What makes you a christian? What types of experiences have you been through when you have felt that God has been there with you? What makes you dedicate your life to Jesus Christ?
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Qusetion for Christians....
- Thread starter UMDDogs
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StPaul
Resistance is futile,... you will be assimilated.
Personally, for me it is the feeling of complete love. Not the "flowery" definition of love that a secular society tries to define,... but a peace of mind knowing that someone is always there for me, even when I may have doubts. I see this love manifested in things that I see,... even if the person this love is manifested through doesn't even acknowledge His existence.
I continue to follow,... because I continue to ask questions,... I strive to better understand my self, and hard questions like "why are we here?"
I continue to follow,... because I continue to ask questions,... I strive to better understand my self, and hard questions like "why are we here?"
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ChristianCandy
Live Well, Laugh Often, and Love the Lord!
For me, I dedicate myself to Him because I know He is there. I know He is there because He answers my prayers. Try praying & see if He doesn't answer you too!
Once I had cancer & I asked Him for a healing. He gave me a healing! Since then I have had other ailments & have asked for a healing & He answered those prayers too.
He gives me a peace in my soul even when things go wrong. It is a very comforting peace. I'm never afraid to walk down a street alone because I know I am not alone & I have help if I ever need to cry out to Him for help.
I once saw an angel. He was a beautiful angel. He didn't have wings or anything like that & he looked just like a man. But when I saw the angel disappear into thin air....then I knew it wasn't a man at all.
How could I not believe in God when He answers my prayers & lets me see His angels? It's a no-brainer for me. I believe because I see Him in different ways. I hear Him in different ways.
I will pray for you that He lets you see Him & hear Him too. In the meantime, try praying & see if He doesn't answer your prayer. Afterall....you have everything to gain, & nothing to lose.
Once I had cancer & I asked Him for a healing. He gave me a healing! Since then I have had other ailments & have asked for a healing & He answered those prayers too.
He gives me a peace in my soul even when things go wrong. It is a very comforting peace. I'm never afraid to walk down a street alone because I know I am not alone & I have help if I ever need to cry out to Him for help.
I once saw an angel. He was a beautiful angel. He didn't have wings or anything like that & he looked just like a man. But when I saw the angel disappear into thin air....then I knew it wasn't a man at all.
How could I not believe in God when He answers my prayers & lets me see His angels? It's a no-brainer for me. I believe because I see Him in different ways. I hear Him in different ways.
I will pray for you that He lets you see Him & hear Him too. In the meantime, try praying & see if He doesn't answer your prayer. Afterall....you have everything to gain, & nothing to lose.
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What makes me dedicate myself to Christ is that He loved me despite my sinfulness and died for it. The Bible says, "Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" even though I am a filthy and unworthy sinner, the God of the universe calls me his friend.
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What makes you a christian?
My love for Christ. My desire to follow Him, and live the life he leads for me.
What types of experiences have you been through when you have felt that God has been there with you?
God has brought me through illnesses.
God was with me when I was physically assaulted (although I didn't know He was). I didn't feel a thing, and I had an incredibly peaceful and calm mind, crsytal clear thinking. I'm convinced He was with me.
He answered a prayer and cleared my debts so I could afford to move from England to America to be with my now wife. I was seriously in debt, and prayed nightly for Him to help me so I could be with her, in the name of love. A large lump of money came from out of the blue (I won a competition from a pop up advert online). Exactly the right amount to clear all my debts.)
The first time I really prayed, I declared how awesome I knew Him to be, and with each declaration of how supreme, and glorious, how magnificent He was, He let me feel how happy I was making Him. His smile reflected on me and it was the best feeling in the world... well.. quite out of this world really!
My prayer is very spiritual and God has blessed me with an amazing capacity to 'feel' Him. So communication with Him is very strong.
I'm sure there's more but this is all I can think of for now..
What makes you dedicate your life to Jesus Christ?
Love
My love for Christ. My desire to follow Him, and live the life he leads for me.
What types of experiences have you been through when you have felt that God has been there with you?
God has brought me through illnesses.
God was with me when I was physically assaulted (although I didn't know He was). I didn't feel a thing, and I had an incredibly peaceful and calm mind, crsytal clear thinking. I'm convinced He was with me.
He answered a prayer and cleared my debts so I could afford to move from England to America to be with my now wife. I was seriously in debt, and prayed nightly for Him to help me so I could be with her, in the name of love. A large lump of money came from out of the blue (I won a competition from a pop up advert online). Exactly the right amount to clear all my debts.)
The first time I really prayed, I declared how awesome I knew Him to be, and with each declaration of how supreme, and glorious, how magnificent He was, He let me feel how happy I was making Him. His smile reflected on me and it was the best feeling in the world... well.. quite out of this world really!
