Help to understand Jesus

[Forge3]

Some worry and fret about the end of times. That remains a secret lol. But what I am about to speak does not remain a secret. The love of God holds you as precious even when you sin. It is the only thing that lasts. So if you are a banker or invester invest in that lol. It will accrue interest that even you did not expect. I am only His silly child but my words will ring true on the last day. Only because I truly forgave my enemies and hold no bitterness in my heart like I used to when I was young. I guess I am His Word of love for you here and now.

 

[jr001]

Would you mind sharing how Christ convinced you to follow Him?

Yeah sure, though my story is pretty boring. lol.
I was bought up as an atheist and told that God is only for people who are weak, so obviously didn't believe in a Christian God at all. But I did always believe in a divine spirit of some sort, I just couldnt accept science's answer for everything and I don't believe in coincidences.
When I went to uni I lived with three Christians and a muslim (and two atheists), and after hearing many debates decided to go to church to see what all the fuss was about. I believe Jesus was trying to find me here and that is why He sent me to live where He did (it was not uni as I imagined it would be with religious debates in the kitchen!). Anyway I also dicovered paganism and decided to follow this path instead.
For many years I was a practising pagan, and I practised wicca. I gave tarot readings, contacted spirits, visited mediums and engaged in other wiccan practises which I won't mention here. Last year I inherited my nan's runes (she was a witch) and started doing rune readings. I was heavily into wicca at this point. But something just didn't feel right. A lot of poeple who I gave readings to told me they thought I had a "gift" but I never believed that as I realised pretty quickly that these poeple only believed I had a "gift" if I told them what they wanted to hear. I jut lost all faith in wicca after doing the runes, and consquently stopped beliving in things such as astrology, ghosts, magic etc.
Now I felt lost. I still believed in a divine spirit but I couldn't tell you what it was.
About a month ago I decided on the spur of the moment to research Christianity again. I looked at a couple of articles, but didn't give it much thought.
The next day I was in the kitchen and I thought I head the front door knock, but since my daughter usually screams when someone is at the door, and she didn't, I dismissed it. My husband happened to come down from his office (in the attic) at that moment though and said he thought someone was at the door. He answered it and I was standing in the kitchen, shell shocked, as I listened to a very brief conversation with a man who knocked on our door aking if my husband was interested in learning about how Jesus is our saviour and still relevent today. And was giving away booklets. But my husband told them he wasn't interested so he left. (I should point out we live out in the sticks and we do not get cold callers at all, so it was completely out of the blue).
I took this as a direct sign that I was on the right path and Jesus wanted me to give him a chance to come into my life. So I started researching seriously into Christianity.
I read loads and started to believe that Jesus is our saviuor more and more.
And I know He is by little things such as when I prayed last night I started crying becasue I felt so overwhlmed (in a good way), and when I think about Jesus I get butterflies in my stomach, like you might do if you were talking or thinking about someone you are in love with (in an non-creepy way lol). So it is just little things like that which makes me know Jesus is the real deal.
I live right out in the countryside and I am car-less at the moment so I can't get to church. There is a church a short walk from me but it only runs about once a month, if that, as there are so few people in the village. Last night I couldn't sleep at all as I kept having dreams telling me I needed to go to church. But I can't get there so was feeling upset. Earlier today a village pamphlet came through the door and the church local to me is now running three services in September and one confirmed for October. I took this as a sign from God - He wanted me to go to church, realised I can't get there, so made it accessible to me. That might sound egotistical but I think it is true. As I am so new on my journey I desperatley need to go to church to help me on my way, and now I can and I'm so happy. (The church is a church of England church so is a bit old-fashioned for my tastes, but once I get a car there is one in town, an evangelical church, I can't wait to try out).
So anyway, that's my story. It's not very interesting to other poeple but it is everything to me and for the first time in my life I am starting to see things with a different perspective and am so glad I have found Jesus. My only regret is I didn't let Him into my life when He tried 6 years ago.
But anyway, that is how Jesus convinced me, thanks for asking!

