person that was right for me but through the church and thanks to Jesus I have the most wonderful girlfriend ever and me and her are going to be a brilliant team for Christ.

 

[Vimi]

I kept having 2 or 3 re-occurring dreams on and off for a couple of years. Well last week, I had one and when I woke up I was so annoyed and very irritated. The dream was simple (window shopping at a particular shopping plaza and there were some closed/closing stores) but I felt like it was an unnecessary dream, just something to aggravate me.

Because of the irritated feeling I woke up with, I knew it was sent to frustrate me. I prayed and asked the Lord to remove every thought and dream that had no purpose or destiny and every hidden and embedded thought that did not glorify Christ. I prayed 2 Cor. 10:5 and Prov 3:24 and have not had any re-occurring dreams since

 

[MasterRich]

When my spirit was sent to Hell not only to testify on what I saw but to die in my sins I had been delivered from the Devil that had manifested in me throughout my life. On Easter Sunday I accepted Jesus Christ and he has changed my life forever!

I have shared my testimony on many sites including here in the Dreams/Visions section, spoke at the Salt and Youth Conference on two occasions last year. I then published a video recording of my testimony, which my mother filmed on her small camera onto YouYube after worrying about all the hate and negative comments I would likely receive. During this time because I had given my life to Jesus, all my sins were forgiven I no longer lived after the flesh but in Spirit as explained in Romans 8;

Romans 8:

5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

I came under a spiritual attack from more than one demon just a month or so after I was saved. This took place when I got back home. At first I had no idea that I was given a helper, the Holy Spirit but now looking back at the past 8 months now, I realised this is true!

The Demons were luring me back into masturbation again but this time not with inappropriate contentography but without material whatsoever. It was a huge battle that waged on for 6 months on and off trying to win and control my mind not to be tempted.

I remember very well, when for some reason, I just closed my eyes and pictured myself sitting in this beautiful garden. Full of colour, life beauty, I had no idea why I thought of this but it was magical. Everywhere the world around me appeared so clear and crisp. I remember where I was, I was sitting on a stone Ancient Greek style like bench looking out into the garden. Then this man appeared next to me (sitting down) He was dressed in white but I could not see his face I just knew he was sitting there next to me.

He began to talk to me and said;

“Richard, why are you doing this? Do you not know that you are living after the flesh? I know you are facing tough times conquering this sin. I know that you have been on your own all your life, no friends, no one to experience love with.

But you must understand, you are saved therefore you must not continue sinning. I’m here to help you, which is why I am speaking to you. You can put these sinful deeds to death you done so for 3 months now.
If there are things that you see that lure you or tempt you into this act put it away, walk away shut the evil thoughts out.”

“I know what you say is true but it’s so hard, I’m fighting a battle here and I can’t seem to escape”

“Yes you can, and you must! You know where you spirit will end up if you continue down this path. I am always here to help you, promise me this that this will be the end and you will sin no more”

So I opened my eyes and was almost tearful and said that I promise that I will make every effort to and do anything to conquer this sin until it has no control over me.

Since then after been free from this sin, the next step for me in my growing in the Spirit but first I had to confess to God my sins including the first time I fell to coming this sin after I was saved. I had never confessed it to God, I don’t know why, I was confused because I should know better to confess my sins daily and I don’t know why I didn’t.

So I prayed one night and asked God to forgive me of my sins and of the time I fell to this sin. I felt a huge warm flow of energy flow through me while praying and I was filled with happiness that I just couldn’t speak anymore. I knew therefore that I was forgiven.

Over the next couple of months, my spiritual growth started to become clearer to me. I could see how the Holy Spirit was working in me. I had the urge, passion, determination, willingness to know more about God. I started to pray every night when I never done so.

I started with asking Jesus to forgive me of my sins with the following prayer;

Dear Jesus,

I admit that I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins; I am now willing to repent and turn from my sins and commit to follow you from now on.

I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe in my heart that God raised you from the dead. I trust you alone to take me to Heaven when I die.

