You are lost? Search? I was, but maybe my experience will help you understand your situation.
About me
I am not one who is easily convinced about anything, and I am in philosophy, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. So let me give you some information about yourself.
I'm over forty, I'm married to one child. I work as a fire captain / paramedic in a suburb of Chicago. I worked for about 26 years. I tell you this because I think I’m a pretty normal normal guy and at least have been around the block once or twice - hopefully! Eight years ago, if I heard someone say that they were “saved,” I would think that they were a kind of religious deformity. So bear with me! If you found this article, I am now sure that there is a big reason why you are reading it.
Who did I write this article for? Well. ,,
First, if you are a bibliar scholar, then I’m sure that it will soon hurt you to realize that you are not reading an article that measures your caliber. I write this for people who, like me, may have felt lost or felt as if something was missing in their lives. It is also possible for a new believer who has been touched or changed in such a way that they feel “made up” to explore this new conviction and need some direction.
This article is not for. ,,
As I said earlier, this is either for the biblical scholar, or for the panelist, or "my faith is better than your faith." I am an “average Joe” and I offer this only to people who find themselves in a situation similar to mine - 8 years ago. I am only ready to defend my position and beliefs. This is my personal story, as well as helpful (I hope) advice. Now is the time to return if you think it will be too painful!
My history
One morning, about 8 years ago, while I was driving to work, I was going through a normal procedure, trying to find a good morning radio or show or music station with a song I wanted to hear. I went to a busy intersection and had to make a left turn to continue on my route. Before I took the turn, I pressed the scan button on my radio and he landed on a religious station. I remember thinking, “Oh brother,” and that “as soon as I make this turn, I'm going to turn off this nonsense!” But the guy who said, told me, caught my attention, and I was forced to leave it. The man who spoke was pastor Greg Laurie. I remember that I thought this guy was pretty funny, and also thinks that most of his words really seemed clear to me.
Let me get back to this point a bit ...
My wife and I recently experienced tragedies that either personally touched our lives, or touched the lives of our close relatives, and we began to question things such as our life purpose, beliefs, and faith — or I should say that there is no shortage . Every day, listening to this guy (Pastor Greg), really got home, and I found myself really looking forward to his performance. In his programs, he told personal stories about his life, and I learned that, compared to where he was now in his life, he came from a completely different way. He was very funny and presented his sugar-free sermons. I could tell a lot about what he said. Most of the guys I work with, or my friends - directly speaking - are not bull. And when I listened to this guy, I could say that he gave it to me directly.
Many times when I listened, it seemed to me that he was speaking directly to me. There would be sermons that he presented, discussing topics or questions that were almost identical to the subjects and questions that my wife and I discussed recently and often only last night. Many times I called my wife and told her to turn on his broadcast and listen. I would say something like: “You will not believe what Pastor Greg is talking about now!” I also began to feel that I was starting to get some direction in my life. At the end of each show, there was a point where Pastor Greg asked if the listeners had heard the “prayer” about the request. Well, I always felt compelled to do this from the first day, but initially I did not do it, mainly because of my previous experience of faith. One day, at the end of one of his speeches, I said a prayer and asked Pastor Greg. I repeated the prayer, and it changed my life. Now there were no fireworks or lightning, but the world engulfed me, as the weight lifted from my shoulders, and I knew in my heart that I had made the right decision. I also felt a wave of emotions that took me by surprise.
I am not Mr. Emotional, mainly because of my upbringing. My dad - don't get me wrong - a good guy; he was a sergeant in the army and later in construction, but I don't think he ever lost that sergeant! He always led our household, like a mini-camp, and the sayings: “I'll pay you something!” Taught my brother and me to “suck” at the beginning of my life and move on. But when I said a prayer, and the first time I shared my story with a pastor in my church, I really liked it. Then I did not understand it, but now I do it! As you grow in your faith, you will also increasingly understand the rates and the cost of the gift offered to you.
Saved? ....
