Former Atheist that used to make fun of christians gets saved

createdtoworship

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(here is his twitter feed if you wish to congratulate him... Theologia Apologia (@TheoApologia) | Twitter). He used to call his twitter "counter apologia" now he has renamed the account "theologia apologia" to reflect his new life with Jesus. He walked away from Christ at a younger age and came back to the faith.

do you guys know of any other athiests that converted christian, we got CS lewis, we got Tolkien, we got lee strobel, we got lots and lots, lets talk about them. Are you a former atheist? Share your story.
 

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createdtoworship

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I was born again at age 32. I certainly looked sideways at street preachers before that. But I still do.
what made you turn to Christ? Do you have a testimony, I just watched a testimony of a young woman tonight on youtube, it was pretty good. I like testimonies, so I will share it:

 
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what made you turn to Christ? Do you have a testimony, I just watched a testimony of a young woman tonight on youtube, it was pretty good. I like testimonies, so I will share it:

My story is one that relates to all of my faith. I have a gift of discernment. I can tell when people are being honest and when they are not. I read enough stories about God being real to them from credible people that I decided they were not lying. People who preach to others have a high standard. If it is their profession, they have to be selfless far above normal. They first must overcome the possibility that they are serving their own needs first when teaching.
My local church was only miles from the national seminary for my denomination. So all my chuch exposure was to seminary teachers and seminary students. There were a lot of self serving "leaders" around me growing up. Lots of people seeking to make a name for themselves. And many not. Eventually I got enough exposure to true believers that I decided God was not just a method of serving ones own needs for fellowship.

I read a number of faith based stories and concluded that God was a real "thing" a person could interact with. And so I finally invited God into my life. As a result of my faith, God has revealed that He is relatable though communication offered in pure faith. 'Testing" God never works. No prayers are ever answered if you are "testing" for a response.

But with full faith that God has heard you and already answered, he opens the door and reveals His answer. It's often stunning.
 
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DennisTate

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(here is his twitter feed if you wish to congratulate him... Theologia Apologia (@TheoApologia) | Twitter). He used to call his twitter "counter apologia" now he has renamed the account "theologia apologia" to reflect his new life with Jesus. He walked away from Christ at a younger age and came back to the faith.

do you guys know of any other athiests that converted christian, we got CS lewis, we got Tolkien, we got lee strobel, we got lots and lots, lets talk about them. Are you a former atheist? Share your story.

I am a former Atheist! From 1966 when I was seven, I got offended after hearing a Hellfire and Brimstone sermon so within two years I was taught Atheistic Evolutionary Theory in Grade three or four and I grabbed onto it until about 1972 or 1973 when I heard the mathematical improbability of Atheistic Evolutionary Theory explained by Evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong.

I think that one of the most notable former Atheists is near death experiencer Howard Storm.

Howard Storm's Near-Death Experience
 
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createdtoworship

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My story is one that relates to all of my faith. I have a gift of discernment. I can tell when people are being honest and when they are not. I read enough stories about God being real to them from credible people that I decided they were not lying. People who preach to others have a high standard. If it is their profession, they have to be selfless far above normal. They first must overcome the possibility that they are serving their own needs first when teaching.
My local church was only miles from the national seminary for my denomination. So all my chuch exposure was to seminary teachers and seminary students. There were a lot of self serving "leaders" around me growing up. Lots of people seeking to make a name for themselves. And many not. Eventually I got enough exposure to true believers that I decided God was not just a method of serving ones own needs for fellowship.

I read a number of faith based stories and concluded that God was a real "thing" a person could interact with. And so I finally invited God into my life. As a result of my faith, God has revealed that He is relatable though communication offered in pure faith. 'Testing" God never works. No prayers are ever answered if you are "testing" for a response.

But with full faith that God has heard you and already answered, he opens the door and reveals His answer. It's often stunning.
wow, thanks for sharing. Yes many times we can get caught up in the pulpits and the theology and the congregations and the lights and the stages, and forget it's a real God out there. It's not about who is sitting next to me in church. It's not about how my church can entertain me on sunday and keep my interest, it's about how I can learn to glorify God all the more with my life. Seminaries have often been called cemetaries. That is because just like in the theology threads here, they focus on dogma, and controversy and not center their walk on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I can focus on calvinism if I want, or arminianism, or gifts of the spirit, or rapture, or bible translations. And miss the meaning of the Gospel. Jesus is so much more than dogma that christians can fight over at seminary. Jesus is about victory. The gospel saves us from sin. I have been saved over 20 years, but I never knew God would save me from my own sin. I always thought God would just forgive and somehow heaven was all there was to christianity. It was like this awesome life insurance policy that you only need if you die. But no that is not what Jesus is about. He is about saving us from our sin. I was addicted to inappropriate contentography since I was 9 years old. I was addicted until I was 39 years old. So God broke a 30 year addiction for me, in only about 6 months of seeking His face and realizing the power of the true Gospel over sin. Some I have heard gained victory over night. For me it took six months. Then God broke a completely separate 35 year old addiction in the last six months (6/26/19). Then last year God broke the sin of gluttony for me, and I lost 55 pounds. Ten years ago I was addicted to homosexual thoughts, and went through a nervous breakdown, and He healed me completely of that in about a year. I have never had a homosexual thought since. But was gay for one full year and had homsexual thoughts, (thoughts of feeling sexually aroused by other males). But once God treated the trigger that caused the trauma ( my loss of a job after the housing crisis), and once God allowed doctors to treat my nervous breakdown with some counseling and some medicine, and a lot of prayer (from my wife and church). I was healed not only of homosexuality but of skitsophrenia. At the same time! So that is like five addictions broken. Each of them could easily have taken me out, each of them could have destroyed my marriage and my family. Yet God delivered me. So my story is not really about getting saved, but about what God did after that. The christian life is not a life insurance policy that only delivers when you die, but allows you to live a blessed life today. Full of blessing and promise.
 