Thank you for saving me!
Amen

I would then pray to the Holy Spirit;

Holy Spirit, I welcome you in my heart, in my home, in my life.
I gladly submit to your authority, your plans and your will for my life.

Teach me the ways of God.
Teach me your ways.
I do not want to ever offend you, grieve you, or quench you, in any way.
Your presence is my consuming desire.
I long for your constant approval.
I am willing to be corrected, and I treasure your voice within me.
Please help me to develop a precious relationship with you.

Amen

Then I would end my prayers with the Lord’s Prayer


Led by the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit has helped me grow spiritually to increase my relationship with God. I then had the urge, the determination and willingness to read the whole Bible which I never thought I would ever do, maybe a few passages that I would read but I never considered wanting to read everything. I have tried to spread and share my testimony around to as many people as I can. I sent my testimony to my friends, but some refused to listen or didn't want to go into the whole religion - God topic.

I sent my testimony to Greg and Dave who run Changed Lives website. He has shared many testimonies with me including his own, his brother, Elsbeth who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and an ex-student of his who overcame witchcraft.

I have also now become a prayer member of Changed Lives and every few weeks they get a prayer request and then they send it out to their members. We then pray for the people who are in need of God's help, love, comfort and healing.

I recently spoke to my pastor face to face and she wanted to explain how the Holy Spirit is working in me right now and that I bear fruit of the spirit and that I am now a new creation fresh and new in Jesus Christ. I have put what she has written to me below to share with all of you.

Dear Richard,

I can confirm that you are new creation, fresh and new in Jesus Christ and
you bear the fruit of the Spirit.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”(2 Corinthians 5:17)

To put it simply, when you get saved, there is a spiritual instinct placed within you. You immediately begin to desire those things that pertain to God, His Word, His work and His worship. This will not be a passing thing, but it will endure throughout life because of the presence of the Spirit in your heart:

• You have a passion for pointing people to Jesus. (Acts 1:8)
• You are a peace maker. (Matthew 5:9)
• You hunger and thirst for righteousness. (Matthew 5:6)
• You are eager to serve Jesus Christ and people.
• Your life story has touched many people. (Mathew 5:14)
• You give your time to pray with people and encourage them.

Pray the following prayer for Mental Empowerment

“In him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4)

“That life is in me. The life of God is in me. That life is my light; it is
the development of me. It is developing my spirit. It is developing my
mentality. I have God in me. I have God's wisdom in me. I have God's life
in me. That life of God in my spirit dominates me. I purpose in my heart to
walk in the light of life.”

Also ask the Holy Spirit to help you daily: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26)

Remember "You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is
built on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14)

God Bless

Richard

 

[MasterRich]

Something so amazing that happened last week! Jesus made himself known to me twice. Not physically, not with a voice or a sign but spiritually, in my actions towards other people!

First thing that happened was after work I started to walk home. Around 15 minutes later just before I reached the street to go down to, there was a parked car and an elderly man with his wife in the passenger seat wanting some help.

They were from Australia, and he caught my attention. He asked for directions to a hotel which had printed on a paper, along with the address and phone number. He had a map of Edinburgh City but he couldn't see which street/road on the map to find this hotel.

So I took out my iPhone to see if I can put in the name of the street and postcode into the map application. But I couldn’t connect online, I tried to look on the map for him but still I couldn’t find the street. After a few minutes of trying to help him I had no luck. Until I realised, just call the hotel number silly! So I said to the man that I will call up the hotel and find out where they are.

So the man from the hotel told me which way they should go and long and behold the Ocean Terminal docks where there is a big shopping centre, is on the map which is where the hotel is! The man was appreciative of me going through so much to help him where most people would just say sorry I don’t know and walk on.

He said; “let me give you a fiver or something”

I said “No! No, no, no, no, don’t be silly! Don’t worry about it”

He shook my hand and thanked me for helping him; I said;

"I hope you find the place ok”
He said;

“Don’t worry we will thanks again”

2 days later, last Thursday, I finished late and I went out to eat at the restaurant next door to my work.

