Originally Posted by Jason
I'm glad to hear that. However as Prax said, atheiest, buddishts, christians, or anyone can fit into taht category.
Please let me share with you what Jesus has done for me:
I came to Him at the age of 18. My parents divorced when I was five. My mother had custody of us, and has been married I think 8 times now. So obviously, we had some major problems, different kinds of abuse, child protective services, gangs, drugs, strip clubs, police arresing people at my house, on and on. I had left home while I was still in high school, and tried to make it on my own. Now I was even more miserable, and providing for myself. Though I had friends who sold drugs, and i was offered the easy money, I did manage to work a real job-which only added to my misery. here I am strugling, hating life, depresssed and lonely (though I had shacked up with a girl-but when sinful things weren't going on, all we did was fight), and contemplating suicide. Look what my life had been, and here I am at 17 looking at another 50 years of this misery, I may as well give up now.
I had gone to church a few times, but it was boring, I hated it, and everything I did was sin-literally.
Anyway, God began to convict me of my lifestyle. I was so miserable that only He could help me. Long story short, I repented of my sins at age 18, I was baptizes, and filled with the Holy Ghost. When I was filled with the Holy Ghost, I spoke in tongues. It wasn't something anyone told me to do, or anything I was very familiar with. However, that doesn't matter,except that it was from God. What matters is, from that time there was a very radical change in mine (and my wife life-she recieved the Hoyl Ghost 3 weeks after me).
From that time immediately we both quit cussing (haven't since-that was 9years ago), quit smoking (no patches needed, God did it), quit drinking, our attitudes were chagned, our hearts were changed. Quit (fist) fighting with others, as well as among ourselves. God fixed our marriage, which was all but over, (still together 10 years later).
Not only that, but at the time we came to Jesus, I had lost our apartment, my job, and our car. We had nothing. The night my wife recieved the holy Ghost, she was still speaking in tongues when we got home. Since we lost our apartment, we were staying with other people. They asked what's wrong with her (since she was speaking something other than english), and when I explained, we were told to find a new place to live. We lived in a motel for the next several months.
Anyway, God helped us out of that situation. I began to get raises at work, and soon we were able to move into an apartment. Jesus began to work out everything is such a miraculous way. Here I was a failure, drop out, troubled youth written off to end up dead or in prison, having experienced the kind of life transforming religious experience that so many wish they had, or claim to have had. God was good, but the best was yet to come. About 4 years later.
My first child was crippled with Juvenille Rhumatoid Arthritus. We were refered to several specialist, as well as had visits at Cook's Children's in Fort Worth, and Children Miracle Network in Dallas, and also Scottish Rite Children's Hospital. We were told that our little girl would never be able to be a normal child, and public school would be a bad idea. She would never be able to play or participate with the other kids, and that she would need hip replacement surgery, amongst other things. In December 2004, Bro. Donnie Napier preached at our church, and afterward we had prayer for Hannah (my daughter). God miraculously healed her. Her leg didn't straighten out immediately when we laid hands on her. But that night she didn't compalin about any pain, and within a few days her leg was completely healed, and has been every since. Not only does she go to public school, and enjoy a normal life, she is an honor roll student. She is very active, doing all of the things the doctors said she never would, and all of that with out any persciption medicines, or any of the surgeries that were planned for her.
To keep it short, I will say, not only these things, but I have prayed for people who were dying, and they lived, cast out a demon (only once-and it was freaky, like "surely this isn't happening"), seen the work of God, and had many prayers answered in Jesus name. Broken bones healed by prayer. As the song goes, "He's been so good to me, I cannot tell it all."
I don't know what your allah can do for you. I know that Jesus is a God who I can call on in the most dire and desperate of situations, and He answers prayer.
From what you post, you seem like you are/were genuinely searching for truth. I'm not going to tear you down. I completely understand where your coming from. Christianity in general has become carnal, worldly, and the complete opposite of what Jesus commanded us to do and be like. We have celebrity preachers in it for the money, and "saints" who live like the devil. I believe that Christianity as a whole is apostate. However, there is still a true church, filled with true believers. There is still a God, who came manifest in flesh to save us. There is truth, there is a God, and if you search for Him with your whole heart you will find Him. You will find that He loves you when you don't deserve it. You will find when you fail Him, He doesn't fail you. You will find that when your unfaithful, He's still faithful. I am so sorry that Christianity as a whole has turned genuine people such as yourself, and thousands others away, because many churches long ago made took Christ out of Christianity, and made it about themselves, their social clubs, and their economic status. These things should never be so, and I do believe taht they will be judged for it.
WII, I want to remind you, even if you deny Him, cuss Him, or simply think of Him to be nothing more than a mere man, Jesus loves you, and died for your sin. The only atonement that can be made, was made by Him.
your friend,
jason
(also from the south)
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