Sometimes the world feels so loud but when I pray everything goes quiet. It makes me happy that Jesus knows my name and cares about every little detail of my life. He gives me comfort, peace, and strength. He hears my quietest prayers and is always here for me. It’s the gentlest purest love imaginable, and He’s truly my Savior and my best friend ever ✞ and I hope you know that He loves you and that He’s always with you no matter what, even throughout your struggles. We’re all very loved by Jesus, more than we can comprehend. Thank you for everything Jesus :D

I’m 25 ( f ) and began attending an evangelical church around a year ago with my boyfriend (now ex.) His parents, brothers & their wives and uncle and auntie also attend the same church.
We had completed Christianity explored with the Pastor and his wife at their home back in Nov-Feb time.

Since I have been at the church, I have undergone a lot of personal troubles. My boyfriend and I have been through 2 break ups and my mum had a stroke.
Throughout this time, lots of people in the church reached out to me via WhatsApp to support me. I had lots of support from the pastors wife and some other ladies at church. I had some messages from the pastor too but all very ‘corporate’ if you like.

Since the most recent break up, I have been attending church alone. I went back for the first time last week and spoke to the pastor. He was asking how I was and I told him I’d been struggling and told him what had been going on. We were speaking privately in another room to the congregation. I ended up getting quite upset due to what I was going through.
After I’d offloaded, he prayed for/with me. All fine and normal. Although in his prayer, he did call me ‘beautiful’ which caught me off guard but then followed with ‘made in Your image.’

But as we got up to leave the room, he said ‘I want to be mindful of how much time I spend one on one with you as you’re a very attractive young lady.’
I laughed it off. But since that day, it has played on my mind a little. I don’t know if I’m overthinking it but I can’t help but feel a little off? I just wanted to know other people’s opinions on this…

I found out during our first scan a few days ago, that at nearly 8 weeks I’ve had a very early miscarriage. I’ve still been having symptoms and positive pregnancy tests, but turns out I’ve just been carrying around an empty sac for several weeks. We’ve been blessed with a wonderful son but have had years of infertility and fertility treatments following that, and we were finally hopeful and excited again.

I’m not normally someone who questions why God allows bad things to happen. I know we live in a fallen world and Christians aren’t immune to difficulties either. I know God isn’t cruel, but this whole situation is, and I can’t stop wondering why He allowed it to happen and why He allowed us to have this false hope.

There were a few occasions, despite me trying not to read into them too much, that I felt like God was showing me signs that this pregnancy would be fine. Obviously, now I realise He wasn’t, and I’m starting to wonder if I’ve ever really heard from God at all in my life, or if I have just been deluded. I’m not able to receive any comfort at the moment from Bible verses etc, cos I don’t know if it’s me just talking to myself if that makes sense. I normally read my Bible every day but I just don’t want to pick it up right now.

Thank you if you read this far.

There is no doubt in my mind right now that someone somewhere is doing their absolute very best to pass themselves off as an obnoxious christian for the sake of poisoning the religion reputation. I dare say some do it out of a motivation to prevent others from considering the faith and others are engaged because they know God is real Jesus is legit and they simply hate love and light . Culture and society are bizzare. God saves . May HE find you now if you are curious.

My main point is to sincere believers and honest followers , be careful and considerate. Not only might you be the only example someon else ever sees of Christ but judas can have really good camouflage. Some naysayers have intense commitment to their endoevour . Imagine The Father letting you exp this knowing that the enemy isnt going to distract such a person trying to distract and misalign you.

Its odd to consider but there are some out there who are intensely motivated to passive aggressively harm others while having a front row seat and never being suspected.

Hello,

I wanted to discuss something that does not get brought into with the whole “is Jesus God or not” debate. It’s His authority. Jesus had authority over weather (Matthew 8, Mark 4). Jesus had authority over the natural world (John 4, John 6, Matthew 14, Matthew 15, Mark 6, Mark 8), Jesus had authority over death (Matthew 9, Mark 5, John 11).   Jesus had authority over sickness (Too many passages to list). Jesus had authority over the Sabbath, something God implemented so only He could change. (Matthew 12, Mark 2, Luke 6). Jesus had authority over the Law (the very Law God gave). (Matthew 5-7, the sermon the mount, it finishes with this verse (verse 20), “He taught them as one who had authority, not as the scribes.” Jesus had authority over demons (Matthew 8, Mark 5, Luke 8). Jesus had authority over sin (Something only God has, even religious leaders say this) (Matthew 9, Mark 2, Luke 7) Jesus said he was greater than Jonah, greater than Solomon (Matthew 12, Luke 11), even greater than the temple (THE Temple that God wanted built and dwelt in) (Matthew 12). Angels & demons can’t do these things, some of them the religious leaders even mention only God had authority. So, what does that say of Jesus?

May God the Father bless you and enrich you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

I'll preface this by apologizing in advance that a lot of this has to do with me being a gay man. I understand you probably get an excessive amount of threads in Christian forums on this but this is a genuine struggle I have.

I grew up in a really Christian household, everything my dad said would tie back to God, we were read a good bit, and we tried to keep up with a community relatively well. I felt close I thought, but when I look back I really wasn't.

I was often overtaken by anxiety, stressed about everything, and hyperfocused on being good enough. Though I was a mess mentally, I held it together and maintained an outward appearance. That was until I got hit with all of my mental struggles at once, then shattered my families dreams of me giving them grandkids when I found out I was gay.

I drifted from God fast, and now I genuinely can't seem to follow him. The frustrating part is, no matter how many times I try to make excuses, I know, like always I'm the problem. I know deep down, I just don't want to be alone. I try to make bargains in my head "I'll date a man, then you can save both of us later" even though I clearly know that isn't how it works. I want to dress more feminine due to a lot of pain associated with the toxic masculinity I grew up with, but I use that as an excuse.

It's hard because I simultaneously want God, but also don't want him at the same time. I'm scared, but I know deep down I'm selfish. I never once thought I was a good person, but I want so badly to just get this little sliver of joy that I always seem denied that I admittedly resent God. I know the road back is hard, but I genuinely don't know where to start anymore. I feel isolated because my own family never handles it right, and only make me feel worse, though I fear I may deep down be the problem.

Anyways, I just want some advice. How do you deal with adversity? How did you deal with falling away from God? And to any gay people on here, how did yoynfind the courage to stay celibate, because I can't seem to find it.

Gad doesnt appear to be mentioned again after Hosea (and the 772 BC Assyrian Invasion).

Was Gad destroyed when the Tribe was carried away? There are no mentions of Gad among the survivors that fled to Judah, but that doesnt mean they didnt exist.

At first, I couldnt believe that God might destroy a tribe.