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createdtoworship

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I am a former Atheist! From 1966 when I was seven, I got offended after hearing a Hellfire and Brimstone sermon so within two years I was taught Atheistic Evolutionary Theory in Grade three or four and I grabbed onto it until about 1972 or 1973 when I heard the mathematical improbability of Atheistic Evolutionary Theory explained by Evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong.

I think that one of the most notable former Atheists is near death experiencer Howard Storm.

Howard Storm's Near-Death Experience
wow thanks for sharing your story. If you wish to hear more about my testimony read my last post. God is so good and so gracious to wait for us to come around isn't He? I was living in sin with my girlfriend addicted to inappropriate content living is self gratification for over 20 years as a christian, then I started seeking God cause I was sick of my sin. God met me there, and delivered me from 5 addictions.
 
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DennisTate

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My story is one that relates to all of my faith. I have a gift of discernment. I can tell when people are being honest and when they are not. I read enough stories about God being real to them from credible people that I decided they were not lying. People who preach to others have a high standard. If it is their profession, they have to be selfless far above normal. They first must overcome the possibility that they are serving their own needs first when teaching.
My local church was only miles from the national seminary for my denomination. So all my chuch exposure was to seminary teachers and seminary students. There were a lot of self serving "leaders" around me growing up. Lots of people seeking to make a name for themselves. And many not. Eventually I got enough exposure to true believers that I decided God was not just a method of serving ones own needs for fellowship.

I read a number of faith based stories and concluded that God was a real "thing" a person could interact with. And so I finally invited God into my life. As a result of my faith, God has revealed that He is relatable though communication offered in pure faith. 'Testing" God never works. No prayers are ever answered if you are "testing" for a response.

But with full faith that God has heard you and already answered, he opens the door and reveals His answer. It's often stunning.

After being a Christian who prayed a lot from 1975 to 1990 I went through a pretty serious philosophical crisis once I began to read near death experience accounts. I had believed in the Soul Sleep doctrine during that time but....... the negative near death experience accounts put me into quite a dilemma.

Matthew 22:14
"For many are called, but few are chosen."

Matthew 7:13
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Matthew 5:28
"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast itfrom thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."


While I believed in Soul Sleep....... the plan of salvation seemed humane.... .but now that I was confronted with negative near death experience accounts the many, many, many scriptures related to hell....... took on a whole new meaning........ and I went through quite a theological crisis.

Back in 1990 I did do something of a challenge to Messiah Yeshua - Jesus.... I literally stuck my right hand up in the air....... toward the north......... I quoted Isaiah 45 verse one....... .and I prayed for guidance at a whole new level because I knew that if Messiah Yeshua - Jesus would take pagan kings by the right hand and guide them....... then how much more so His own children......... over these past thirty years all of my troubling questions were answered!

The Cyrus Challenge Experiment proposed....

If a Pagan King can be led by the right hand by G-d.....
then why not an Agnostic or Atheist or any non-Christian.....

Let's turn this into an experiment because I literally did this thirty years ago and I can assure you that since literally doing this I have been led to information on many subjects that I know I would never have found out if I had not prayed and asked about this.....

This is actually beginning as a reply to a somewhat humorous thread over on another forum here.... but this could become a full fledged experiment.... and as you see results you can post what happened in your case.

I will explain how I feel my own life was altered by this exact prayer that I began to do back in 1990 after my dad died and I went through something of a philosophical / theological crisis.

Trump/Cyrus/God coin only $45.


Actually.... it is pretty encouraging that somebody could well be Pagan / Agnostic / Atheist and still be led by the right hand by G-d!

1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

5 ¶ I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else."

I have a challenge for all the Atheists or Agnostics or Pagans here.........
literally raise your right hand in the air.........
pray and ask the Creator of the Universe to begin to lead you by the right hand and show you where you are wrong about serious things...........


