a_disciple
Journeyman
When I read the different topics and posts in this forum, I see people who say they are Christians. Some say that they believe in God, but not the God of the bible.
Who is Christ and what is a Christian? Is the God of the bible God? I know there are a lot of people out there asking these questions and I will with this post tell my story and how and why I became a Christian. I am no theologian nor a scholar. So this is not some theological stuff, only my personal story and experience with God.
WHO AM I?
I am a 28 years old faroese guy who at the moment is in Denmark attending a bible school. Even I am a Christian, I like to play computer games. The genre I like best is strategy games. When it comes to that, the best strategy game I can play is Civilization.
Now you know who I am, then I can continue with my story.
MY STORY
When I was 18 years old I started - like most of us humans do - to seek a higher meaning with my life. I was raised in a so called "Christian Home". My parents said they were Christians, but did seldom attend the church. When they did, it was only when there was somebody in the family that would baptize their child, or it was when somebody should be confirmed. They thought me to pray the Lord's prayer, but seldom talked to me about why I should pray the prayer or who Jesus was. When I asked questions about Jesus or God, they were embarrest about it and would rather hush me, if I asked question that they could not answer. This is what a Christian is for many people. They believe in a higher power and hope that this higher power will take them to Heaven one day and that you just don't talk about God.
When I started my seek at the age of 18, I started to read the bible, because that was the most natural thing to do when your parents said they were Christians and the most of your other family said the same. I read through the New Testament, from the beginning to the end, - I think - seven times or so. I read about Jesus, His disciples, the first 'Christians' (I will talk about this later) and the letters that Paul, Jacob, Peter, John and Jude wrote. And of course the Revelation (this was the most interesting book - I thought at that time). Then I started to go to different churches (most Lutheran), but I just couldn't find churches where they were practicing all the things I read about in the bible (such as prayer for the sick, casting out demons, speaking in tongues etc.). I was disapointed. Was the bible only a fraud was it all a lie? So I stopped going to these different churches and started to seek God through other things. I started to experiment with meditation, I read new-age books and started to believe that I could experience a whole new reality. Such as, Out of Body experiences, and that I could use magic! But I just could not find any peace in these things. I thought I could find answers but I only found more questions. Anyways I continued to practice these things more and more, until I had a nightmare one night.
I knew this would become a long post. But I hope you will continue to read anyways.
MY NIGHTMARE
I dreamed that I was running all that I could and something terrible was following me - I could feel it come closer and closer. Around me all was darkness and there was a terrible sence of fear and evil in the darkness. I ran and ran until I just couldn't run more because I was exhausted, but I knew if I stopped, this thing which followed me would catch me, but I just couldn't run more so I had to stop and I was terrified. But the strange thing was, when I stopped the thing following me did also stop. I could feel the breath from it in my neck, but it did not touch me. I knew if I turned around I would see into the eyes of something I did not knew what was. I stood for some time just waiting - I do not know for how long - and this beast or thing did not do anything to me. Why it did not touch me - I still today don't know. Anyways I decided to look behind me because it seemed it didn't hurt me. When I looked, I saw into the eyes of such an evil I can not explain. I could feel how fear, terror and evil came towards me. I screamed. Turned around to start to run again. Right infront of me I saw another thing of some kind. This thing was a white ghost like creature, just as terrifying as the one behind me. I was trapped. In my distress and fear I cried on the top of my voice: "God if you exist then save me!" As I shouted these words it was like a lightning of some kind that came from above and all the darkness with the creatures disappeared. I was bathed in light and I felt such a peace... Then I woke up. I was back in my old room. But now I felt such a joy and peace I never had felt before. I knew I had an encounter with God.
At this time I was a student in a business school but we had autum vacation (this is a one week vacation we have in the Faroes just at the beginning of autum). One of my best friends was not a Christian before this vacation. While the vacation was going on he attended some meetings at a Charismatic church where he made a desicion to follow Christ.
When we started the school again after the autum vacation I saw that something had happened to him. I asked him what it was, and he told me his story. Then he asked me if I would come with him to the next meeting on Saturday, so I could see and experience his church. I had my thougts. Another church where I could not find anything of the things the bible talked about. But he was my best friend so I accepted his invitation. How wrong I was. The first meeting I was attending I did not make any desicion, but I could feel a different atmosphere in this church. They were singing differently then in the other churches I had visited and I even thought I heard someone pray in a strange language. I thought for myself, could this be real? Is this really a church that is doing some of the stuff I had read about in the bible? Could the bible be real about these things? The meeting ended. But somehow I did go again to this church with my friend. Anyways it all ended with that I offically acknowledged Christ as the Son of God and became a Christian. At that time I was 20 years of age.
WHY AM I SHARING THIS WITH YOU?
Now 8 years later I have seen and experienced all I read about in the bible. I myself is speaking in tongues, I have seen a man be delivered from a demon, I have experienced God's healing power on my own body and have seen 100's of people getting healed by the power of God, all from pain in the back to people letting go off the crouches, and walk as nothing was wrong. And I have found a meaning with my life.
I am sharing this with you, so that - mabey - I can help some of your guys out there in your seeking for God and answer some of your questions. I will answer as good as I can, and I will tell, if I can not answer your questions. You know what - I am still on my own journey. There is still alot for me to learn when it comes to God and His greatness. But I have chosen to follow my Master and Teacher, Jesus Christ, because He loved me first, even when I was rebellious against Him. He loved me so much that He choosed to walk the path of suffering and death for my sake, so I could be free from it. But the really good news is, that He not only died, but He rose again and is alive today sitting at His Father's throne in Heaven, but is with me and all the others who love Him, by His Holy Spirit.