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Yeah sure, though my story is pretty boring. lol.
I was bought up as an atheist and told that God is only for people who are weak, so obviously didn't believe in a Christian God at all. But I did always believe in a divine spirit of some sort, I just couldnt accept science's answer for everything and I don't believe in coincidences.
When I went to uni I lived with three Christians and a muslim (and two atheists), and after hearing many debates decided to go to church to see what all the fuss was about. I believe Jesus was trying to find me here and that is why He sent me to live where He did (it was not uni as I imagined it would be with religious debates in the kitchen!). Anyway I also dicovered paganism and decided to follow this path instead.
For many years I was a practising pagan, and I practised wicca. I gave tarot readings, contacted spirits, visited mediums and engaged in other wiccan practises which I won't mention here. Last year I inherited my nan's runes (she was a witch) and started doing rune readings. I was heavily into wicca at this point. But something just didn't feel right. A lot of poeple who I gave readings to told me they thought I had a "gift" but I never believed that as I realised pretty quickly that these poeple only believed I had a "gift" if I told them what they wanted to hear. I jut lost all faith in wicca after doing the runes, and consquently stopped beliving in things such as astrology, ghosts, magic etc.
Now I felt lost. I still believed in a divine spirit but I couldn't tell you what it was.
About a month ago I decided on the spur of the moment to research Christianity again. I looked at a couple of articles, but didn't give it much thought.
The next day I was in the kitchen and I thought I head the front door knock, but since my daughter usually screams when someone is at the door, and she didn't, I dismissed it. My husband happened to come down from his office (in the attic) at that moment though and said he thought someone was at the door. He answered it and I was standing in the kitchen, shell shocked, as I listened to a very brief conversation with a man who knocked on our door aking if my husband was interested in learning about how Jesus is our saviour and still relevent today. And was giving away booklets. But my husband told them he wasn't interested so he left. (I should point out we live out in the sticks and we do not get cold callers at all, so it was completely out of the blue).
I took this as a direct sign that I was on the right path and Jesus wanted me to give him a chance to come into my life. So I started researching seriously into Christianity.
I read loads and started to believe that Jesus is our saviuor more and more.
And I know He is by little things such as when I prayed last night I started crying becasue I felt so overwhlmed (in a good way), and when I think about Jesus I get butterflies in my stomach, like you might do if you were talking or thinking about someone you are in love with (in an non-creepy way lol). So it is just little things like that which makes me know Jesus is the real deal.
I live right out in the countryside and I am car-less at the moment so I can't get to church. There is a church a short walk from me but it only runs about once a month, if that, as there are so few people in the village. Last night I couldn't sleep at all as I kept having dreams telling me I needed to go to church. But I can't get there so was feeling upset. Earlier today a village pamphlet came through the door and the church local to me is now running three services in September and one confirmed for October. I took this as a sign from God - He wanted me to go to church, realised I can't get there, so made it accessible to me. That might sound egotistical but I think it is true. As I am so new on my journey I desperatley need to go to church to help me on my way, and now I can and I'm so happy. (The church is a church of England church so is a bit old-fashioned for my tastes, but once I get a car there is one in town, an evangelical church, I can't wait to try out).
So anyway, that's my story. It's not very interesting to other poeple but it is everything to me and for the first time in my life I am starting to see things with a different perspective and am so glad I have found Jesus. My only regret is I didn't let Him into my life when He tried 6 years ago.
But anyway, that is how Jesus convinced me, thanks for asking!

jr001,

That is actually a very interesting story, and a great testimony. I can also understand the "butterfly feeling" you are experiencing--I had something similar to that when I first became a Christian, and sometimes still do. But the feeling that sticks with me still is what I would call a low-key kind of "mystical awe." I don't like labeling the feeling as mystical, especially since I am more prone to relying ono rational discourse since I am a philosophy and education graduate, but nevertheless, that is the label I give it.

Thank you for sharing your story. It is a reminder to me that God is indeed working in the hearts of those persons that, despite my rational skepticism at times, seem to be too heavily over the brink spiritually. He is there for you, and I'm happy to hear your testimony.