But then, I remembered that God once told Moses that He was going to destroy ALL of the tribes, and fulfill His promise through Moses.

God didnt do so, because Moses begged Him, not to.

Did God destroy Gad?

Or is there evidence that Gad survived?

On August 2020, I found out I was pregnant. I was excited, young, and naive, about to begin my second year of college. At the time, I was living in an off-campus apartment with my boyfriend. Excitedly, I told him the news, but I watched his face change from a smile to one of terror. He was an “oops” baby himself, born to parents who were both 15 and eventually broke up. He was afraid of the same thing happening to his child. Reluctantly, I drove to Planned Parenthood, scared and unsure, and made the decision to take the abortion pill. I was six weeks pregnant.

The rest of that experience is something I think I have blocked out of my memory.

The boyfriend I had trusted would later become physically and verbally abusive, and I would eventually cheat on him with a coworker. I dropped out of school, became bitter, and lost an unhealthy amount of weight. It would take six years for me to finally return to college and finish the degree I had put on hold. I also put my trust in Christ again after walking away in 2022.

But so much has changed since then. I have married a wonderful man, built a career, and returned to school. Now, we are hoping to have children of our own. Recently, with my sister being pregnant with a little boy, I have found myself triggered in ways I did not expect. It feels as though the grief I thought I had buried is rising to the surface all over again. My faith in Christ remains strong, and I know this is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life. But that does not mean it is easy. One of the hardest parts is feeling like there is no one who truly understands this particular kind of grief. I cannot turn to my ex, and my husband, God bless him, was not part of my story back then. He loves me and is part of the life I am building now, but he was not there for the chapter I am still learning to process.

Grief is hard. It comes in waves, often when we least expect it. And as a Christian, there is another layer to navigating the past: looking back at the decisions we made, the mistakes we believe we have committed, and the person we were at the time, while also learning to accept that Christ has forgiven us. I believe in His grace and forgiveness, but I am learning that forgiveness does not necessarily mean we will never grieve what happened.

I am writing this as a woman approaching 30, hoping that whoever reads these words will understand that they are not alone. Whatever your story looks like, whatever you have carried in silence, and whatever memories still bring you to tears, you are not the only one. I lost the only ultrasound photo I had of my baby. I called him Oliver, even though I never knew his gender. I still wish I could find that photograph. I wish I had something tangible to hold on to, something that connected me to that little life in a way words never could.

And even now, I am still learning how to make peace with my story. I grieve the choices I made and not recognizing the hold Satan had on me in this season of my life. but it's also important for myself to remember that nothing is by chance and Christ has crafted my testimony for me to share to others even though I still old so much shame and guilt for something that was done while I was abused.

I cannot change what happened on August 2020. But I can acknowledge the grief, bring it to Christ, and trust that His grace is still sufficient for me today. I can honor the woman I was then while continuing to grow into the woman I am becoming.

If you are carrying a similar story, I hope you know that you do not have to pretend it never happened just because you have found forgiveness, faith, love, or happiness since then. You can be grateful for the life you have now and still grieve the life you once imagined.

Both can be true.

Lately, I’ve been feeling the incredible urge to share the gospel with people that I meet while out and about in the city (I often deliver food through Ubereats) but the problem is, I have high functioning autism and often speak with a monotone/flat voice and limited facial expressions.

People may mistaken this as rudeness or boredom.

Does anyone have any practical tips for sharing the gospel while on the spectrum?

I am a baptized, born again, confessing Christian believer.

Today I went to a gathering with reformed Calvinist believers. I don't like putting labels on myself, I just believe whatever I find in the Bible. So they asked me when I am going to become an official member of their reformed church. I told them I have no intention of becoming official anything at any man-made organization. I simply believe in gathering with other believers in homes and house churches or wherever. I think church should look more like the 1st century church, if anything.

They asked me how can I take communion then? I said I simply take the wine/bread with other believers if it is offered to me in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ. They cited 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 and told me that I have a actual curse placed on me because I took communion without being an official member.

Has anybody else experienced this? I was honestly shocked and dumbfounded to hear this. The entire tone was like a police interrogation.

Here is the scripture:

"Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died."

EDIT: A few responses made some assumptions about this incident that are not correct. So I thought I would just clarify. I DID NOT actually take communion with them, and it wasn't inside one of their official church gatherings.

A group of those Calvinist friends from the same denominational church often get together for dinner, fellowship, and game night where they play card games or board games. They advertise these game nights on a What's app group. They previously added me to the group and said I am welcome to attend anytime. So I have been going just to enjoy the fellowship and light games.

We have NEVER taken communion together on a game night. But just on this occasion, they suddenly asked when I am going to become an official member of their denomination. I said I'm believe I belong to Christ and the body of Christ, so I have no intention of becoming permanent member of anything. They asked if I ever take communion anywhere else. I said, yes, sometimes I gather with other believers and they have communion so I take it. They said I have a curse on me because I am not official member and that I should become member of their denomination.

So no, I did not march into their church and demand to take communion as some have suggested.

1. Grew up in and out of Church

I had many family and friends that I did cherish.

1. Felt the call to preach at 18

To many people felt like they couldn't understand. And when I asked how can they tell me what to do? They've never been in my shoes nor could tell me why.

1. ran away from the Lord to join the army

   I joined Active Duty Army in 2015 as 11x infantryman Recruit, December of 2015 I graduated as 11B infantryman

I have been to Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Fort Lewis, Fort Drum was the last Active Duty base I was assigned to, Prior to being a U.S. Army Recruiter.

Units I have been assigned to: Echo/ 2-19INF(OSUT) 1-30th IN BN, 2-7 IN BN, 5-20 IN BN, 3-71 CAV, Southern Tier Recruiting Company.

I have been to 13 Countries: Germany, Poland, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Palau, South Korea. Ireland, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Bulgaria

I have been on one combat deployment: April 2022 to December 2022.

1. He allowed me to get horrible hurt( spiritually)

Durning this time frame I started swearing, drinking, watching porn, i developed pride( which is evil) among all types of things.

I was married when I was real young 21

\- This woman was very beautiful. And at first kind.

\- That woman hurt me, Hit me, would abuse me

\- She had multiple affairs and would not stop

\- she gave me multiple STDs while married

\-she even slept with my best friend that I served with for 3 years.

\- i was a broken man and my heart became hard.

\- when she finally left me I was so happy.

\- I stay because I thought it was a man was supposed to do. Married for life

\- I did things in secret that nobody knew. I hid alot of shame and sin

Second marriage-

I met a woman who had a daughter. I felt free and fell in love with being a Husband and Father.

\- many magical and wonderful memories.

\- I wanted to move mountains for her.

\- on deployment kept in contact went the extra mile.( I'd call every night not on patrol, I would get 4 hrs of sleep)

\- I did not talk about my abuse to my Second wife.