For a new Christian, you have heard and should understand this term, but for a person who is looking for, you may not understand this term or many other terms that you will begin to hear. But hang there, it will soon become very obvious how many of these conditions will apply to your new Christian life. That day I repeated the prayer that Pastor Laurie said, and I was saved. Now, if you're new or looking, don't be nervous. , just hang in there and keep reading, soon it will become more reasonable. There was no mystery, and prayer was all I needed to meet the demands of "salvation." OK! Here was the context of what I said; I repeated: “Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, but I believe that you died on the cross for me. Thank you for calling me and receiving me. In the name of Jesus, I pray. " just. I mean it with all my heart! Meaning ... everything in me said that it was right. I said it, so I felt relieved. As I said, there were no fireworks or lightning, but I felt peace in my life, relief. It changed my life.
It changed my life. ,,,
When I say that it has changed my life, I do not mean that it was immediately, and I, of course, did not mean that I took the sign, grew a beard and started shouting at people through a megaphone. But I have to say that if today I saw someone doing what I described in this scenario, a bearded guy and a megaphone, I would not have thought less about it. Although it may not be the method I would use to get the message, it may be a method that someone else is convinced to use, and I do not think that he or she was strange. Well, maybe she ... with a beard - just kidding! In general, this is how it changed my life. Instead of living my own life, pursuing my own desires, I began to try to live my life for the sake of others. Instead of trying to fill this gap in my life with financial activities, parties, and the next “good time,” I began to look at what is really important in life.
As for God, I always believed in God, but I thought about Him very far from me. I thought of Him more as a judge with a good and bad list. Each of our names topped the list, and in the bad and good columns of the list of each person were marked. I always hoped that if my time came, I would have enough checks in a good column and be able to “stand up”. I felt that God was “there”, somewhere was watching me, and, if I had squinted, he would shake his head and put a mark in the bad column of my list. If I prayed, it was half hearted or more in lines: “If you can do it for me, I will never do it” or “remember when I did this good deed,” now I need something. ”Usually it’s there was a deal, not a real prayer. There was always a space, and I felt that I could never measure, but now I know that God filled this gap. God made the final sacrifice and gave the answer to this problem in His Son. I also learned that, to my surprise, God is not looking for the perfect person, and he most often uses “second lines "Usual and repeatedly broken people to do their greatest work.
Many other things have changed and continue to change in my life. Do not misunderstand me. Does this mean that everything in my life began, and I became a “choir boy”? NO! I snuck on solid ground and had a clearer direction. I made peace with God, but in some way my life was complicated. In general, my life has become more fulfilling and peaceful. I try, with God's help, to live every day for Him and others. Try the keyword here; if someone tells you that they are a poster child for the perfect Christian, you probably want to avoid them. I heard him say, and I subscribe to him - "believe in God, not for people." Look at God for an example of your Christian life, and you will continue on the right path. I learned that serving God, serving others, is how you begin to live in God's life. In addition, this moderation in some things and the elimination of others is how you stay on the right path. If you have problems with moderation in any particular area of your life, you need to fix this problem.
Now I could give you concrete examples or opinions about what you should avoid, but I would risk being a hypocrite. For me, I can give an example that I have set out to some friends and guys with whom I work. "I do not think that God, my creator, is happy when I drink, get drunk and act stupidly." As I said, this is my example. I, of course, am the last to pick up the stones and start running them. However, I will say that now I believe that if you have a friend (brother) who has difficulty with moderation in this or any other field, you must help him, not forcing him to stumble because of your actions. Also, let's face it. If you are reading this article, you are not a dummy. I mean, you obviously have some basic skills. Therefore, I believe that you are also smart enough to know that moderation is moderation. Due to the fact that you know, some things in life do not fall into the category "-RATION". For me, I now have an understandable “life guide” to go for advice on most things this life should throw at you. You should try it! Earlier, when I heard that people say that the Bible was an old book and is not related to today's lifestyle, I would have bought something with this philosophy! This was until I actually read it, and then I realized that the old saying, “history tends to repeat,” is just as relevant today as it was in biblical times. Many of the problems and challenges we face today are also present in biblical times.
Well, here are some things that helped me as a new believer ...