In Christ,

2PhiloVoid

 

[The LOUD Cry]

Hi

I am new to Christianity and am trying to undertand the teachings of Jesus, but I find the Bible heavy going at times, and wondered is anyone had any recommendations of websites or books (I'm in the UK but as long as I can get them online it should be okay). I just want to understand what Jesus was preaching so I can live my life according to Him, but I just struggle to get my head around the text in the Bible at times.

Any suggetions welcome

Jesus preached the following [please see subsection Bible Doctrines, all the websites you will ever need]:

www.pearltrees.com/awhn

...if there are any questions, please PM me, - open invitation for anyone, thank you.

As for books, I highly recommend reading the following with your Bible in hand:

The Great Controversy:
http://www.connectingwithjesus.org/media/GC.pdf

The Desire Of Ages:
http://www.connectingwithjesus.org/media/DA.pdf

 

[oi_antz]

You can collect a lot of baggage from the wrong type of person. I say your best teacher would be Jesus. So pray to Him and ask Him for The Holy Spirit. Jesus said this:

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

Another good thing is to read the bible and get it all into your memory. When The Holy Spirit teaches us, He often uses our memory. The memory is a resource just as a book is a resource, only we can't comprehend the whole bible at once, we actually need to rely on memory. So read it, get it all in there. Read the entire New Testament first because that will teach you how the Christian faith came about.

I know it is difficult to read the bible when you are not familiar with it, so that is why I use a paraphrased version. A paraphrased version is one that translates the meaning of the passage, whereas a literal translation takes a more word-for-word approach. I read a bible called "The Living Bible" which is an older copy of "The New Living Translation". I like it because it is easy to read, it is like the narrator is telling a story. When you find a verse that you are especially interested in, then compare various translations to see exactly what the author intended to show. There is a translation approach called "Inter-linear", so you can read the actual Hebrew and Greek writings translated literally word for word with no grammatical correction.

So, take a look at the New Living Translation bible: Matthew 1 NLT - The Ancestors of Jesus the Messiah - Bible Gateway And see if it makes reading any easier. I am so rapt for you that you have been given faith, and my hope for you is to get involved with the right people, that they will be a positive influence on you.

I'd like to pray with you now, and I hope you will agree with what I say:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for bringing our sister to faith. We ask that you will lead her on her journey, guide her path that she will become a strong and fit warrior of truth. We pray for your Holy Spirit to shine on her heart in a way she can recognize, and for your Spirit to become the friend she needs as she battles a world of lies in pursuit of the truth that Jesus has revealed to us. Stir up a thirst within her that can only be satisfied by knowing you. Bring her joy and peace that will be the envy of anyone opposing her. Teach her how to be graceful and wise. Ultimately, bring your love into her life in a way that is undeniable, that if she is ever attacked by doubt she will not forget who you are. We pray for these blessings upon our sister by the majesty of Jesus Christ, our savior and King forever. Amen.

 

[Radagast]

You can collect a lot of baggage from the wrong type of person.

Indeed. I would advise: avoid all web sites. There's too much insanity out there.

Stick with sensible-looking books.

 

[jr001]

You can collect a lot of baggage from the wrong type of person. I say your best teacher would be Jesus. So pray to Him and ask Him for The Holy Spirit. Jesus said this:

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

Another good thing is to read the bible and get it all into your memory. When The Holy Spirit teaches us, He often uses our memory. The memory is a resource just as a book is a resource, only we can't comprehend the whole bible at once, we actually need to rely on memory. So read it, get it all in there. Read the entire New Testament first because that will teach you how the Christian faith came about.

I know it is difficult to read the bible when you are not familiar with it, so that is why I use a paraphrased version. A paraphrased version is one that translates the meaning of the passage, whereas a literal translation takes a more word-for-word approach. I read a bible called "The Living Bible" which is an older copy of "The New Living Translation". I like it because it is easy to read, it is like the narrator is telling a story. When you find a verse that you are especially interested in, then compare various translations to see exactly what the author intended to show. There is a translation approach called "Inter-linear", so you can read the actual Hebrew and Greek writings translated literally word for word with no grammatical correction.

So, take a look at the New Living Translation bible: Matthew 1 NLT - The Ancestors of Jesus the Messiah - Bible Gateway And see if it makes reading any easier. I am so rapt for you that you have been given faith, and my hope for you is to get involved with the right people, that they will be a positive influence on you.