It was a fairytale marriage.

\- many moments of love and laughter and silliness.

\- after deployment my second wife slowly started doing things differently. Slowly stopped wanting sex, slowly stopped being emotionally open, even hated me.

\- she asked what happened and eventually I told her. My 1st wife would ask for space and go out and cheat on me. 2 weeks late my second wife asked for space and hated me for like 2 weeks.

\- Durning this time frame all the pain broke me

And all this doubt and anger, and confusion was so great i would lock up and go silent. Followed by out bursts of random questions. I truly loved her but I was always wrestling with all this. Day in and day out.

\- many moments of drinking where she would break things and she would talk about how everyone she has ever known would hurt her. I would say I'm not those men.

\- two events happen where I completely condem myself. A fight where we wrested for two seconds. And another fight where cops were called. I asked for a divorce that I didn't mean for but i was hurt.

\- I gave up drinking. But after a 2 weeks she asked if I could drink again. I trusted her and she drank with me. But I began drinking more as a need to calm this darkness.

\- I am doing everything to keep her happy, love notes, dates, shopping trips, family events

\- but she slowly hated it more and more

\- when she got pregnant she left....July,2023

July, 2023 my Life came crashing down and Forsaked all morales- But I did not Forsake God

I was so full of anger, pain, and years of abuse. I stopped caring about what was right or wrong. But I knew God existed. Like the story Job, however I wanted to fight and see the world burn for my pain.

I found a worldly man book, Psychology. And it was all about for men, saying do what you want, live how you want to live. After years of pretending to be a Christian- I thought I had found some real truth for once. The book had some faults but a few real truths.

1. you must speak with truth and get rid of false realities and live in the real world.

2. well i wanted to live for once and i didn't care about consequences or outcomes.

Who would judge me were my thoughts?

I Felt one day " something " said to get to church. A whisper to the soul.

I had nothing better to do with my life so decided to get to a catholic church. I felt spiritually dead and i didnt know the movements.

A Few days later I saw an ad on Facebook, When i was on social media. I saw a few college girls and I thought they were cute and they were singing at a Methodist church The Church Family there Showed me real genuine love and kindness. I felt so disturbed in their presence I felt my soul twist and coil under my own skin.

1. for all my faults, the Lord had put in my heart when someone shows me Love and kindness I would show them loyalty and love and respect them.

2. I remember the pastor talking about doubt : James 1 vs 6-8

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

I decided that I would choose me. Because I will from now on decide what's right for my life.

I never forgot their kindness.

I decided that I didn't want to drive all the way up (1hr one way)

. I met someone who dabbled in Witchcraft. I didn't believe in that nonsense. I just wanted to experience something New. Well She told me That a Light was chasing me and I would have to make a decision. I felt fear creep into me. I ran out of that place as fast as I could. something was chasing me

That immediate Sunday I went to a baptist church When I walked into that Church I felt a presence of Anger, Wrath and Judgement. Like it was Resting on my skin. I wanted to FIGHT this feeling

The Pastor also talked about: James 1 vs 6-8

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

He also added: Matthew 6:

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Brothers and Sisters I felt so ANGRY in my soul! I was Thinking How dare this man tell me what I should do?" I felt like a wolf in a cage and my cage had been kicked. I was not angry at the pastor nor the people....But who spoke through the Pastor.

I felt like a sledgehammer had hit my soul and I would be determined to fight against this thing that is following me. No one would tell me what I can or cannot do after all I lost. After the Pastor released us from service I would physically run away. And my soul would feel utterly exhausted after that.

But had pride then, I would not tolerate that so i would go back to fight. I thought I was a Christian and I could not describe what was happening to me. I have only been in Baptist churches til this point. So I went back to that church every wednesday and sunday.

Each week was the same thing. I felt I was getting beat up and spiritually exhausted.

Then Oct 15th, 2023 happened....

After months of fighting and resisting Him, I could not fight Him anymore. I didn't know who I was fighting, but I tried to fight Him.

On october fifteenth I was sitting at a church and a presence came upon me that felt like the entire world came crashing down on me all my sin:

Romans 1 : vs 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

I felt guilty....

In that moment, I felt words whisper into my heart, "Submit to Me"

It was the most powerful whisper you ever heard.

With that in my heart and all of that presence, I fell to the ground.

In my heart and mind I yelled

" I YIELD "

I set that for about ten minutes or so. It felt like an eternity.

But in that moment, I felt as though somebody came over and cut the chains off me, and I felt freed.

My eyes were open from that moment on, and my life has been completely and utterly changed, and so has my heart.

Luke 4 vs

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Who are the Poor?

These are people who have been brought down so low that they see no hope in life and accept that this is their place and fate in life. Whether this is in spirit, financial, physically or in any other way. The Gospel is a Light and Hope for those who are poor to see His Way up in this life.

Me: I was nothing. I was lying to myself saying I was nothing. I was abused for many years and it brought me down and made me feel insecure in my soul( always had to prove my worth) . I accepted that as a man I had to always FIGHT for my life. I had no concept of true peace in my own soul. (tons of energy though) But at the same time I would lie to myself that I was okay. . I barely had any hope...I had accepted that a man would be stuck in life and the sins that I naturally had. I had only false hope. He showed me the truth of myself and the Truth of Him.

What is Broken Hearted?

The Broken hearted are many people in this world. A broken hearted person can be: Somebody who has been abused all their life. somebody who loved someone with all their heart but that person left them alone. somebody who once trusted people and things but was betrayed and now can no longer trust. someone who once believed in true love but was hurt beyond all repair. Someone who was never heard in their life. Someone who has dealt with sickness and death all their life and life hasn't been fair to them( without understanding)

me: I had a broken Home growing up. My mother was abusive and my father stopped caring at one point and stopped trying. I was with someone for 5yrs who abused me, Hit me, cheated on me to a point and wished death on myself. Then that ended and I met someone and I fell deeply in love and even had a family. Then I was abandoned and had nothing.... I know what a broken heart is.

The Lord God will HEAL all of this. If you LOVE Him Back, He will repair your heart and remove ALL(even me) things so that your heart may heal.

What is a Captive?

A captive is someone who is: Bound in their sin( not free from sin-you can stop sinning), Who is physically bound( captured, bad relationship, etc) someone who has Years worth of mental barriers that have pride and are stubborn in their ways. Someone who is stuck in addictions( Smoking, drinking, lust, greed, pride, Sin...ETC). People who struggle with oppression: people and spirituality.( Bad toxic family, bad spouses, but those who struggle with depression and their own soul. feels like you are trapped in life and in your own skin.)

EX: I was a slave to sin: Zyn, Drinking,Fighting, lust, pride(lying is included), arrogance. Fear and insecurity, 26 years of abuse and trauma. I was a slave to my own natural desires.

