and i'm very glad that i found the truth , sorry for my late reply man .
i'm working so hard , contacted a pastor even , things are going to be serious in the church , i know how to hide from the cops to get in without checking my informations , the pastor told me he will get me in .
That was sad to read of the comment by the ex-military man from Pakistan; such is the hate of those opposed to the Gospel & claims of Christ. You did well to block him, though I hope that you have since then also blocked cigarette smoke from filling you. Your body is God's Temple ( 1 Corinthians 6:19) where His Spirit resides - we must care for it by what we put into it just as much as to show care for what comes out of it (by our minds, our mouths, etc).
Also, do seek the Lord about a place to meet real believers & worship with them. The RC Church is not suitable at all, as much as you have a desire to be in a 'Christian' environment to pray. God hears & answers prayer right there in your room ( Matthew 6:6), where you are alone with God to call & cry to Him, & no man can interfere. But with the strong influence of the French in your country, I'm sure there would 'evangelical' Christians there also, just as we had contact with them travelling as 'Equipe Commando' in France in 1988, spreading the Word to a predominantly RC population.
Josef, may you continue to grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Brother Josef, thank you for your kind words - each one here loves the Lord & loves each one who comes here so that we might learn together & also teach & encourage others. To learn more of the Lord, His Word & to build one another up in our faith, is the important thread that runs throughout the Bible.
My short time in Pakistan was very special as I met people that had the same desires & needs as anyone else & most were even willing to listen to God's Word as it was applied to their situation. In the West sadly, most have their hearts hardened to anything of God, preferring to cast Him aside & attend to spiritist teachings or their own inclinations. There was always danger in Pakistan, but the God Whom we serve carried us through at every instance.
And so for you also Josef, I know there are spiritual struggles going on in you as you live as a follower of Christ amongst those that give Him little regard. You need to follow the Lord's leading: if He prompts you clearly to go somewhere or do something in His Power, then it means that He is with you, giving you the words & protection that you need. When you are in the centre of His Will, you will see wonders before your face. In Karachi, we often saw how God worked on our behalf: blinding the eyes of those against us so we were invisible to them. Or changing their minds of hate to minds willing to listen. The Holy Spirit goes before you to prepare the way, preparing both the hearer & the messenger.
Chris , your words are full of wisdom and i admire that in you man .
thank you for being there and i thank jesus christ too for bringing you up in here , a conversation with is smart and amazing to hear from you .as you even encountered muslims in Pakistan , that makes my heart beats , you met one of the most extremists over there .
as Charlie Hebdo events happened in Nice and Paris , i posted on my Facebook "Rest in Peace for the Christians who passed away and i wish your families to recover from their losses " , a Pakistani guy(he doesn't know that i left islam long time ago) told me that the muslim shall consider the prophet more than his parents so he shall kill , and he told me also that i'm a blasphemous for wishing the westerns and the priests to rest in peace , the guy is an ex military in the pakistani army , Yes Chris i got sick and blocked that guy and lighted a cigarette .
i'm not about spreading hate , but let's be more clear , westerns are lucky they got the Church and the freedom.
and i come from NORTH Africa that's why we got french and italian universities.
i know some woman too , her Brother works with islamist salafists in the country and those are the worst extremists, she told me that she attended the Church and she is secretly baptised and she loves jesus christ , she told me that she felt like a NEWBORN and she told me that it makes her terrified from her extremist brother .
for my personal experience when i just tried to get into the Church , there was extremists standing on the roofs of the neighberhoods watching "who is popular and new and from same race ? " , police been there but they will leak informations bcz police does not like to clash with them .
made me needing to buy a camera to be the church film maker just to get in to pray .
Thank you for further information on your life & aspirations, Josef. A French University? I don't know the country you live in but French must be your mother tongue. Those are two great fields (Sound & Software Engineering), which would be useful in the Church or in Missions, especially in Bible Translation Work. But of course, you would still want to first be established in regular employment, developing that University knowledge into practical experience & a career. True, we can only please our God by all that we are, what we have & what we do. God requires of us no more than our full love & faithfulness to Him. He will do the rest.( Romans 12:1).