My prayer is very spiritual and God has blessed me with an amazing capacity to 'feel' Him. So communication with Him is very strong.
I'm sure there's more but this is all I can think of for now..
What makes you dedicate your life to Jesus Christ?
Love
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WeakButHopeful
Senior Member
Hmmm. Deep question. In a sense God makes me a Christian because He is the source of all truth, all grace and I come to know His infinite love for me through His Son.
But you may have meant: why have I (in light of free will) continued to be a Christian, especially when times have been tough? Well, if you're familiar with the writings of C. S. Lewis or Fulton J. Sheen I think they said it far better than I ever could. But if you're not, the best summary I can give is that Christianity is not (or should not be) a discipline or a philosophy...it is a transforming experience, a continuous metamorphosis that never ends, and must include every part of our lives and everyone we meet. Nobody is worthy to be a Christian, and nobody does it right. If you think you're the best Christian, then you are the worst, so if you think you're the worst, you're wrong.
It's not a cultural thing, it's not a historical thing, it's not a meditational thing. But Christianity is not anti-intellectual either. Christ told far too many parables to get his disciples to think, and got in far too much trouble for doing the right thing that happened to be outside of custom, for me to believe we are supposed to go through life with blinders on. The Christian view is vast enough to encompass all of time, all of this glorious universe, life, death, evil and love in a framework that is consistent and yet not trivial enough to be of mere human invention.
Of course, Christians and Christian churches have over time been responsible for evil events. However the same could be said about science, agriculture, family or tribal loyalty, education, national unity, politics, transportation, law enforcement, industrial economies, etc. I will not apologize for being a Christian, but I do apologize for many years of not being a better one.
But you may have meant: why have I (in light of free will) continued to be a Christian, especially when times have been tough? Well, if you're familiar with the writings of C. S. Lewis or Fulton J. Sheen I think they said it far better than I ever could. But if you're not, the best summary I can give is that Christianity is not (or should not be) a discipline or a philosophy...it is a transforming experience, a continuous metamorphosis that never ends, and must include every part of our lives and everyone we meet. Nobody is worthy to be a Christian, and nobody does it right. If you think you're the best Christian, then you are the worst, so if you think you're the worst, you're wrong.
It's not a cultural thing, it's not a historical thing, it's not a meditational thing. But Christianity is not anti-intellectual either. Christ told far too many parables to get his disciples to think, and got in far too much trouble for doing the right thing that happened to be outside of custom, for me to believe we are supposed to go through life with blinders on. The Christian view is vast enough to encompass all of time, all of this glorious universe, life, death, evil and love in a framework that is consistent and yet not trivial enough to be of mere human invention.
Of course, Christians and Christian churches have over time been responsible for evil events. However the same could be said about science, agriculture, family or tribal loyalty, education, national unity, politics, transportation, law enforcement, industrial economies, etc. I will not apologize for being a Christian, but I do apologize for many years of not being a better one.
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Nazarite
Paid In Full (1st John 1:9)
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A fine question you have asked. Its one I began asking several years ago. I actually grew up in a home where attending Christian assemblies every Suday was the norm, where prayers were offered at a family dinner table, my parents were never divorced, cursing was not allowed, no drinking or smoking either. I mention those things not in jest but to make the point that I still didn't connect with Jesus as a young person. What I left out was that I was sexually abused by an extended family member and I grew up somewhat confused and definately bitter. I didn't have much use for "church stuff" and "Jesus stuff" because it didn't really seem to make a difference when it counted most to me. Consequently, I connected with things like alcohol and sex addiction. I was a pretty talented student but left college in the first semester to join the Marines. Anyway, it was actually when I was in the Marines far away from home, drinking, going to strip clubs, and worse that I really met Jesus. I just had gotten to the bottom of the bottom for me. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. At that very opportune moment I believe God was quite responsible for introducing me to a fellow named Tony Smith of the US Army. He happend to be stationed at the army base where I was temporarily assigned for some schooling. Anyway, I can only describe him as genuine. It was not what he did necessarily that I remember but who he was and most importantly who he trusted (JESUS). Because Tony was different I was motivated to find out more. Shortly I made a decision for Jesus and was baptized into Christ. Now my life didn't make a 180 but I could definately tell I was turning a corner. In fact, today as I look back I see how God has used all of these events to shape me into who I am. I was motivated to go back to college. I earned a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. I got help for myself (therapeutically which was a big part of my spiritual growth). I met a great lady to whom I am married now for 12 years. And now I counsel with people who were right where I was and I can relate in a pretty real fashion. GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME.
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D
disciple73
Guest
The only way to become a "Christian" if you will, is to accept Christ as your lord and savior. To dedicate your life to Him.
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