I'd like to pray with you now, and I hope you will agree with what I say:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for bringing our sister to faith. We ask that you will lead her on her journey, guide her path that she will become a strong and fit warrior of truth. We pray for your Holy Spirit to shine on her heart in a way she can recognize, and for your Spirit to become the friend she needs as she battles a world of lies in pursuit of the truth that Jesus has revealed to us. Stir up a thirst within her that can only be satisfied by knowing you. Bring her joy and peace that will be the envy of anyone opposing her. Teach her how to be graceful and wise. Ultimately, bring your love into her life in a way that is undeniable, that if she is ever attacked by doubt she will not forget who you are. We pray for these blessings upon our sister by the majesty of Jesus Christ, our savior and King forever. Amen.

A really great response, thank you. At the moment I have an ESV of the Bible as it was the cheapest one I could find, though the NLT ones are cheap too so might get one of those and see if that helps. I am reading a book for bible stories to my three year old and I find that really good at simplifying some of the stories (e.g. I didn't quite undertand the salt analogy in Matthew but when I read the story to my daughter from her book it makes sense now)!
Think I will take the advice from most people on the thread and stick to the bible and if I get lost then will post on the forum. Perhaps I ill look into ome study books in a year or so when I am familiar with Jesus' teachings first.
Thanks for the prayer too, means a lot to me, thank you

 

[golgotha61]

Yeah sure, though my story is pretty boring. lol.
I was bought up as an atheist and told that God is only for people who are weak, so obviously didn't believe in a Christian God at all. But I did always believe in a divine spirit of some sort, I just couldnt accept science's answer for everything and I don't believe in coincidences.
When I went to uni I lived with three Christians and a muslim (and two atheists), and after hearing many debates decided to go to church to see what all the fuss was about. I believe Jesus was trying to find me here and that is why He sent me to live where He did (it was not uni as I imagined it would be with religious debates in the kitchen!). Anyway I also dicovered paganism and decided to follow this path instead.
For many years I was a practising pagan, and I practised wicca. I gave tarot readings, contacted spirits, visited mediums and engaged in other wiccan practises which I won't mention here. Last year I inherited my nan's runes (she was a witch) and started doing rune readings. I was heavily into wicca at this point. But something just didn't feel right. A lot of poeple who I gave readings to told me they thought I had a "gift" but I never believed that as I realised pretty quickly that these poeple only believed I had a "gift" if I told them what they wanted to hear. I jut lost all faith in wicca after doing the runes, and consquently stopped beliving in things such as astrology, ghosts, magic etc.
Now I felt lost. I still believed in a divine spirit but I couldn't tell you what it was.
About a month ago I decided on the spur of the moment to research Christianity again. I looked at a couple of articles, but didn't give it much thought.
The next day I was in the kitchen and I thought I head the front door knock, but since my daughter usually screams when someone is at the door, and she didn't, I dismissed it. My husband happened to come down from his office (in the attic) at that moment though and said he thought someone was at the door. He answered it and I was standing in the kitchen, shell shocked, as I listened to a very brief conversation with a man who knocked on our door aking if my husband was interested in learning about how Jesus is our saviour and still relevent today. And was giving away booklets. But my husband told them he wasn't interested so he left. (I should point out we live out in the sticks and we do not get cold callers at all, so it was completely out of the blue).
I took this as a direct sign that I was on the right path and Jesus wanted me to give him a chance to come into my life. So I started researching seriously into Christianity.
I read loads and started to believe that Jesus is our saviuor more and more.
And I know He is by little things such as when I prayed last night I started crying becasue I felt so overwhlmed (in a good way), and when I think about Jesus I get butterflies in my stomach, like you might do if you were talking or thinking about someone you are in love with (in an non-creepy way lol). So it is just little things like that which makes me know Jesus is the real deal.
I live right out in the countryside and I am car-less at the moment so I can't get to church. There is a church a short walk from me but it only runs about once a month, if that, as there are so few people in the village. Last night I couldn't sleep at all as I kept having dreams telling me I needed to go to church. But I can't get there so was feeling upset. Earlier today a village pamphlet came through the door and the church local to me is now running three services in September and one confirmed for October. I took this as a sign from God - He wanted me to go to church, realised I can't get there, so made it accessible to me. That might sound egotistical but I think it is true. As I am so new on my journey I desperatley need to go to church to help me on my way, and now I can and I'm so happy. (The church is a church of England church so is a bit old-fashioned for my tastes, but once I get a car there is one in town, an evangelical church, I can't wait to try out).
So anyway, that's my story. It's not very interesting to other poeple but it is everything to me and for the first time in my life I am starting to see things with a different perspective and am so glad I have found Jesus. My only regret is I didn't let Him into my life when He tried 6 years ago.
But anyway, that is how Jesus convinced me, thanks for asking!