What is recovery of sight for the blind?

Human Beings are spiritual beings. And We choose Christ and put our faith in Him. He free's us from our sin and we see the Father and Truth.

What is the "year of the Lord"

The Year of Jubilee, which came every 50 th year, was a year full of releasing people from their debts, releasing all slaves, and returning property to those who owned it (Leviticus 25:1-13).

Jesus came to show us the way, and to teach us how to Love, and pay the price of sin via His death and to lead us to remission of sins.

I felt free after that event but at that time i didn't know what had happened to me. I felt free and lighter than air. In that moment I gave up control of my life, my past, my future, my sin EVERYTHING.

Not even a week later I was about to commit a sin. and The Lord stopped me in my tracks. With the words" you'll lose tyler" it was like a cold anger had hit me. Needless to say I obeyed the voice my soul heard.

Later that Night i yelled in my home "I listned to you" . Show yourself to me. In that moment I FELT a FIRE entering the room and into my soul! A love so vast and so pure I started crying. I have never felt anything like this. and it began a process of burning sin out of my soul.

John 1 vs 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 1vs 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

John 1vs33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

Later that night i read

Romans 10 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

I understood what had happened to me. I had placed my all in Jesus Christ and put my whole trust in Him. I in a sense surrendered to Christ and all His power. Not in a sense that as a soldier surrendering to an enemy. But as someone in Love giving up control to the person you are in love with. Think marriage, or Children loving and trusting parents.

Deut 6 VS

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:

5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Mattew 22 VS

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

It's for love that you let go of sin, you let go of the world, you let go of satan. And for Love do you choose Christ.

since Oct 15th, 2023.

He freed me from sin

Healed my heart from years of abuse

Taught me how to love all

Taught me how to forgive ALL those who would hurt me( as if they never wronged me)

Taught me the real meaning of God's power

Taught me remission of sins

Restored my Mother and Fathers relationship to me.

He Healed my PTSD

He fought for me.

He answered my prayers.

He put His spirit in me

He taught me the way( Jesus showed us) Matthew 5,6,7( whole chapters)

Lessons He taught me:

The Why He pursued me

This was in November 2023 and I was feeling down I didn't deserve to go into heaven I would be happier just to simply be outside and hear Christ speak. All the things that I've done and to see and feel how he changed me how he walked with me. And I thought about the months leading up to October 15th of 2023 and when he spoke to me.

I asked him Lord why did you pursue me why did you fight with me what did you see in me that made you want to come after me when I was fighting you and I'm sorry that I didn't know it was you but I was fighting you.

I couldn't hear the words that he said but I felt the spirit in me move and my heart expanded and I felt pain and then I felt joy and then in a moment memories started flooding back to me but this time memories of somebody watching me on the outside.

If you've never read my testimony my family left me and at this time I was a Sergeant in the United states army. My heart was completely devastated because I loved my family greatly and even now do I have good memories of them. During that time frame I was not a good person. And a very typical day and routine with something like this.

I simply would try to cause as much pain I could invoke to anyone and everyone. My only motivation which was somewhat humorous but was literally to go to work and cause a dumpster fire. What does that mean I would fight and argue with higher ups though I would stand on good principles but I was relishing in the fact I wanted to fight. I would pick on those beneath me when I could but those I deployed with I didn't mistreat. And when there was real issues that arised I would take those just simply to fight people not because I cared about people.

When I would work out or go to events and saw fathers not even listening to their kids I would despise them I would hate them and I would think in my heart like you don't even deserve to have a family you can't even acknowledge your little kids who just want your presence and I would sit there and sulk and judge them.

That would go through a brief phases of simply wanting to do my own thing like good riddance my family hated me and then I'd go back to missing them because they were everything to me.

And then I would come home and this is where I would change. If I didn't play a video game or if I simply didn't have anything to do this is where silence creeped in. My home that I would love to run 2 to see two wonderful people were gone. My now ex-wife didn't even want to talk to me anymore. But I would try my best to honor her wishes.

In my living room on this on base army house. There was 2ft by 2ft Photo of me and my beautiful wife on our wedding day by a giant lake in the state of Washington.

I would turn a rocking chair around and I would look at her beautiful face and I will tell her my entire day and shared jokes that I've made and all the rough housing stuff that I have caused. I would tell her that she looked beautiful and I would say I I miss you dearly. Many of these conversations could last up towards to two to three hours depending on the night and when I would have to go to bed. Right after that I would ohh look at many videos of my beautiful stepchild who was only four years old the last time I saw her. And the many wonderful memories that we made and my heart would not only grow but would sink so low

I would put the phone down and then I would stare from the bedroom down the hallway laying in bed yearning hoping and pleading that I would see a bubbling 4 year old girl running down the hallway calling out as she usually does going daddy daddy daddy usually with something in her hand but most memories that I would hope to see she was carrying a tablet wanting me to see something.

And then I would brag down and I would cry out loud

God in heaven if you're there, I want you to know that I love this woman and this child so very much ohh how I miss them and I know that she hates me. But I pray that if she's with somebody right now that you make her feel loved and wanted and cherished like all the times I tried to do. Ohh I love her so much protect her, be with her, and never fall into any type of bad thing and if she's with a man then let them man love her as much as I've loved her.

And for my beautiful daughter Lord, I'm dying my heart can't take it I can't be there that for her. I pray that her soul it's never broken that you keep her together and that she only ever knows love even if she doesn't have me. I can't play with her I can't run with her. All of her toys are here all of the things that I have given are here. I pray that you give her as much toys and if she's being raised by somebody else that they play with their as lively as I did and see the light in this girl so she may only ever know love joy and happiness.

This was my prayer every night for many times even when I was a horrible person to everybody else.

The many memories that came flooding to my mind from the viewpoint of somebody outside of me somebody standing there while I was in the rocking chair somebody who watched me from the doorway when I was at work somebody who was floating nearby as I was judging other fathers from being a failure. Who was in my room watching me cry.

Then I heard this voice: It was quiet whispery but raspy but full of emotion love towards me, it was powerful with each word he said.

you love somebody who hates you, you love somebody who has hurt you deeply and deserves no mercy and deserves no kindness, you have blessed them you have shown them nothing but love even in your heart you have never said one bad thing about these two.

Just like how my son loves you.

I saw your love that you showed somebody. Just like how my son love all.

You must forgive others or He won't forgive you

How to forgive

My example: i was with someone who abused me for 5 years

By accepting that it happened.

I was married when I was real young 21

\- This woman was very beautiful. And at first kind.

\- That woman hurt me, Hit me, would abuse me

\- She had multiple affairs and would not stop

\- she gave me multiple STDs while married

\-she even slept with my best friend that I served with for 3 years.