After my meal, I went to get some money to get a taxi but then just as I got outside and approached a taxi cab, something urged me to not take the taxi and just walk homes so I done just that.

As I was walking down the street again, I remembered how I helped the 2 Australian tourists and said to myself;

“I wonder if I’m going to help someone else this time!”

Then suddenly at almost the same spot, a man (Scottish) was trying desperately to just ask someone to lend him 50p for the bus as he didn’t have enough and his feet were killing him from walking.

No one would help him and looked at him funny or he bumped into people that didn’t speak English.

I said; “Well I don’t think I got change just a £10 note, no sorry I don’t have change. Oh wait, I can go to a store and just get some change”

He was so shocked and stunned; he didn’t know what to say. I lost count how many times he said thank you to me. We went over the road to a small news agent store I bought some bread and gave him some change.

He said;

“Oh man, I can’t believe it, I can’t thank you enough If I run into you again I’ll give you the money back. Do you know how many people looked at me funny when I asked people if they could spare some change? Most of them were polish, rest looked at me funny as if I was wearing poor shabby clothes begging for money.”

We had a very long open chat about stuff, first about homosexuals and that he doesn’t mind it but like me he said he doesn’t agree morally, that they should be married, together having sex or even worse, bringing a child into the home.

I said I agree and told him my views that, no one can help being gay when they are born, but when they get married, sleep around or adopt a child into that environment is totally wrong and how much the child would suffer and be so confused.
He also spoke about his daughter and told me his wife died some time ago.

That her daughter decided to be gay, again he said he had no problems with that, but she wanted some special treatment where she could get pregnant and share the baby with another girl.

He was so against it and I couldn’t agree more. He then spoke about Muslims and how many of them there are and that most just get brainwashed into becoming suicide bombers and he feels we should wipe them all out, they are all evil.

I said;

“You can’t judge every Muslim as a terrorist not all will do that and wanting to kill them all does not make you any better than them. Just be the better person, a decent human being and don’t resort to their level.”

He said he fully understands and he was just sharing his opinion because today, you can’t talk openly about anything anymore.
After the conversation he said;

“If I run into you again I’ll give you the money back, but really thanks again, You are a good guy, you are truly a good man, I’m so glad I ran into you”

My pastor told me;

“Praise be to God, you are the light, Jesus Christ lives in you and it shows how you helped those people!”

I will not fully understand why this happened twice in the week but I know God made it happen to show me how much Jesus lives in me. Instead of paying lots for a taxi cab, the Holy Spirit urged me to walk home instead but now I realised it was to help this man.

To show kindness, love and offer help to those people who needed it. In a way it reminded me of Jesus or demonstrated what Jesus would do if he was here now. It was like his spirit was in me showing himself with the help I gave those people.

 

[Sondog]

OK…an interesting, improvisational Holy Ghost experience!…


I minister to the homeless population in Atlanta. One day, I was at a shelter, waiting for a friend of mine to show up. As I waited, I was poking around in my bible, looking for a topic for a bible study that I would be teaching at a different shelter later that night. I did the old tried-and-true random bible opening and my eyes fell upon Jeremiah 17:7-8: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

This was how my thoughts flowed: “That’s a powerful verse. I think God wants me to teach on it tonight. That will make a good message.”

I don’t usually think of my teaching topics as “messages”, but that word was clearly the one that came to my mind. Then I suddenly remembered that I had had a dream earlier that week that was very similar to this scripture. In the dream, I was looking at a bone-dry riverbed. I noticed that there was a tree in the middle of the riverbed and it was green and healthy, and had beautiful leaves. And as the wind blew, the leaves turned from green to blue and then back again to green.

I didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to realize that God was speaking to me. As I waited for my friend, I pondered what the significance of this “message” and dream were. After a few more minutes, I decided to go over to another shelter to see if my friend might be hanging out there. I walked out onto the street, and in a minute, a nicely-dressed business man (whom I had never met or seen before) came up to me and got right in my face and startled me by saying “WHAT IS THE MESSAGE?!” Dude, this def took me by surprise! I sort of stammered “Wha?…uh…” Then he said, even more adamantly: “Your dream! You had a dream! What is the message?!”