Read your bible! When I became a Christian, I began to read the Bible. In addition to reading the Bible, I also tried to find a Bible study, but I was very wary because I knew that my knowledge of the Bible almost did not exist. I was “lucky” to get to know the guy at work, whom I thought was religious. I thought about him in this way, because I used to think that anyone who even pronounced the name of Jesus Christ in public should be “very religious.” Well, this friend from work introduced me to a man named Hank from his church, and three of us conducted an informal Bible study for about a year. The study, along with the guidance I received from Hank, really helped me in my faith and helped me find the church. As for the Bible, I would advise you to get a copy of the NIV Study Bible or the Bible Study Study Bible.
From time to time in my life, before I became a Christian, I would feel lost and thought that there is something in the Bible that can help. Then I will take a copy of the King James Bible that we have collected on our bookshelf, and try to understand it. Well, for me, the language they used made an already unfamiliar book even harder to understand. Needless to say, my reading session would be very short and unproductive. Now I have read either the NIV Study Bible Bible or the Bible Study Study Bible. If you are looking for, I suggest you get one of these versions and start in John’s book. (Gospel of John)
When you read the Bible, on the surface, you will learn that in many chapters this book was not written as a “feel good” book and leaves you more questions than answers many times. In addition, it often shows that we / people (including us) have “something in it for me”. Again, at first glance, this is not a good advertisement for this, which, in my opinion, further strengthens my faith in this book. Because the Bible is no frills, no sugar, you have a book in your face, people do not want to accept it. Most of us want to believe that we control our own destiny. Well, the gift that God offers us is free - all we have to do is accept it! It's simple, but He will not force you to accept it. This is a choice that we have to make in a world where absolutes appear gray and gray every day, I think that many people think that it cannot be black and white or simple. There are only two answers to the offer extended, yes or no, but this is your choice.
You might think, why does not God just give us a taste of the “good life”? I believe that if God gave us a crystal clear window into what our afterlife would look like, it would be too easy, and our choice would be distorted. We will not make a decision based on faith or faith; we will do it on “Oh, I see that this is an attitude for me!” I believe that He gave us an idea, and if we really look for THEIR, He will open it. He expounds it best in his own words: Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. ” OR John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, who believe in Him, will not perish, but has eternal life.
Attend a Christian church
First of all, it will be different! I mean, if you have never attended a Christian (Protestant) church based on faith, it will seem strange. The language that you hear may and / or will seem overboard, strange, cult. I find it hard to explain how I initially perceived the first Christian church of the Protestant faith, in which I attended, but here are some examples of what I see or hear, caused me discomfort, because at that time I really did not understand my faith. First, I saw people raising their arms and swinging back and forth as they sang songs about praise, and I heard how they sometimes shout out various phrases during a sermon, for example, “Praise Jesus” or “Amen.” At first, I would have thought “man, is this weird!” “Am I in the right place?” Are these people just trying to apply some kind of act? "Then there was the" strange "way in which they spoke the terms or phrases that they used during singing or in speaking." How we all washed in His blood. "Nothing but the blood of Jesus can save us." “Do you feel His Spirit?” “We are all crucified in Christ.” "His Spirit is moving in you right now!"
I really can't remember everything, but those were the main points. Now, if you were raised as a Christian, such things are familiar and normal for you, but for me this only added to my confusion regarding my new faith. As I grew up in my own faith, I now understand these actions and this “jargon”. Before, I would have thought that this material borders on cult behavior. Now I am ashamed to say this, but I would call such people such as “freaks of Jesus”, and I would get rid of these people. Now I can tell you that although I can’t act or speak completely, like many of my Christian brothers and sisters (see, I just did it!) I fully understand the actions and understand more about the jargon every day. Now I know why people raise their hands and what it means for His Spirit to move you. I used to be a different faith, and basically I was only a member of Christmas and Easter.
