My original condition:
Agnosticism: The claim (denied by Romans 1:18-20) that one has no knowledge of God or the origin of the universe. Some agnostics make the claim on a personal level, while allowing that such knowledge may exist but has never been known by themselves. Others assert that such knowledge cannot be had by anyone. Agnostics avoid the charge of dogmatic atheism by acknowledging the theoretical possibility of God's existence. Yet virtually all live as if the non-existence of God was an established fact, and are thus practical atheists.
What happened to me:
This is a list of events beginning on or about January 10, 1985
(1st Day) For some unexplained reason, at least at the time, I began watching TBN. I thought it was all a bit strange at first. Then I found my self CRYING ( for no reason) and unable to change the TV channel. I went to bed that night in amazement of what was happening to me for no apparent reason. (2nd Day) The next day when I turned on the TV, it was still on TBN. Again, I JUST HAD TO WATCH IT, I didn't know why, I just had to watch.
Then, between the main programs, TBN was showing a series of short films about Jesus and his life. As I watched one that showed Jesus dying on the cross, my room was filled with a POWER I had never seen or sensed before in my life. I found my self getting out of my chair and falling to my knees, with my head bowed, and still crying, SAYING OUT LOUD!
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FORGIVE ME LORD!
I DID NOT KNOW YOU WERE REAL AND ALIVE TODAY!
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This visitation from Yahshua was the last thing I would have ever imagined!
Romans 14:10-12 ..... For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
I now believed in Him "Yahshua"!!
Jesus "Yahshua" didn't stay long on that first of many visits, but it's the one I remember best!
This is the miracle He performed during His first visit:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(3rd Day) I awoke the next day, knowing I had been radically changed .
Jesus had Immediately delivered me from: (He had taken my "Want-to" away)
1) Smoking ( 3 packs a day habit)
2) Alcoholism ( 4 or 5 drinks every night "Rum & Coke")
3) Prescription Medication ( Ativan , 3 times a day habit)
All, without any withdraw symptoms of any kind
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
He also delivered me from fornication. (1 Corinthians 6:12-20) I just didn't know it yet.
I was a " practical atheist" and totally Un-Churched, the groups I associated with did not use the word. These Methodist that the Lord had sent me to just kept bringing it up and saying it was a bad thing. For a long time I just ignored the fact that I really did not know what they were talking about exactly. So, one day I decided to look up the definition. To my utter astonishment it applied to me!! It was one of those rarer lean times in my love life, so I wasn't currently involved with anyone, but fornication definitely applied to my regular un-saved and sinful behavior.
***( Consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other )***
This path of delivery took a bit longer and was more difficult for me to embrace. This ordeal alone would no doubt require at least another entire page to describe it completely. Lets just say. I did finally get delivered and have been celibate now for almost 20 years. When GOD wants to do something, it will get done. Evan if my initial cooperation was minimal on this issue, He has ways not available to men to cause one to be more willing when necessary. ( I personally do NOT recommend one should resist the LORD in any way. It's just not a good Idea.) Thank you LORD, "Yahshua the Messiah" for my salvation and delivery from my sinful and dangerous activity's!!!
Sure, I knew Jesus was a Biblical character, but I had no idea He was REAL and ALIVE today.
People were often telling me I should go to church and STOP doing this and START doing that. Each church had a different set of DO'S and DON'TS and no one ever actually told me. JESUS WAS REAL! HE LIVES TODAY! And I needed to meet this man from the Bible. (Yahshua the Messiah)
(Because of the world we currently live in, I have to be VERY CLEAR as to what happened to me on this day, the most important day of my life)
WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE:
There is only one true God eternally revealed in three distinct Persons -- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Human beings are sinners who (without the grace of God received through faith in Christ) are eternally lost. Jesus, who is God in the flesh, (Col.2:9 "For in him dwells (lives) the fullness of the Godhead (deity) bodily" (bodily form). All that makes God who He is, is to be found in Jesus.) born of a virgin, died on the cross and rose physically from the dead as the sole and sufficient payment for the sins of humanity.
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You (Yahweh), the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You (Yahweh) have sent.
The Father is "YHWH", "Yahweh" the "MOST HIGH GOD", Yah is my GOD!
Jesus is the "Son of GOD", "Yahshua the Messiah", Yahshua is my LORD!
1 Jn.4:15: "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the SON OF GOD, God abideth in him, and he in God. ."
WHAT I KNOW TO BE FALSE:
Polytheism: The belief in the existence of a plurality of gods, in contrast to monotheism (one God) or atheism (no God or gods). Examples include Greek, Roman and Norse mythology; ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, and Assyrian religions; and some forms of neo-paganism, Wicca, and New Age belief. Some forms of Hinduism combine polytheism with pantheism (all is God). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches a form of Christianized polytheism, since it holds that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three Gods and that human beings can become exalted to Godhood.
Now that I have made my beliefs clear, I can continue!
That first year was one of much prayer while trying to figure out what had just happened to me. The Lord first sent me to a Methodist church just down the road from where I lived. There I led a small Bible teaching class. My spiritual life was beginning to take shape, in this rather quiet church, which had mostly older folks attending. They baptized me by "SPRINKLING" me with water, which the "Pentecostal movement " later thought was insufficient, so they rebaptized me in a river while on a boat trip.
Lots of things were happening to me during this first year of being a Christian. The one I remember the best is this one:
Yahshua introduced His Father to me!
Mt 11:27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
The ordinary usage of the word POWER, does not even begin to describe what I encountered on this occasion. It was as though all the POWER in the entire universe was far to close to me fo
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