So you can still have a career & also give of your love & experience to the Lord's work that will build up His Church. Some of us here on this site, did just that: personally, I worked during the day (so I had money to live & give for the Lord's Work/Missions), & on some nights I dropped tracts (small Christian Gospel leaflets) walking around in my neighbourhood & on weekends, did street evangelism & sometimes shared in a Bible study. That way I kept myself busy doing what the Lord put onto my heart - and the wonderful thing was that while in prayer one morning (in 1987), the Lord specifically guided me to full time service (I mentioned to you about being in Pakistan). When we submit ourselves wholly to Him, He promises to be with us & lead us in HIS paths.
Doing a Bible course online or at a Bible College is very useful but care should be taken first. Ask yourself: is this something that the Lord would have me do at this time? What do I know about the College or course of studies: do research on their requirements & Statement of beliefs & practises (not all colleges hold to pure biblical teaching). Their costs? How long is the course? Is the certificate at the end of the course of any value? But never forget, personal Bible study is most useful. I hope some of this advice helps you further.
so this means , i need a strong faith okey it's a deal that i love for only our lord Jesus Christ .
and also the pope is a sinner like any other man ,understood.
"Jesus Christ through His death & resurrection gives us certainty that those who come by faith will be saved from Hell & it won't be dependent on what we try to do to clean ourselves up."
i believe in that too no doubt in it .. the strong faith , to the strong faith , through the strong faith , until the strongest of the strongest from all who has faith .
in the name of that holy vision that i had , if any of you experienced that he will know exactly what i'm talking about .
i'm a man studying in music last year in the university and next year i'm gonna join an engineering university for softwares development , it's a french university , which means i did hit two birds with one stone , i'm gonna be an engineer in two fields , Sound engineering and Softwares engineering .
i know some Muslim guy who he is an engineer and in same time an IMAM in the Mosque , that means he isn't better than me , he got his own god that i LEFT five years ago , i have my "True god now" and i shall do for him the maximum efforts.
as first bowing more and more to our Lord Jesus christ and getting his blessings because i have that thirst so badly in me .
that requires years of honesty and remembering his blessings on my soul .
Secondly even spending money on online christian courses worths it and i'm telling you , i shall stay on this passion , he is not any lord that's Jesus christ and he is the prince of all peace and i felt his holiness in that VISION i had at my sleep.
finally , i can be in three sectors that will serve jesus christ and his followers at the same time.
my energy is sooooo really ready for that and , the peace that i experienced in my Vision i never had before even with my Girlfriend , it's not to be compared at all .
So do what you're doing now: spending time in feasting on God's living Word. Do deeper study, ask questions, get to know God & His Ways, join a Fellowship if you able to find a good one & be baptized as a witness to yourself & others. What types of Churches are there around you, apart from the RC Church? Are you in contact with any Christians that can guide you as to where these other 'hidden' Churches/Fellowships might be? There's no time limit for progressing with the Lord - His timing, His Ways are not ours - He just looks for that heart that loves Him & desires to please Him in every area of the life. He will do the rest. Every blessing to you Josef.
Your question about going into the ministry. There is no timeline for this nor is it everyone's calling to be a Pastor. I'm unsure what you are thinking when you say, "If I succeed". If you're thinking of some steps, e.g. baptism, Bible College, etc. that you need to do to become a minister, then it doesn't work that way. Not everyone is gifted by the Spirit to do that work. You can read of some of the work within the Church in Ephesians 4:7-13. What you must do is to get to know God, His Son & Spirit more; & that comes from spending time in reading the Word, in prayer & study. As you do this, it may well be that the Spirit will speak to your heart or lead you in directions that make you useful for the Gospel. It could be pastoring, or evangelizing, or teaching, or even in prayer for others or serving in the Church. We can't presume on God for a calling - He will do it when He knows that you are ready. I can see how zealous you are for the things of God, which is wonderful, but don't let your "zeal eat you up", which means, one can get so zealous that you over-step the guiding Hand of God upon your life & start to do things your way & not God's Way. I know you are at University, indicating that you have the mental capacity & desire for excelling in some specific field of study or employment. God could well use your abilities or your future career to further His Kingdom by your witness & those gifts He develops for His use.