You may have heard that people will use the term or joke when they ask him what faith is, and they will say that they were “Chreasters”. So I described my faith to people, and again I am ashamed to say that I really thought it was ridiculous to use this line. After I was saved, I visited my former church, but for me I thought that I needed to find another church. When I listened to the message, I found it vague and hardly applied it to my life. In my own experience, I can tell you that if I sang a song in my former church, I would just say the words to many other participants. Теперь, как я сказал ранее, я понимаю, как люди могут быть перемещены, чтобы действительно показать свои чувства к Богу во время богослужения. Сегодня, когда я поклоняюсь в воскресных службах, когда я пою песни похвалить, иногда меня задыхается, потому что слова указывают на то, насколько я свободен, и я должен прекратить петь, потому что меня действительно тронут Его Духом. Есть моменты, когда я либо говорил, либо делал то, что никогда не было в моей «прежней жизни»; например, разделяя мою веру с другом, который испытывает низкую точку в своей жизни. Теперь я прошу совета и, если я смогу уйти с пути достаточно долго и позволить Богу работать через меня, Он предоставит это руководство не только по моей просьбе, но и во всех областях моей жизни.
Нет совершенной церкви
Было сказано, что нет совершенной церкви, и если бы это было, вы или я бы не были там членами, если вы получите мой дрейф! Но вы найдете, как что-нибудь в жизни, будут вещи, которые вам нравятся и не нравятся. К сожалению, если бы вы ответили, что настойчивый стук в дверь позже в вашей жизни, в отличие от того, чтобы быть рожденным в ней, будут люди, которые думают о вас как о «Джонни приходят». Вы можете обнаружить, что изначально трудно связать себя с «христианской сценой», и поэтому чувствуйте, что вы не вписываетесь. Вы должны помнить, что это «улица с двумя путями». Вы также можете найти тугие трикотажные группы, которые могут не позволить вам попасть в внутренний круг. При этом вы должны помнить, почему вы там. Это не по какой-либо другой причине, кроме как служить Богу. Так что включайся, добровольно, подавай, просто отдавайся от себя, как Он свободно храбрётся от себя. Молитесь Богу, чтобы привести людей в вашу жизнь, которые помогут вам в вашей новой веры, и Он будет! Войдите в исследование Библии. Когда мы искали церковь, мы использовали правило совета пастора Грега №1. Найдите церковь на основе Библии, которая учит Библии и придерживается библейских принципов. Мы искали церковь, следуя этому принципу, и тот, который помог бы нашему ребенку расти в вере. Спросите экспертов, выйдите в Интернет, сделайте небольшое исследование. Мы посещали несколько церквей, пока мы, наконец, не выбрали церковь. Я предлагаю вам сделать то же самое.
Finally
Как я уже сказал, я написал это для человека, который ищет или принял Иисуса как своего Господа и Спасителя, но теперь думает? Я только поцарапал поверхность, но я чувствовал себя «тронутым», чтобы сделать это! В пожарной службе мы используем аббревиатуру KISS, которая означает «держите ее просто глупой». Итак, что я пытался сделать. Я мог бы поразить вас множеством фраз и терминов, которые могли бы просто вызвать путаницу или добавить к вашему разочарованию. Поэтому я дал вам представление с синими воротничками. Если вы пытаетесь разобраться в этом, сначала молитесь об этом! Действительно, если вы действительно ищете и молитесь об этом, вы будете поражены тем, как Бог отвечает на ваши молитвы!
Во-вторых, послушайте христианское радио и найдите хорошего пастора по радио. Как я уже сказал, я действительно люблю пастора Грега Лори. Вы можете вырезать и вставить эту ссылку в свой браузер, чтобы перейти на его сайт http://www.harvest.org. Я чувствую, что Бог действительно использует его для достижения людей. Его шоу мощные и, кроме того, вы можете слушать его либо на своем веб-сайте, либо загружать его подкачку. Он никогда не разговаривает с вами, и его послания являются благом для всех верующих, независимо от вашей сцены как верующего.
В-третьих, попасть в хорошую церковь. Церковь, которая учит Библии и придерживается ее принципов.
Наконец, прочитайте свою Библию. Некоторые люди говорят, что это старая книга со старыми идеями и проблемами. Хорошо, прочитайте это, и вы будете судьей. Мне кажется, мы все еще повторяем те же ошибки древности. Мне также кажется уместным, что если мы просто последуем рекомендациям, приведенным в этой книге, мы можем обнаружить, что жизнь намного легче, но опять же, вы являетесь судьей. Я предлагаю вам начать в книге Джона. (Евангелие от Иоанна)