Boring? Not hardly. This is one of most beautiful examples of being called, cajoled, and wooed by the Holy Spirit that I have had the honor of reading in a long time.

By the way, there is nothing egotistical in the thought that God is interested in everything about you personally. I believe that if you were the only person on the planet, Christ would have died for you.

I will be praying for you each day in my devotion time and I will be anxiously following your questions and growth. This is awesome!

 

[Radagast]

A really great response, thank you. At the moment I have an ESV of the Bible as it was the cheapest one I could find

It's one of the best translations IMHO, but not perhaps as readable as some, as you've apparently noticed.

God bless you and your family.

 

[Jonathan95]

A really great response, thank you. At the moment I have an ESV of the Bible as it was the cheapest one I could find, though the NLT ones are cheap too so might get one of those and see if that helps. I am reading a book for bible stories to my three year old and I find that really good at simplifying some of the stories (e.g. I didn't quite undertand the salt analogy in Matthew but when I read the story to my daughter from her book it makes sense now)!
Think I will take the advice from most people on the thread and stick to the bible and if I get lost then will post on the forum. Perhaps I ill look into ome study books in a year or so when I am familiar with Jesus' teachings first.
Thanks for the prayer too, means a lot to me, thank you

Get a KJV 2000 or KJV. NLT and ESV etc have many missing words and even verses.

 

[jr001]

Boring? Not hardly. This is one of most beautiful examples of being called, cajoled, and wooed by the Holy Spirit that I have had the honor of reading in a long time.

By the way, there is nothing egotistical in the thought that God is interested in everything about you personally. I believe that if you were the only person on the planet, Christ would have died for you.

I will be praying for you each day in my devotion time and I will be anxiously following your questions and growth. This is awesome!

Your response has really moved me, thank you

 

[jr001]

Get a KJV 2000 or KJV. NLT and ESV etc have many missing words and even verses.

Unfortunately I had a KJV when I was at uni; I was studying literature and the first text we studied was Genesis, we had to ue the KJV as it is meant to be the closest to the original, and examining the text from a literature point of view really ruined it for me! Think that is why I was so upset when I tried to re-read Genesis recently as all I could think about is the stuff my tutor said, basically very anti women (hence why I made my 1st thread on here which was about women). Perhaps I will revisit it once I am further on my journey as even the ESV is heavy going for me at the moment, and that is nothing compared to the KJV. (Now I think of it the KJV was the cheapest Bible so I have the 2nd cheapest lol).

 

[ebia]

Get a KJV 2000 or KJV. NLT and ESV etc have many missing words and even verses.

Or, more accurately, the KJV has added verses.

 

[ebia]

Unfortunately I had a KJV when I was at uni; I was studying literature and the first text we studied was Genesis, we had to ue the KJV as it is meant to be the closest to the original, /QUOTE]
it's not really.
And it's early modern English, and artificially high early modern English at that.
And, thanks to scholarship, we have much better translations now. Avoid the KJV unless what you want to study is sixteenth century English literature.

 

[jr001]

Unfortunately I had a KJV when I was at uni; I was studying literature and the first text we studied was Genesis, we had to ue the KJV as it is meant to be the closest to the original, /QUOTE]
it's not really.
And it's early modern English, and artificially high early modern English at that.
And, thanks to scholarship, we have much better translations now. Avoid the KJV unless what you want to study is sixteenth century English literature.