\- i was a broken man and my heart became hard.

\- when she finally left me I was so happy.

\- I stay because I thought it was a man was supposed to do. Married for life

\- I did things in secret that nobody knew. I hid alot of shame and sin

By stating what happened and or Sin against you

I laid out everything this person did to me. Said every hard fact that had happed

And forgive them( remove it from the heart) as if they never wronged you before

So i would state what would happen, then from the heart, let it go as if they never had never done this.

Like the way our Father forgives us

He forgives us as if we never done the sin,

You will have to go into the wilderness:

A moment of separation that God will spend time with you, walking with you hand in hand.( i felt like a child holding my Father's hand could be a few days or weeks. But you will know His Voice, and His Ways. Endure this with Him.

He did it with the Hebrews, with Moses, with the Prophets, with Jesus and the Apostles and Disciples

Born again:

You let go of your identity, your attachments\*spiritually\*( family, work, sins, and put all your love on God) if you let go of all things that made you this identity.... Born Again.

He will raise you up as His Son.

My born Again:

In December of 2023 I was sitting in my bed praying doing a lot of fasting the lights were turned off Except for a few Lights on in the hallway there was barely a light in my bedroom. As I was sitting there praying with my heart out open and experiencing and feeling anything, I felt like a wind had come into the room

I felt a quiet whisper from within me

“Be still know I am God”

At the foot of my bed there was a space between the wall and my bed and what felt like from my heart and being, but my eyes couldn't see it felt like a rushing river of energy moving at an incredible speed in front of me

As I focused in on with my heart and being in mind it felt like as if somebody was standing with their back towards me and that their hands were moving very fast placing things all around. And that this presence was growing increasingly where I could feel an outline of somebody, I had known standing in the room, but your eyes cannot see them but your heart can

Suddenly, a quiet whisper that was by my left ear, but also from within me said this

“Call Him Father”

So, I quietly said, father?

I was 26 years old at the time, But I felt like a 5 year old speaking to someone.

After I had said father, I felt the entire room and my being called calm and quiet and that rushing energy that I was feeling was now at a standstill.

But I felt somebody slowly turn around and two eyes were staring at me with so much energy, love and compassion. Like a father who had stopped what they're doing for their very young son. He didn't say anything, but he just stared but I could feel happiness and calmness

All I could say with all of this love that I feel was simply this:

“Thank you for loving me in all that you have done for me”

I felt his eyes slowly turn back around with his back towards me with all of this energy beginning to move around and slowly his presence drifted away. I have never been in so much tears of joy before but I was crying with so much love and happiness that I belong

Romans 8:14-17

\[14\]For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

\[15\]For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

\[16\]The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

\[17\]And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Faith:

Faith is another form of trust. If someone earns your Trust, in a sense you have Faith in that person. And you love/trust them.

Ex: my daughter believed that I could do anything. If I asked her to do something she would say so happy \*ok daddy\* samething with my wife. I take the same faith my daughter had on me and give the same faith to God, like my daughter did to me

Faith produces works

If I love someone(trust/faith) I want to show my appreciation that I love them. So if Christ gives me all this love and softly asks show others love and kindness. Well im gonna do it because I love Him!

Sin is an infection. Like a cancer that grows fast and out of control. Believing Christ can take away your sins. Stops and cleans you out.

Temptation:( to overcome sin)

This will happen in a few ways: Recognize these signs

Demonic: comes in a form of outside pressure. This can be used as social media and things that are a like. But it can be almost physical.

From the mind/eyes

If a thought has passed through your mind and you hold onto it. This can lead you to you a sin.

Ex: you see someone you desire or an item that you want. It can consume your mind if you dont throw your thought away. It will lead to your heart and then a struggle to act or not act on it will happen. Throw it from your mind.

From the heart:

This arises from the heart. It's a passionate/strong feeling. Most people try the stuff it back down approach. But it feels like almost an all consuming pressure out and to be acted on.

James 4

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble.”

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you

Open up your heart, let go of that desire. call out to God to save you. And hold on to His strength

He will help you overcome your temptation so that you may not fall

"Your weakness is His greatest strength"

Repentance:

Is from the Heart, if you lied to someone you love. The Guilt eats at your Heart( if you love them) and you feel sorrow and sadness and anger building up from the heart.

You then confess either to the Person you wronged or God. And admit the wrong you did and for Love you want to change and let go.

Ex: Have you seen a people who were drug addicts or alcoholics, who for love of someone children, spouse, anyone. And let go of that sin for someone or something. And never Go back to it.

\- Put all your love into God.

Repentance (continued)

If you love someone and you realized that you hurt them( like a sin against God)

You admit you wronged God( sin)

God is the God of truth so you must admit that you wronged Him and why.

You then from the sorrow in your heart(repentance)

You say in your heart i don't want to do that again to Hurt God( forsake)

And ask God to Forgive you so that you don't have to do that again

Christ died that our sins may be in remission and cleaned so that we may know our Father

In December of 2023( How He taught me to let Go of my Pride)

I was being tempted to go sleep with someone. I had gotten rid of all temptations that I had. But this was a presence and pressure outside me trying to push in.

I was spiritually holding up my own shield and resisting but I was getting tired.

Suddenly, I saw the words in my mind starting to glow.

" you weakness is my greatest strength"

And I let go of my shield and from my heart said " i dont have to strength to stop this sin, I won't fight it, I trust you Lord to what you want"

The moment I let Go. Imagine if someone was behind you and the moment you let go of your shield. Someone else put a shield in front of you. Defending you while you just stand there.

That moment I was Defend from lust and my pride was entirely let go. I let Him defend me.

How to be saved?

Believeing that Christ can take away your sins.(save you from your sins)If you had a knife in your side labeled lust, ( insert all other sins Homosexualality, lying, pride...etc) believing that Christ can take that knife from you. He will pull it out form you( asking you do you believe i can)And never have to feel it again( Because He has taken it from you)

Saved by His grace:

Have you been in love with someone who you felt you didn't deserve. They build you up and look at you with a smile and say I don't care about your past. I didn't deserve His Love, all He said was dont keep on doing what you did before me.

Holy Ghost/ Spirit

A fire that comes down and makes you one with the Father and teaches and Shows you who the Father is.

The Bible will come to life( read old and new)

Burns out sin in your Heart

You will know your Spiritual Gift/Gifts

You will be empowered to walk and shine with His Light.

Choices and Disciples

You can trust Him and live His way, family, everything, being clean of sin

Or

You can chose to forsake it all and follow Christ

And become His Disciple love only Him.

If you have fallen back into sin, cut out the world and go into seperation/wilderness and let go of your sin once again and come back.

