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One Love
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 13888

Posted 10/4/2006 8:08 AM (GMT -6)

Ok.

Testimony Time!

Some of y'all most likely have already reached this point.

But it's new for me.

God has really been dealing with me in a very interesting way recently.

And today, something's very new about my life.

I don't have ANY fear. about anything.

I don't even worry about what's going to happen tomorrow anymore. (Remember Jesus' talk about the lilies of the field?)

For some reason, my mind now understands the ULTIMACY of God's Reign. The POWER of God's Reign.

It goes beyond just believing the universalism may be true.

I really BELIEVE that there is NOTHING IN THIS WORLD that can compare to being unified with God in the present.

Not...one...single...thing.

God is enough. Being with God is truly enough.

And somehow...in the process of being with God...

I've lost every single FEAR that I've ever had in my life.

No exaggeration. No joke.

This is HUGE, because as anyone who knows me can tell you, I've been seriously plagued with various anxieties all of my life.

This will give you some kind of clue.

One of my greatest fears was being WRONG about this whole Christianity thing? The devil would hit me upside the head with this one a lot.

"What if it's not true?", I'd ask myself. "What if this is all just a big crock? I am giving my life to this and for what. For something that MAY or MAY NOT be true? Maybe I just oughta quit this whole deal...while I'm behind!"

This lead to my deep skepticism about Scripture and Christian belief in general.

This is where Doc and I were very alike. Faith came VERY HARD for me.

At this point in my life, that fear no longer exists.

I know longer fear that Christianity may be an human creation or error.

I KNOW it's true. (Meaning I have FULL subjective appropriation of Christ's reality)

I have 0.0% doubt that the Triune God is real...and that this God is the ultimate reality.

I'm not even afraid of dying anymore. I'm not afraid of my loved ones dying. I'm not afraid that evil may win in this world.

I feel kinda like Trinity did in the 1st Matrix after Neo was "killed". She had seen so many things that the Oracle said come to pass...that even though the Sentinels were bearing down on them...she had NO MORE FEAR. She BELIEVED...and had no fear anymore.

"I'm not scared anymore, Neo."

This is where I'm at.

I'm not saying any of this to look spiritual or anything like that. I TRUST that people will not interpret me this way.

I am giving my TESTIMONY to the glorious nature of our God...and how just spending time in God's presence can make changes in your life that you NEVER...THOUGHT...POSSIBLE!

Brother. Sister. I implore you in the Lord. Take whatever time you can thoughout the day...and intend to spend it in the presence of Christ. There may be a NUMBER of ways that you do that. I'll leave that up to you. But spend time letting Jesus show you who you REALLY are in Him. PLEASE BELIEVE ME...if you put seeking God first above ALL OTHER THINGS...there is no telling what Christ can do in your life.

There is NO telling!

This is my story...that hopefully tells you about the POWER OF CONNECTION WITH GOD. Praise be to our Lord and Christ, Jesus!

"All is full of love." -- Bjork

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." -- 1 John 4:16b

Corey
Five with a Four-wing

Date Joined Feb 2003
Total Posts : 1893

Posted 10/4/2006 9:33 AM (GMT -6)

That is beautiful! Thanks for describing this!

Myself, I think I'm regressing in terms of fear; I'm more fearful these days than I used to be before I had a family. Honestly. It's not fear for myself, but fear that profoundly bad things could happen to my kids. We talk all the time about evil on this board, and it's clear that it's a real possibility for all of us. I used to kind of naively think it'll never happen to me. I know that Christ will redeem all that ultimately, and that's my only hope, but in the interim the only word I can use to describe the prospect of evil is 'fear'. All the more so as I expand my vision of who my 'loved ones' are; my exposure is greater.

feelinahole
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2004
Total Posts : 754

Posted 10/4/2006 9:39 AM (GMT -6)

O-K-A-Y...another testimony...hmmm...

One Love
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 13888

Posted 10/4/2006 9:42 AM (GMT -6)

Corey:
Myself, I think I'm regressing in terms of fear; I'm more fearful these days than I used to be before I had a family. Honestly. It's not fear for myself, but fear that profoundly bad things could happen to my kids. We talk all the time about evil on this board, and it's clear that it's a real possibility for all of us. I used to kind of naively think it'll never happen to me. I know that Christ will redeem all that ultimately, and that's my only hope, but in the interim the only word I can use to describe the prospect of evil is 'fear'. All the more so as I expand my vision of who my 'loved ones' are; my exposure is greater.

Thanks for your transparency, brah. I hear you. The waves on the sea are rough indeed. That's why it's so understanding how we can easily fall into fear. Even though some (many) of our perceptions may be faulty, many of the dangers are real and present. All we can do is just be real about our fears to ourselves...and then lay it before God. We spend so much time trying to trick ourselves into BELIEVING we are not afraid...instead of taking our fears WITH US before God consciously. We take them their UNCONSICIOUSLY anyways! Heh.

I don't believe that God is condeming us for having fear at the craziness of the world...but I do believe that God does want us to learn that spending time with Him can really ease our anxiety more than we would think.