Haha, no that was enough for me thanks.

 

[Radagast]

NLT and ESV etc have many missing words and even verses.

No, they're not.

 

[Emmy]

Dear jr001. Jesus loves us, and Jesus died that we might live. In Matthew 22,
verses 35-40, Jesus tells a Lawyer: " The first and great Commandment is:
" Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Straightforward and easy to understand. We start by treating all we know and all we meet as we would love to be treated: kindly and with friendly words.
God will see our sincere efforts, and God will approve and bless us. Jesus told Nicodemus, a Pharisee, " Ye must be born again." The Bible keeps telling us to " Repent," to change from being selfish and unloving, to being loving and forgiving. God is Love, and God wants loving and caring children/sons and daughters.
We might stumble and forget at times, but we keep asking God to forgive us,
and God will forgive us and keep giving usLove to share with all around us.
(our neighbour) What is wanted from us is Love for God with all our beings,
and love for our neighbour as we love ourselves: Everything we say or do,
or advice or teach, must be done fom Love, jr. We have much time to learn,
and Love is very catching. We will find that slowly, but surly we will be changing into the men and women, which God wants us to become. Love is
a Christian`s great weapon, Love overcomes all enmity and wrong-doings and wrong-sayings,
and it is what Jesus wants from us: Jesus is The Way.
I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

Hi

I am new to Christianity and am trying to undertand the teachings of Jesus, but I find the Bible heavy going at times, and wondered is anyone had any recommendations of websites or books (I'm in the UK but as long as I can get them online it should be okay). I just want to understand what Jesus was preaching so I can live my life according to Him, but I just struggle to get my head around the text in the Bible at times.

Any suggetions welcome

WHen i came to Christ, i started on on a very easy to understand Bible called 'The Way' Bible . It is
written in everyday language and written like a newspaper yet still highly accurate in Doctrine . I used to read many pages at a sitting because it was so enjoyable to read. I started with the book of John to get to know Christ intimately, then did Romans book which focuses on Sin so i had a good concept of that and how it applys to me. I mixed in Psalms with reading these and found Psalm 139 , in particular, totally blew me away . After reading The Way BIble, i went ot the NIV LIfe Application BIble with commentary on each page to get a complete understanding of each verse and how i can apply the teaching to my personal life. It has been tremendous for me.

If you want to learn why the Christian Faith is absolutely true from a logical, historical and scientific standpoint...then this book is the best ive read hands down ; the first half of the book shows why Atheists dont have enough faith to be a real atheist while the last half of the book gives ALL the evidences for God, Jesus, his ressurection, credibility of the Bible, miracles, etc... which will REALLY solidify your faith walk. I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist: Amazon.co.uk: David Limbaugh, Norman L. Geisler, Frank Turek: Books#_

If you start having doubts about your Faith, or want answers to tough questions which the Critics raise...then this categorical site is very very good : http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/answers.html

If you want Bible supportive source materials, this site is suggested : www.impactapologetics.com

And, if you ever want something explained better to you from the BIble, you can ask in THIS Forum under 'Exploring Christianity ' room , sit down with your Pastor, or use the contact form at this popular site : www.equip.org

So glad you now belong to the family of Christ and cant wait to meet you in Heaven one day. David.

 

[Harry3142]

jr001-

A book I recommend is The Cross of Christ, by John Stott. Since he's an author based in England, the book should be easily available there.

If you really want to get into theological detail, I would also recommend any of the books written by N. T. Wright. He is also an author based in England; in fact, I believe he has the title of Archbishop of York. But be forewarned: His reading is quite detailed, as he has taught in theological seminaries in the UK.

 

[ebia]

jr001-

A book I recommend is The Cross of Christ, by John Stott. Since he's an author based in England, the book should be easily available there.

If you really want to get into theological detail, I would also recommend any of the books written by N. T. Wright. He is also an author based in England; in fact, I believe he has the title of Archbishop of York. But be forewarned: His reading is quite detailed, as he has taught in theological seminaries in the UK.

Tom Wright was the Bishop of Durham, not Archbishop of York. He's now back in academia at St Andrew's, Scotland.