HOW DID YOU BECOME A NEW CREATION

[Raccoon1010]

I can remember living a very selfish lifestyle. I had friends and gave them things, but still was very selfish. I was raised in a church that taught to obey the commandments. I also had this feeling that I needed to flee hell's grasp. I felt I was destined for hell. I wasn't living in a way that I could honestly say that I believed was right.

One day I just turned to God and resisted temptation and started going to church. It became easier and easier to do good and go to church. I started living in a way that I could like myself.

I got married and continued to go to church. And after years I was hit with a Job-like experience and lost everything. It made me question my religion. I fell back into the selfish lifestyle.

God one day, not too many years ago, visited me in spirit and forgave me of my sins. He said he resurrected me spiritually. To this day I still struggle with selfishness. But I have hope. And maybe it's because I'm poor and have health problems that I tend not to be the selfless guy I once was.

I'm not sure when I was "born again". But I've read the bible on what sin is and how many commandments there honestly are. I can't say that I won't sin and honestly feel I'm at the mercy of God now. If I am to be saved, it will not be because of anything I do. And I know God loves us and doesn't have to. And that makes me feel better.

 

[marksman]

This is not my story but as I was reading your stories it made me realize that God can use anything and anyone to bring a person to Christ and I read a pamphlet today that carried the story of a devout Muslim who had a visit from Jesus during the night. He took his hand and told him that he was the way, the truth, and life. As a result, he was born again, gave up his Islamic faith, and became a dedicated Christian, which in his case could mean death.

 

[Pearl]

This is not my story but as I was reading your stories it made me realize that God can use anything and anyone to bring a person to Christ and I read a pamphlet today that carried the story of a devout Muslim who had a visit from Jesus during the night. He took his hand and told him that he was the way, the truth, and life. As a result, he was born again, gave up his Islamic faith, and became a dedicated Christian, which in his case could mean death.

That's a great testimony. I used to love watching a programme called 'A Muslim Journey to Hope' - I think you can get them on You tube. Just as you said it was the simple unadorned testimonies of Muslims who had come to Jesus.

What's your own story @marksman ?

 

[quietthinker]

How were you saved/born again?
All men are drawn because Jesus has been lifted up......he has shown us the Father's face. Resistance to that drawing, whether overtly (in your face) or under the the guise of religious suck-up practices (disposition) has its own trajectory.

 

[Pearl]

I changed the title of the thread because not everybody understand 'born again' or 'saved' in the correct way; specifically Catholics who believe that infant baptism confers new birth on the child.

 

[Nancy]

Becoming a new creation to me is something that comes on either all or nothing, or gradually. Mine was all or nothing. Why wait to stop living a life of sin? Stop and seek, put into practice the things that do not come natural to our flesh...He is faithful and His grace is very sufficient to change us from the inside out, amen!

 

[Behold]

Nice Thread, Pearl

Its beautiful to see people giving praise to God for what He has accomplished for them, as His Eternal Gift to Us.

"how to become a new creation".
How to understand that?
Its by understanding that God has BIRTHED your Spirit into HIS, by the Holy Spirit.
When this BIRTH in the Spirit happens, it means you have become : Born Again.
This is to become "ONE with God"... and that is explaining "Spiritual Union".
It literally means that the day before, you were hell bound, a child of the Devil.
And today because you gave God your faith in Christ.... God accepted your faith , and you are born again Spiritually , by FATHER GOD, and have become His Son/Daughter.
This is why you will meet GOD as your FATHER after you die, as He has already become so, and you being BORN AGAIN....proves it.

 

[marksman]

That's a great testimony. I used to love watching a programme called 'A Muslim Journey to Hope' - I think you can get them on You tube. Just as you said it was the simple unadorned testimonies of Muslims who had come to Jesus.

What's your own story @marksman ?

Doh? I have been pinned down! One might say interesting but some say I am delusiional. I was abandoned at two weeks old and grew up in a foster home with no interest in God. The Anglican Church was at the end of the road so I went to their sunday school to keep my mate company. If I had to rely on them to find out about salvation, forget it.