Father and Son

The God of the old Testament and Jesus Christ are the very same. Like Father like Son

The Father said and did it. The son confirmed it

Embrace reading His Word with Child like faith. My Daughter believed that I could fix anything and do anything. Do that with yourself but with God and His Word.

Don't embrace any denomination, but ask questions. If a pastor or priest saids you can't be free from sin, or asks you for money. Be weary and cautious. Jesus even said truth freely received, freely give out. If a church talks about tithing( old Testament they priests had to be given food, supplies, because they maintained the temples/synagogues 24/7) remember that you give to those in need or when the Lord puts on your heart to give to someone. The Church is the people( His Spirit in us) not a building.

On denominations: we should be one in one spirit, and all part of the Christ. One church group will Be all about God's Love and showing it, one church will be about God's spiritual gifts, one church will have zeal to go out to talk to you, others will have the strength to stand up to evil(with meekness), others will let you confess and hold your trust.

But we have all been divided by saying" I'm a catholic, I'm a Protestant, I'm a Baptist, I'm insert other things.

How to pray:

My Father who is in heaven

Holy and loving is your name

Your kingdom has come

Your will be done( humble your self and let go of your will)

On earth as it is in heaven

Give me today my daily bread, both from word( bible) and food for my body.

Forgive me of my sins( confess and forsake)

As i Forgive others( those who sinned against you-forgive them)

Lead me not into temptation( for we know He won't)

But deliver me from the evil one and sin

For this is all your kingdom, and the power and glory( humble)

\*learn this\* He will also teach you to talk with Him

Keep the Commandments( yes you can keep them) if you LOVE Him

If you love God ( ten marriage promises)

You won't worship any other God

You won't be be addicted nor follow idols( made by any hand) nor any images or statues( like good luck charms or dream catchers)

You wont take his name in vain

You will honor His Sabbath ( intent not legalistic)

If you love you neighbor:

You would bring Honor to you parents (not pride)

You wont lie

You wont covant anything ( the lord provides all things)

You wont kill anyone

You wont steal

You wont sleep with anyone who is not your spouse( no lust in your heart)

The Law of Moses was done away with. As it supported the 10 commands of God. But now the Gift of Him is to the whole world.

If you love God then you won't have:

Lust, pride, gluttony, lieing or any those sins and all sins.

You can be Free from Sin( forgiveness/remission of sins) if forgive you of $30,000 debt.. why would you go back into debt.

You will Hear and know God.

Traits of the Father:

Meek, kind, loving, daring, Forgiveing, Bondage breaker( to include Sin) husband like, lively, firm defender, caring, encouraging. Long suffering but does have a limit. (Against all forms of Pride)Teacher, Father, will be with you. He will do things to prove His love. He wants your Love. He does not like seeing death.

Lucifer( satan)

He does not want you to be free:

Tricks and tactics: He is the lawyer against you. pride, manipulation(any and all), will pressure you to break. controlling, saying you can't, just keep sinning. Will lie, will use other people, arrogance, live and let live. You can't change. You're too weak. Trap you in long promises or oaths. You're only Human. He will try to stop you from being free.( until you fully give your all to God and He won't allowed you to be touched by the Devil)

Sidenote\* Lucifer can't make you do anything. But only convince you to do something. You willfully decide to fall.

Miracles i have seen:

Feeling His voice which stopped me from sinning

Durning the month of December: I was heart broken because I can feel everything and everyones heart. I called out to God to come down and comfort me I was crying for hours til this point. I was sobbing on the Ground. I felt two feet by my head. And as if someone had bent over and whispered so softly " Here am I, Tyler" my heart skipped a beat and I completely cried even harder due to Him showing up!

He protected me from a Gang of men. Two street preachers caused a scene and I intervened. I told them that if they want to hurt me they can. I will only love and forgive. But they went from wanting to kill me to shaking my hand.and giving me a Hug.

I drove 800 miles with a broken wheel bearing it can slide off and could not go faster than 35 miles per hour.

With Him saying keeping going you'll be safe.

He stopped satan from bothering/attacking me directly.

He has given me people who i consider family. I make everyone my family.

I had a friend who was in a motorcycle accident. He was in a coma, and brain swelling. I was devastated because I cared about very much( like a brother) I called out to God and asked Him, Heal him so that he can tell the world you did it. Within 3 hrs he was a wake and no swelling or anything. I told him I prayed for you and God answered. He(friend) posted on Facebook how God healed him!

For His love: I give up this life. I gave up my sin, I let go of my career in the Army. I let go of my retirement. I let go of va disability( healed)I let go of my inheritance. I give it all up, I give up self defense. I will love and forgive and tell the truth. I will be an example to you all to see hope, faith and truth. I will pick up my cross and follow Christ.

I will be the light in the dark, to glorify my father. to show others the way. To walk in the Spirit and Remission of sin.

So let me ask you all of this

Are you ready to Ignite?

Are you ready to be the Light in the Dark?

Are you Ready to be Free and Show others the Way?

Are you willing to let go of everything for Christ?

If you go to God in prayer and say it from the Heart, not the mind nor lips. But from the very center of you.

I believe with all my heart, soul and mind. That Jesus Christ is the son of God can Set me Free from sin, that He is the way, the truth and the life. I will let go of my Sin, My Life, My Future and control of everything. I will love Him with all my Heart and will Keep His teachings. I will Love Him and Trust Him. I repent and willingly let go of all my sin and place my heart in your Hands.

Hi all. First time poster in this group.

Pray for enemies, takes away your bitterness.
Currently I am living in the camp of I cannot rid this person(s) from my life. But I have such a distaste for them. When I am not around them I am fine. When they are in my company, I am made to feel small. Sometimes I feel their words are direct attacks, and when I do stand up for myself, they play dumb and the victim. I never want to claim victim on myself because I am not, but I just want to be able to be unbothered and strong in this persons presence.

I am Christian curious. Raised catholic, abandoned that but always remained believing in God, but didn’t practice. Now I am in the camp of if I practice I will be lighter. How do I give my control away? How do I let go and co exist with an extended family member who I have no desire to love. I say this because I’m tried on many occasions to clear the air, and it’s seemingly cleared then like clock work, yet another boundary is crossed, gossip is spread, she is confronted and then she is the victim and I’m the bad person who said something…
I’m probably on the wrong side of TikTok, but the way it seems is as a Christian you can’t dislike someone who constantly disrespects you… you only wish them well. I don’t wish bad. I simply am just existing with them in my orbit when they come to close I am angry.
I don’t know how to release. Truly I don’t know where to start or how to operate in a higher vibration of when i constantly feel low in their presence.
I am looking for guidance, bible versus, how you overcame something similar. Wisdom.