Let's just continue the journey in God's grace, man. Let's just keep pressing in to God.

Love,

"All is full of love." -- Bjork

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." -- 1 John 4:16b

One Love
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 13888

Posted 10/4/2006 9:42 AM (GMT -6)

Feelin:
O-K-A-Y...another testimony...hmmm...

Hey, Feelin. What does this statement mean? It's unclear to me.

"All is full of love." -- Bjork

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." -- 1 John 4:16b

Truth Aficionado
Registered Member

Date Joined Dec 2003
Total Posts : 1544

Posted 10/4/2006 9:49 AM (GMT -6)

MephEternal said...
One of my greatest fears was being WRONG about this whole Christianity thing? The devil would hit me upside the head with this one a lot.
"What if it's not true?", I'd ask myself. "What if this is all just a big crock? I am giving my life to this and for what. For something that MAY or MAY NOT be true? Maybe I just oughta quit this whole deal...while I'm behind!"

This lead to my deep skepticism about Scripture and Christian belief in general.

This is where Doc and I were very alike. Faith came VERY HARD for me.

Meph, are you now ascertaining to Doc’s view on Scripture, essentially, while it might have some troubling areas, regardless, any alternatives are worse?

Love is like a ball in a game of catch: throw it and it will come back to you; hold onto it and that ends the game.

Post Edited (sparknheart) : 10/4/2006 9:52:14 AM (GMT-5)

One Love
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 13888

Posted 10/4/2006 9:58 AM (GMT -6)

Spark:
Meph, are you now ascertaining to Doc’s view on Scripture, essentially, while it might have some troubling areas any alternatives are worse?

No.

I just believe that the Bible is true. I don't feel like there at that many troubling areas at all...because I feel like I understand God through God's Word better. I'm using it more as a story for my life and a portal into the throne of God.

And let me say this now...

The REASON why I'm testifying is because I have spent the last 6 years of my life talking to people on this board. Tom is the old head along with me. I know that people here have seen me at my MOST SKEPTICAL, MOODY, and DISTRUSTFUL of the Bible...or God's power...of all that.

Y'all have heard my rants. Intelligent rants, yes. But rants nonetheless that came from a VARIETY of anxieties dealing with my relationship with God. (One's theology and view of the world is, to some extent, necessarily autobiographical!) You've seen my passion and anger at God.

So...

It is TO YOU PEOPLE who have known the OLD me...that I say this too.

I want to use MYSELF as an example of the transforming power of GOD in Christ.

I could give a DAMN about what people think about me. Not that I don't care about people. I just don't get life anymore from what people THINK about me! (This is a healing in and of itself. I've been so arrogant in the past!) I don't get life from "being spiritual" or having people think that I am. I'm not trying to big myself up with all of this.

This is all to declary what's happened in my life to the glory of God!

This ain't about me.

I want to hold up what God's been doing in my life as testimony to what God can do IN ANYONE'S LIFE!

That's all I'm trying to do with this.

I'm happy to be as free as God has allowed me to be...and I want other people (especially my brothers and sisters in Christ) to be encouraged by the power of our God.

That's all.

"All is full of love." -- Bjork

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." -- 1 John 4:16b

Starkman
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2001
Total Posts : 1747

Posted 10/4/2006 10:12 AM (GMT -6)

Very encouraging, Meph.

He who passionately seeks God is passionately rewarded.

Starkman

My teacher used to say that whenever he read Scripture, he would always ask the question, "What does this have to say about the character of God?" Working off his thinking, as I read Scripture, I have come to ask, "What does this have to say about the heart and passion of God's desire for relationship for us?

feelinahole
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2004
Total Posts : 754

Posted 10/4/2006 10:21 AM (GMT -6)

I don't know, M, since your "conversion" to open theism I find such statments from you suspect at best...but thats my take.

BBBCanada
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 2763

Posted 10/4/2006 10:26 AM (GMT -6)

Love ya Meph Man. I myself have sometimes thought that all we've done ("conservative Christianity") is Christianized what was really important and that is the "brotherhood of man." I sometimes wonder how it's essentially that much different. But I just have to believe man. Thanks to you and the long time members for the talks. We're in this together.

Brandon

It is the purpose that makes strong the vow, but vows to every purpose must not hold.--A friend.

One Love
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 13888

Posted 10/4/2006 11:27 AM (GMT -6)

Feelin:
I don't know, M, since your "conversion" to open theism I find such statments from you suspect at best...but thats my take.

I understand. Be blessed!

"All is full of love." -- Bjork

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." -- 1 John 4:16b

One Love
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 13888

Posted 10/4/2006 11:29 AM (GMT -6)

Brandon:
I myself have sometimes thought that all we've done ("conservative Christianity"

is Christianized what was really important and that is the "brotherhood of man." I sometimes wonder how it's essentially that much different.

YES. That's exactly right, Brandon.

Jesus came to be the firstfruits of a NEW HUMANITY who related themselves rightly to God.

Jesus did NOT come to start a new religious movement.

"All is full of love." -- Bjork

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." -- 1 John 4:16b

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