Thank you for reading this long - very, very long - post. May my God bless you all.
Hallur (this is my real name)
Who is Christ and what is a Christian? Is the God of the bible God? I know there are a lot of people out there asking these questions and I will with this post tell my story and how and why I became a Christian. I am no theologian nor a scholar. So this is not some theological stuff, only my personal story and experience with God.
WHO AM I?
I am a 28 years old faroese guy who at the moment is in Denmark attending a bible school. Even I am a Christian, I like to play computer games. The genre I like best is strategy games. When it comes to that, the best strategy game I can play is Civilization.
Now you know who I am, then I can continue with my story.MY STORY
When I was 18 years old I started - like most of us humans do - to seek a higher meaning with my life. I was raised in a so called "Christian Home". My parents said they were Christians, but did seldom attend the church. When they did, it was only when there was somebody in the family that would baptize their child, or it was when somebody should be confirmed. They thought me to pray the Lord's prayer, but seldom talked to me about why I should pray the prayer or who Jesus was. When I asked questions about Jesus or God, they were embarrest about it and would rather hush me, if I asked question that they could not answer. This is what a Christian is for many people. They believe in a higher power and hope that this higher power will take them to Heaven one day and that you just don't talk about God.
When I started my seek at the age of 18, I started to read the bible, because that was the most natural thing to do when your parents said they were Christians and the most of your other family said the same. I read through the New Testament, from the beginning to the end, - I think - seven times or so. I read about Jesus, His disciples, the first 'Christians' (I will talk about this later) and the letters that Paul, Jacob, Peter, John and Jude wrote. And of course the Revelation (this was the most interesting book - I thought at that time
). Then I started to go to different churches (most Lutheran), but I just couldn't find churches where they were practicing all the things I read about in the bible (such as prayer for the sick, casting out demons, speaking in tongues etc.). I was disapointed. Was the bible only a fraud was it all a lie? So I stopped going to these different churches and started to seek God through other things. I started to experiment with meditation, I read new-age books and started to believe that I could experience a whole new reality. Such as, Out of Body experiences, and that I could use magic! But I just could not find any peace in these things. I thought I could find answers but I only found more questions. Anyways I continued to practice these things more and more, until I had a nightmare one night. I knew this would become a long post. But I hope you will continue to read anyways.
MY NIGHTMARE
I dreamed that I was running all that I could and something terrible was following me - I could feel it come closer and closer. Around me all was darkness and there was a terrible sence of fear and evil in the darkness. I ran and ran until I just couldn't run more because I was exhausted, but I knew if I stopped, this thing which followed me would catch me, but I just couldn't run more so I had to stop and I was terrified. But the strange thing was, when I stopped the thing following me did also stop. I could feel the breath from it in my neck, but it did not touch me. I knew if I turned around I would see into the eyes of something I did not knew what was. I stood for some time just waiting - I do not know for how long - and this beast or thing did not do anything to me. Why it did not touch me - I still today don't know. Anyways I decided to look behind me because it seemed it didn't hurt me. When I looked, I saw into the eyes of such an evil I can not explain. I could feel how fear, terror and evil came towards me. I screamed. Turned around to start to run again. Right infront of me I saw another thing of some kind. This thing was a white ghost like creature, just as terrifying as the one behind me. I was trapped. In my distress and fear I cried on the top of my voice: "God if you exist then save me!" As I shouted these words it was like a lightning of some kind that came from above and all the darkness with the creatures disappeared. I was bathed in light and I felt such a peace... Then I woke up. I was back in my old room. But now I felt such a joy and peace I never had felt before. I knew I had an encounter with God.
At this time I was a student in a business school but we had autum vacation (this is a one week vacation we have in the Faroes just at the beginning of autum). One of my best friends was not a Christian before this vacation. While the vacation was going on he attended some meetings at a Charismatic church where he made a desicion to follow Christ.
When we started the school again after the autum vacation I saw that something had happened to him. I asked him what it was, and he told me his story. Then he asked me if I would come with him to the next meeting on Saturday, so I could see and experience his church. I had my thougts. Another church where I could not find anything of the things the bible talked about. But he was my best friend so I accepted his invitation. How wrong I was. The first meeting I was attending I did not make any desicion, but I could feel a different atmosphere in this church. They were singing differently then in the other churches I had visited and I even thought I heard someone pray in a strange language. I thought for myself, could this be real? Is this really a church that is doing some of the stuff I had read about in the bible? Could the bible be real about these things? The meeting ended. But somehow I did go again to this church with my friend. Anyways it all ended with that I offically acknowledged Christ as the Son of God and became a Christian. At that time I was 20 years of age.
WHY AM I SHARING THIS WITH YOU?
Now 8 years later I have seen and experienced all I read about in the bible. I myself is speaking in tongues, I have seen a man be delivered from a demon, I have experienced God's healing power on my own body and have seen 100's of people getting healed by the power of God, all from pain in the back to people letting go off the crouches, and walk as nothing was wrong. And I have found a meaning with my life.
I am sharing this with you, so that - mabey - I can help some of your guys out there in your seeking for God and answer some of your questions. I will answer as good as I can, and I will tell, if I can not answer your questions. You know what - I am still on my own journey. There is still alot for me to learn when it comes to God and His greatness. But I have chosen to follow my Master and Teacher, Jesus Christ, because He loved me first, even when I was rebellious against Him. He loved me so much that He choosed to walk the path of suffering and death for my sake, so I could be free from it. But the really good news is, that He not only died, but He rose again and is alive today sitting at His Father's throne in Heaven, but is with me and all the others who love Him, by His Holy Spirit.
Thank you for reading this long - very, very long - post. May my God bless you all.
Hallur (this is my real name
)