The name Cyrus was given by Isaiah more than a century before ancient King Cyrus came along and accomplished so much for the Creator..... but all of us can learn a lot from this......

More information on how the prophecy of Cyrus could be relevant to 2019 in post #1:

Do you believe a massive Holy Spirit tsunami is coming?


The answers that I was finally led to are kind of challenging... but I have total peace of mind at this time. Everything makes sense to me now.

Multiverse Theory, multiple Ezekiel 37 events and the unification of Calvinism with Universalism?
 
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wow, thanks for sharing. Yes many times we can get caught up in the pulpits and the theology and the congregations and the lights and the stages, and forget it's a real God out there. It's not about who is sitting next to me in church. It's not about how my church can entertain me on sunday and keep my interest, it's about how I can learn to glorify God all the more with my life. Seminaries have often been called cemetaries. That is because just like in the theology threads here, they focus on dogma, and controversy and not center their walk on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I can focus on calvinism if I want, or arminianism, or gifts of the spirit, or rapture, or bible translations. And miss the meaning of the Gospel. Jesus is so much more than dogma that christians can fight over at seminary. Jesus is about victory. The gospel saves us from sin. I have been saved over 20 years, but I never knew God would save me from my own sin. I always thought God would just forgive and somehow heaven was all there was to christianity. It was like this awesome life insurance policy that you only need if you die. But no that is not what Jesus is about. He is about saving us from our sin. I was addicted to inappropriate contentography since I was 9 years old. I was addicted until I was 39 years old. So God broke a 30 year addiction for me, in only about 6 months of seeking His face and realizing the power of the true Gospel over sin. Some I have heard gained victory over night. For me it took six months. Then God broke a 35 year old addiction in the last six months (6/26/19). Then last year God broke the sin of gluttony for me, and I lost 55 pounds. Ten years ago I was addicted to homosexual thoughts, and went through a nervous breakdown, and He healed me completely of that in about a year. I have never had a homosexual thought since. But was gay for one full year and had homsexual thoughts, (thoughts of feeling sexually aroused by other males). But once God treated the trigger that caused the trauma ( my loss of a job after the housing crisis), and once God allowed doctors to treat my nervous breakdown with some counseling and some medicine, and a lot of prayer (from my wife and church). I was healed not only of homosexuality but of skitsophrenia. At the same time! So that is like five addictions broken. Each of them could easily have taken me out, each of them could have destroyed my marriage and my family. Yet God delivered me. So my story is not really about getting saved, but about what God did after that. The christian life is not a life insurance policy that only delivers when you die, but allows you to live a blessed life today. Full of blessing and promise.


Wow!!!!!!!!!!!

From 1990 to 2000 my nerves were kind of shot after I prayed in a very dangerous way but in the year 2000 my future wife was told somehow that I was going to be her husband and that she should fast and pray for me for thirty five days.

For three days per week for four weeks only fruit juice then seven days in a row for the fifth week. Jesus woke her up early and got her to pray for me which she wasn't thrilled by because she is not a morning person....... I was three thousand miles north, north east of her basking in the most amazing Shalom - peace of mind.

We have far, far, far, more power at our disposal through prayer than we tend to imagine!

My life has been lifted up and up and up and up since the year 2000.
 
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createdtoworship

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Wow!!!!!!!!!!!

From 1990 to 2000 my nerves were kind of shot after I prayed in a very dangerous way but in the year 2000 my future wife was told somehow that I was going to be her husband and that she should fast and pray for me for thirty five days.

For three days per week for four weeks only fruit juice then seven days in a row for the fifth week. Jesus woke her up early and got her to pray for me which she wasn't thrilled by because she is not a morning person....... I was three thousand miles north, north east of her basking in the most amazing Shalom - peace of mind.

We have far, far, far, more power at our disposal through prayer than we tend to imagine!

My life has been lifted up and up and up and up since the year 2000.
Some churches be like....Jesus is sooo boring, let's spice it up. No, Jesus isn't boring. There is so many victories that God can make in my life, and so many victories already that it is literally the most exciting thing I have ever experienced. I still don't want to blink, because I think I might wake up from this dream.
 
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createdtoworship

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I am not perfect, I am a work in progress.....let me be transparent with yall

I couldn't get my key out of ignition yesterday, and car would not turn off completely. I sent two of my friends a prayer request to pray. And it was a small rope string stuck in shifter. All is well. That could have been a horrible situation, car stolen or worse. But God was just telling me..... you pray to me "why don't you believe that I can take care of you?" I said some nasty things to God that day. I said "why is it worth it to follow you if stuff like this happens?" And God patiently heard my ranting and loved me regardless. My faith failed that day. But today I resolved to not let my faith fail again, ever. Peter denied Jesus three times, then went on to be a world changer for Him. God uses weak people so He can show Himself strong. If you are doubting today, don't stay there in your doubt. But believe God can do the impossible.
 
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