The “word of God” is probably the most commonly given title to the Bible by Christians. It’s an expression rich in meaning and is also the title given to the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, God the Son. For Jesus Christ became flesh for our salvation, and “the name which He is called is The Word of God” (Rev 19:13; cf. Jn 1:14).

The word of God is Scripture. The Word of God is Jesus. God’s written word and His eternal Word. The close association between the two has always been an intentional custom of Christianity from its beginnings in the First Century. To quote the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “All Sacred Scripture is but one book, and this one book is Christ, ‘because all divine Scripture is fulfilled in Christ” (CCC 134). This does not, however, mean that the Scriptures are divine in the same way that Jesus is divine. Rather, they are divinely inspired and, as such, unique among all literature, just as the Incarnation of the eternal Word is unique in our human history.

The inspired word does resemble the incarnate Word in several important ways, though. Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate. In His humanity, He is like us in all things, except for sin. As a work of man, the Bible is like any other book, except without error. Both Christ and Scripture are given to us by God “for the sake of our salvation” (Dei Verbum 11), and both give us God’s definitive revelation of Himself. We cannot, therefore, conceive of one without the other: the Bible without Jesus, or Jesus without the Bible. Each is the key to the other. And, because Christ is the subject of all Scriptures, it is as St. Jerome insists, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ” (CCC 133).

When we approach the Bible, then, we approach Jesus, the Word of God; in order to encounter Jesus, we ought to approach Him in a prayerful study of the inspired word of God, the Sacred Scriptures. We speak to our Lord through prayer and He responds through His Word.

I say this as someone who has experienced both sides. years ago I used to be extremely well off. id give financially where ever needed because it didnt' matter and I had the resources. fast forward years later, I'm facing difficult times and I realized something pretty insane. The people that would mostly help me financially were non christians. churches wouldn't do it, old pastor wouldn't even do it . to this day I still make sure even if its 1$ I can give, I give it. I believe if you have the resources , then it's something you do, but ive always been someone to sacrifice a lot not even just financially. I dont see this just with myself.there was a christian cafe in a town near me. they were pleading for financial help. the city bylaws stated they had to build extra space for how many people they could have in the cafe. beautiful family. very nice people as ive been there , christian centred cafe. unfortunately they weren't able to acquire the funds and lost the cafe they spent so much time and effort building. my one thought is. there wasn't a church that could put anything together? mind you there are mega churches where im from. im venting but somethings frustrating me today. not only for myself but for people like the cafe owners. is it greed ? I dont know but honestly we gotta do better sometimes.

I’ve been a Christian for about a year now, so I’m still a baby Christian and have a lot to learn. Please be kind, as I’m still trying to understand many things.

Lately, I’ve been feeling really sad. I’ve always seen Jesus as our Savior, our King. I’ve felt His love and seen how deeply He loves us.

But recently, I’ve been feeling this overwhelming sadness about everything He had to endure. Obviously, I know how He died, but I’ve also been thinking about the anger and sadness He must have experienced, especially toward the end of His life. We often picture Jesus as always happy and peaceful, but He was human too. He experienced emotions, including anger and sorrow.

I know that everything happened according to God’s will and that there was a purpose behind it all. Still, I feel so much pain when I think about what Jesus went through that I sometimes break down crying. I feel silly for being so heartbroken, because I know He is God. I sometimes wonder if my sadness even makes sense.

I’ve always thought about how much I’d love to receive a hug from Jesus, but lately, all I want is to hug Him myself, as if I wanted to comfort Him and reassure Him that He is loved, the way you would when someone is hurting.
Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes as I write this.

I don’t fully understand why I’m feeling this way, but I love Jesus so much. He saves me every single day. I’ve struggled with depression in the past, and my faith has helped me through so much.

I don’t want to die anymore, unlike the times when I used to feel that way. However, a part of me still longs for the day when I’ll be in Heaven with Him. This world can feel so cruel and heartbreaking, and sometimes I catch myself thinking that I’ll finally be truly happy when I’m with God in Heaven.
I’m scared of falling back into depression, and I think part of that fear comes from feeling like this world is so painful that I would be better off somewhere else, with Him.
I know we are meant to live our lives here, and I want to be able to experience happiness and appreciate the life God has given me. But sometimes, this longing to be with Him makes it difficult for me to feel completely happy in the present.

I don’t know if any of this makes sense, and I’m not sure why I’m feeling things so intensely. Has anyone else ever experienced something similar? Is it normal to feel this much sorrow when thinking about what Jesus went through?

I’m not looking for judgment, just a little understanding and guidance from fellow Christians ❤️

I've loved music all my life to the point it's kinda become an escape from reality for me, but over the course of this year I've tried to get closer to God and one thing I've noticed is how much I almost worship music. Since the last two months, I've been dealing with ear pain, faint ringing and almost muffled hearing and that kind of forced me to put down the headphones for a while, as it would cause me pain and make it worse. Now obviously, I'm not stupid. I know all of these things are a result of my irresponsible listening habits, like playing music at extremely high volumes, and other things like that. I've been praying that God would heal my ears so I can enjoy listening to music again, but is it possible God is teaching me to only rely on him instead of music? Or do I just need to turn down the volume?

Lately in books, TV, magazines, online I see, watch and hear descriptions of what makes a man. I see images of men in suits, beards with images of power and wealth. Some of it I laugh at others have sound advice while others I’m like huh? Women when seeking a man have a list taller than me. But what does God say about being a man?

Let‘s take a look at the greatest man in history. Jesus Christ. He came not as a prince, a noble. No. The Son of God came as a lowborn, the stepson of a carpenter. A blue collar worker. He came to serve. And He demonstrated that service by dying for our sins. So what makes a good man?:

Service and Sacrifice

I drive a lifted 4x4 truck, love to BBQ, love to hunt, hike all over the mountains cowboy camping style, drive a tractor at my job. But do those things make me a man. No! As in the words of Pastor Joby Martin ”they make me awesome.” What makes me a man is that I bend my knee to the cross and call Jesus my Savior. What makes a man is someone who puts family ahead of their own desires. That he sacrifices his wants for the betterment of his family. Sacrifice is a form of service.

1 Timothy 5:8 says:

”Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Paul states also in 1 Corinthians 13:11:

”When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”

A Biblical man sacrifices for his family and in turn serves the Lord by demonstrating God’s love. He serves as the spiritual leader of the house. Thus also serving his wife by providing and protecting for her. Her needs become his priority. He serves by sharing the Gospel. He is patient and loving and slow to anger. He also if possible serves in His church.

The things of this world are fleeting. Looks fade, wealth can disappear at a snap of a finger, health can deteriorate. In Job 1:21:

”The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

Are you a Biblical Man? Are you focused on serving the Lord or are the things of this world your priority? Are you sacrificing for your family providing for them? Are you serving your wife by providing for her. I pray that you are.