My mate said he was going to the Baptist Church Sunday School because they served creme cakes at their christmas party. In those days creme cakes were rare. I used to tell people that I was saved by a creme cake. Anyway, I had been attanding for a year and they had a childrens mission for a week and they had meetings for kids at 4pm every day which I went to. On the Thursday the evangelist preached on John 3 v 16. I knew even though I was only 11 years old that was me and I beleived it and whilst I was sitting their listening, the Holy Spirit came on me and filled me with a warm glow right through my body. When I left the church, I felt as though I was walking on air and if I had to cross a river I was convinced I would have walk on the water. And here I am 69 years later still standing on the promises not sitting on the premises which I might have been had I stayed at the Anglican Church.

 

[quietthinker]

Doh? I have been pinned down! One might say interesting but some say I am delusiional. I was abandoned at two weeks old and grew up in a foster home with no interest in God. The Anglican Church was at the end of the road so I went to their sunday school to keep my mate company. If I had to rely on them to find out about salvation, forget it.

My mate said he was going to the Baptist Church Sunday School because they served creme cakes at their christmas party. In those days creme cakes were rare. I used to tell people that I was saved by a creme cake. Anyway, I had been attanding for a year and they had a childrens mission for a week and they had meetings for kids at 4pm every day which I went to. On the Thursday the evangelist preached on John 3 v 16. I knew even though I was onlyh 11 years old that was me and I beleived it and whilst I was sitting their listening, the Holy Spirit came on me and filled me with a warm glow right through my body. When I left the church, I felt as though I was walking on air and if I had to cross a river I was convinced I would have walk on the water. Anf here I am 69 years later still standing on the promises not sitting on the premises.

hey hey! :)

 

[Pearl]

Doh? I have been pinned down! One might say interesting but some say I am delusiional. I was abandoned at two weeks old and grew up in a foster home with no interest in God. The Anglican Church was at the end of the road so I went to their sunday school to keep my mate company. If I had to rely on them to find out about salvation, forget it.

My mate said he was going to the Baptist Church Sunday School because they served creme cakes at their christmas party. In those days creme cakes were rare. I used to tell people that I was saved by a creme cake. Anyway, I had been attanding for a year and they had a childrens mission for a week and they had meetings for kids at 4pm every day which I went to. On the Thursday the evangelist preached on John 3 v 16. I knew even though I was only 11 years old that was me and I beleived it and whilst I was sitting their listening, the Holy Spirit came on me and filled me with a warm glow right through my body. When I left the church, I felt as though I was walking on air and if I had to cross a river I was convinced I would have walk on the water. And here I am 69 years later still standing on the promises not sitting on the premises which I might have been had I stayed at the Anglican Church.

I love your story and it is so like mine - even the ages - I was around eleven when I went with people to a mission with a lady evangelist. Although with me it took another 25 years to really know what it was all about.

 

[Mantis]

My Testimony – by Pearl

Silver Jubilee year, 1977, was special for me , because for most of it I was pregnant with a child I thought I’d never have.

Like most women I worried a bit about whether he would be alright and how he would grow up; and Ray and I used to pray each night about our unborn baby; that he would be healthy and that he would grow up to be a good Christian.

Neither of us went to church in those days although we both considered ourselves to be Christian because we had been Christened and gone to Sunday school as children, so naturally we talked about having our son Christened because we both thought it was the right thing for Christian parents to do.

When the time came to go and see the vicar about it, I was terrified because I had been divorced and felt that I was condemned by God forever. I thought I would get out of it by letting Ray go to the vicarage, to make the arrangements, on his own.

I didn’t get out of it so easily though, because the vicar came round to see us. He was so nice and talked to us about Jesus and left us a little book called ‘Journey Into Life’. The next day I read that book and it made me realize that whatever I had done, God loved me and wanted to forgive me.

There and then I said the prayer in the back of the booklet, repenting my sin and asking Jesus to forgive me and come into my life. Till then I had always thought I was a Christian because I had gone to Sunday School as a child and been confirmed as well.

When I stood up in church on the Sunday of the Christening, 18th December 1977, and John asked “Do you turn to Christ, do you repent of your sin, do you renounce evil?” I really and truly meant it when I replied “I turn to Christ, I repent of my sins, I renounce evil”. And that, for me, was the turning point. I was born again. I was made new, born again.

Of course, like any new-born baby, I didn’t know much about it at the time; but babies grow and from that day I began to experience a gradual, deepening awareness of the true meaning of life and of Jesus as a real person. The sky was bluer, I took more notice of the beauty of creation and had a spring in my step that I’d never had before.