OK – I’m a little thick-headed, but even I finally realized that this was a God moment. So I opened my mouth and began to tell this business man from India about a drought (economic and spiritual) that was coming to America, and that his only hope was to get to know Jesus and abide in Him, just like a thirsty tree abides in hidden, underground streams in a time of severe dryness. And that if he did this, then he would not only survive, but flourish.

Then God began to speak more to me about this revelation. I asked Him why the leaves in the dream went back and forth from green to blue, as the wind blew. He said that the Wind represented the Holy Spirit and that the color blue (in this dream) represented intimacy through revelation. He said that a very dry time was coming to America, and that the Church needed to learn to abide more regularly in His Presence, and to set seeking intimacy with Him and revelation from Him as priorities.


And the clincher happened when I got home later that night and my wife told me that she had just come from a bible study where they studied Psalm 1, which says “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

In light of all this, I strongly encourage us all to do some rearranging of our schedules and set intimacy with God as a priority. Because a time is coming soon when we will need to be “abiding in the Vine” and “hidden under the shadow of His wings.” And as we learn to abide in the Secret Place of intimacy with Him, we will not only survive, but we will actually have peace and joy, and will fruitfully flourish in all good ways!

 

[Optimax]

Ethan


At 5:30 on the morning of May 19, 2012, we received a phone call that our “newest” great grandson, Ethan was being air lifted to the hospital.

My wife began to get ready to go to the hospital, I stayed at the house to pray.

While I waited for news from the hospital I spent my time praying in the spirit.

When news came later in the day it was not good. Ethan was in an ICU unit. The doctors said that Ethan was probably not going to make it.

We continued to pray and believe God, not believing what the doctors were saying. They can only do what they know to do.

The doctors said that Ethan had suffered brain damage and would probably be a “vegetable” the rest of his life.

Again we ignored what the doctors said kept believing God and praying.

Then the doctors said that Ethan would also be blind if he lived, as well as have the permanent brain damage.

We ignored what the doctors report was and believed God and continued praying in the spirit.

The doctors said that the first 72 hours would determine what would happen to Ethan.

The night nurse although very helpful also mentioned on the last night of the 72 hours that my wife should stay with him and everyone see him that wanted to. She was telling us that she did not think Ethan would make it through the night.

What was being said about Ethan that was negative we ignored, believed God and continued praying.

The 72 hours passed and Ethan was still breathing.

Slowly things begin to change.

Ethan’s Mom was in the room with him and Ethan opened his eyes and looked at her.

Ethan improved some more and the doctors said that there was no brain damage.

We continued to pray and believe God was God and that Ethan was totally healed and made whole.

We prayed in the spirit(in tongues) mostly.

Then the doctors said that he would not be blind.

Ethan was awake and moving his eyes and looking around, but he was not eating good yet.

The doctors said they would have to do surgery and put a feeding tube in Ethan and that Ethan would have to be fed thru the tube for the rest of his life.

We did not accept that either and continued praying and believing God.

A few days later Ethan begin eating and in a couple of days was eating as he should.

No feeding tube was inserted by surgery into Ethan!

Ethan went home and as of a few days ago has gained three(3) pounds.

God is a GOOD GOD!

He has given us His ways to live by. Jesus referred to them as the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.

If a person is born again those mysteries belong to them. Jesus said so.

Understanding and knowledge of those mysteries are not automatic for they are hidden.

They are hidden from those who are not born again as they are “family secrets”.

They are hidden for those who are born again and can be learned, understood and acted on if one is not lazy and willing to diligently seek them.

In everyone’s life there will be those life and death moments.

Learn what belongs to you now for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

What would you speak in such a moment if it came now?

Depends on what is in abundance in your heart.

Faith.

Fear.