Amen

Looking for any people who can relate, or just anyone wanting to hear a journey.

The past couple years I have grown closer to christ, trying to follow Him and renew my mind. And in many ways have come to recognize my sin, turn from some, and grow in love for those around me. Along this path, there have been many thorns, many temptations, many trials, to which I have endured. Some better than others. But still, from my perspective, much struggle and growth.

Now, when I had hope things would get better, even when they got worse... they keep getting worse. Now, to where I have been diagnosed with stage 2 cancer, in my mouth and neck. Requiring part of my tongue to be removed and reconstructed, neck dissection, and to come much radiation treatment. Honestly, that one felt like a real jab. These things falling on me in my life, back to back. Worse and worse. The more i hope and trust, it seems the worse everything gets. It sometimes, to me, even feels like God is trying to push me away. And I know many will say that's the devil, and maybe it is. But either way, God permits all things, though he may not cause them... no? Just as He did with Job. And Job was more righteous than I could even claim to ever have been, and received worse.

But still, even when I got angry with God... I honestly, cannot argue. He has blessed me in my life. I have grown up with a great family, beautiful wife, 2 awesome kids (Just had a newborn son, same month i found out i had cancer). Amazing parents (Which these days seems rare.) I have fallen in and out of opportunities all my life, usually at great timing. But the past 2-3 years have felt like straight financial and physical attacks. Ironically, the years I have grown closer to seeking God.

I am both bitter and grateful to God. Bitter that my life feels like an intentional struggle, where someone is constantly trying to trip me up and mess with my mind. Grateful, that despite that, I had just enough in the right places to overcome that.

I have been studying the word of God more intensively this year after a cold season of faith. 2 years ago i attended a small church. Started playing drums for the worship team. Got inspired by the worship team leader to study the word more. There is an incident that happened that i got accused of without any evidence by the pastor themselves. Of course it made a dent to the relationship and i don’t know if it affected my judgment. There is nothing substantial anymore from their preaching it is obviously chat gpt.

The question is do i start looking for new church? Or do i stay to try make sense of what God’a plan is for us?

hello everyone! i’m writing to see if anyone can help me understand why i feel this way and anything to help so here i go

the past couple of years ive found my way back to God. i started reading my bible recently i pray every morning etc etc but sometimes when i think about God or i see social media post about God it starts to become compulsive thinking. for example i recently just graduated college and it’s been really hard for me to find a job and kinda a life outside of college and it’s been making me feel incomplete. but my brain will say things like all you need is God you don’t need to think about things like that and it makes me start to feel bad because “i shouldn’t want anything more than him”. i can sometimes differentiate the conviction vs these compulsive thoughts but does anyone else feel this way??

Baby Christian here. I feel like I have to provide background so all can understand my walk.

As a kid I grew up Jehovah Witness, I know, so imagine my walk as an adult trying to reconcile my fathers abandonment and a TRUE walk with God.

As a young adult I dabbled in the white stuff, so when I stopped, anxiety and depression went through the roof.

To help with sleep I picked up the alcohol which at that point I was not living a good life, even if I did pray a lot for the help. I know God had his hand in my getting out of the throws of depression and anxiety but I never stopped drinking. I just stopped drinking AS much.

Recently I have tried to completely cut it out, slowly, because the enemy had made sure early on in my young life to let me know how bad alcohol withdrawals are. I now only drink past 6-7pm and go to sleep around 8:30.

I have asked God to take it away from me, to change the posture of my heart. I listen to the bible a few times a week, most of what I listen to these days is Christian music and Christian content only.

Here is where my problem lies, and I can't tell if this has been some form of sleep paralysis because it's not the scary kind. I flop from having nightmares where I start praying for / or rebuking someone to when I do go to sleep sober-ish, I experience some sort of sleep paralysis where I am sleeping in whatever position I am in but I'm also experiencing stuff happening around me or it's like I'm still with my eyes open but when I try to move I can't. This is the reason why I don't like to nap during the day cause I notice it happens more then. But its always something weird.

As an example last night I went to bed around 8:40, woke up at 1:40 (I understand this could also be the effects of the cortisol spike/sugar drop from the intake) after a dream where my young daughter started saying some harsh words she would never say to me, so I start praying in my dream and once I start, I wake up. Of course I wake up start praying and can't go back to sleep til about 5 ish, but after 4 attempts of falling asleep with the same half-asleep / can't move but for some reason its like I'm staring out into the ceiling / at my dresser (depending on how I try to fall asleep) and I'm hearing random noises, feel like I'm stuck, so when I finally break through, I get up with this jolt, and re-attempt to fall asleep.

Can't even tell if it's spiritual at this point or a result of my bad habits but I'm constantly in this loop of wanting to stop, but fearing for this issue when going to sleep.

I want to walk in the path of Jesus Christ, I know the flesh is weak and I know the time is near. I want advice from a Christian perspective, I don't want these chains and have prayed for this countless of times. My family lines on both sides have heavily seeded drug addiction problems and I believe chains are involved, not blaming it but if it's something I can prevent my children from also experiencing I'd love a prayer to help with that too.

TLDR: I have a habit of drinking before bed to aid with sleeping, sleeping sober doesn't help and I get forms of sleep paralysis. Looking for insight, prayers, anything.

I've been casually watching shows and videos on it for the past few years. Vloggers, pastors, etc. It's brought the Old Testament stories to life in many new ways for me. Like mind blowing ways. I have been kind of on the journey by myself. Most people around me have no idea what I am talking about.

So it's been exciting. And I was curious if other Christians have done this. I don't hear a ton about it all but it's super valuable to me, I imagine anyone else who as ventured dowk this road has found something similarly valuable too.

I start watching the documentary, "The Stones Cry Out" by Dinesh D'souza. It is like an awesome summary of everything I have picked up a long the way. Place after place. Person after person. Story after story. Seeing his take only solidified why ancient rocks and dirt became so interesting.

Granted, it's intensely packed full of facts and Old Testament references. I only became familiar with much of it through reading the Old Testament, and through all of the people I have watched speak in them (while being at the places).

It's just been exciting to see. Thought I would share and see what other peoples' experiences are.

Today I had a lustful dream. I hate those kind of dreams because I can guarantee that same day, I'm gonna fall into lust. So I wake up, almost the whole day I was praying to God to not let me do it and to take those thoughts away from me. I came home and prayed over my house and rebuked all evil in the name of Jesus. So now, i was planning to go somewhere but last secound they decided that there wasn't enough space for me in the car. Oh well, it happens, I can't do nothing about it. 5 minutes later, I get a call and they say they decided to take a second car and that I can come with them. Jesus didn't let me be home alone and fall into sin. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!