I came to know God as a father. Just like a baby begins to recognise his parents, so I began to recognise God and to love him deeply; to know that even when things were far form easy he was there for me.

I was forgiven; my life had a new meaning. I had always suffered with my ‘nerves’ and was taking valium even during my pregnancy, but since the day I turned to Christ I have never had another. He has given me real peace of mind and contentment.

Almost forty five years later I can look back on my life and see the way God has guided me at every turn. I can see the way my faith has grown. I can see the answered prayers and healings and know absolutely that I am in the hands of the living God. My life changed for the better when I asked Jesus into it and I face the future with certainty and hope because of him.

I love that you went from being nervous/anxious to peace. The peace of God is one of the best things ever!

 

[Pearl]

I love that you went from being nervous/anxious to peace. The peace of God is one of the best things ever!

It absolutely is.

 

[farouk]

It absolutely is.

John 14.27: Divine peace in Christ is not what the world gives......

 

[marksman]

I love your story and it is so like mine - even the ages - I was around eleven when I went with people to a mission with a lady evangelist. Although with me it took another 25 years to really know what it was all about.

You got there in the end. That is the important bit.

 

[farouk]

The Ephesians 2 experience happened by God's grace to me: He intervened in grace, even while I was dead in sins; all glory be to Christ, Who died for me at the Cross......

 

[Pearl]

You got there in the end. That is the important bit.

Yes, and when I look back I can see that God had his hand on me all the time. i sould have loved to belong to that small mission church but wasn't allowed and like you said:
"If I had to rely on them to find out about salvation, forget it." so even though I got confirmed as was required it was all religion and no nurturing at all. But they did give me a little confirmation prayer book which I used regularly to pray at night.

 

[Pearl]

The Ephesians 2 experience happened by God's grace to me: He intervened in grace, even while I was dead in sins; all glory be to Christ, Who died for me at the Cross......

Yes he intervened in all our our lives in grace while we still sinners

 

[farouk]

Yes he intervened in all our our lives in grace while we still sinners

@Pearl What wondrous Divine patience and love! All glory to Him!

 

[farouk]

I love that you went from being nervous/anxious to peace. The peace of God is one of the best things ever!

@Mantis

Colossians 2.19-20: "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."

:)

 

[marks]

I was 19 yrs old, hitching around the western states, going to the hippie gatherings, hanging out in communes, totally "new age" and becoming Wiccan. Materializing things, astral communication, things like that. I had been reading for the previous couple of years all the different "holy books" of the world, and all kinds of different belief systems, from the Gitas, the Book of the Hopi, Edgar Cayce, everything I could get my hands on.

I had gotten ahold of the I-Ching, a Chinese divination method. For 2 weeks I used this for a few hours a day, asking ever more detailed questions, and getting ever more detailed answers, and learned,

If I go north with those people to form a commune, it will all fall apart. If I go to New Mexico to start up that commune, it will all work out OK. But the greatest good would happen if I went to visit my family first. If I did that, I'd be taken captive by the "chief authority" for 2 weeks, but then I'd be set free, and the greatest good would be accomplished.

So me and my occult symbol covered sign hitchhiked home, the Disneyland area. I stayed with my brother, who had become Christian while I was gone. My sister, who already was a Christian, invited me to go with her to be baptized in a few weeks. I politely turned her done.

But when my brother left for work, I browsed his bookcase, and read "What The World Is Coming To", then, "The Late Great Planet Earth". Having read so many other books, I knew right away that the Bible's prophecies were totally different from everything else out there, and therefore the Bible showed the greatest evidence that it was in fact from "outside". Irrefutable evidence!

The problem was, I remembered the 3 yrs old Sunday School, and the flannelgraphs of "Release Time Education", and I knew what the Bible said, "Jesus is Lord". The real problem was I believed myself to be lord. And the struggle began.

I was locked in a battle of knowing now the truth, but being unwilling to accept it. For the next two weeks I couln't think of anything else. But I finally admitted to myself, It's real, Jesus IS Lord, and I'd better obeying Him.

So I called my sister, told her Yes, I'll go get baptised with you. So we were baptized together, one of us in each of Pastor Chuck's hands, in the ocean at Corona Del Mar. And I could tell right away . . . I was different inside. And so I have been ever since, through good times, through horrible times, but always different inside.

Much love!