Hi Josef. I'm glad the points were helpful to you, but I have to restate, that what I said about the RC Church (re: idolatry, Mary worship, etc.) were things that were wrong at that Church. So when you wrote "the Pope is infallible & is Christ's representative on Earth", I had listed that as being wrong. The Pope is only a man, elected to be so by the RC hierarchy & considered to be infallible (i.e. he cannot sin or say or do any wrong). The Pope, like us, is sinful & we all have to be saved through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ at the Cross. So please correct your notes, in this respect at least.
The thing that makes Christianity not a religion is that it is the only one that claims, & enjoys, a personal relationship to God & His Son Jesus Christ. There is no other religion that can make claim to this, as to them God is unknowable & too distant away & anything we do in this life, good or bad, will go to our account in our last days. This is not the teaching of Christ. We can do absolutely nothing to please God - we're all filthy with sin ( Isaiah 64:6) & a filthy person cannot make himself clean. He needs someone Pure to do it. So it was God, through His Son Jesus, Who did it for us & through this act of great Love, brought all those who believe in Him to a new relationship with Him. Now we can know this God of Love because He has willed this to happen by bringing us into the brotherhood of His Son, Whom He loves. Read John chapter 17. Islam believes that a person's deeds are weighed by the angels sitting above each shoulder & therefore one's destiny is finally given, but Jesus Christ through His death & resurrection gives us certainty that those who come by faith will be saved from Hell & it won't be dependent on what we try to do to clean ourselves up. Any good works we do won't be acceptable to God - Christ's Blood alone was the acceptable sacrifice to God.
Baptism is not salvation. It is a testimony to the world that you have been saved.
The Pope is not infallible and is not Christ's representative on Earth. Infallible means without error. The Pope is a sinner like any other man and often exceeds other sinners in his pronouncements contrary to scripture.
thank you my brother Chris for making me understanding those topics
and thank you brother Bendito Palvara
and thank you brother Butch .
i really enjoyed talking to you my brothers , i really can't wait more to be baptized , i love our lord Jesus Christ & i will remain his loyal servant as he brought you guys here to discuss with me senstive points but that didn't make me feel uncomfortable , i'm just saying :"yes , this is it right here , that's what really fits with me , Thank you Lord Jesus through those guys right here they are standing for me to deliver the word of god."
i'm taking notes , that made my passion even higher .
Firstly , the Church is a holy place portrays Jesus's body .
Fecondly ,Baptism is a salvation .
Thirdly , i shall read carefully the Bible .
Fourthly , the Pope is infallible & is Christ's representative on Earth.
Fifth THNG IS, i'm not required to confess my sins to anyone Except the Lord Jesus Christ & it's okey to confess my faults with some.
Sixth thing is, i have to request Brethren Pray .
Finally , i shall always seek the Holy spirite to guide me through this wonderful religion .
my last question is , If i succeed & i make it all in Four Years , will i be qualified to be a Pastor !? because i think it's so difficult when it's related to the Ministry.
(these) are just some of the beliefs & practises that are NOT found in Scripture. So Josef, please be warned about joining such a Church that is in opposition to the Bible & teachings of Christ. I've only given the above points briefly, but if you need more information, then I can expand on them.
I read through your testimony of what you had been through as a younger person & even your help to the needy & defending the weak. All beautiful traits in a person that I'm sure God has brought you through or allowed you to suffer, to the point now of revealing His Son Jesus Christ to you in the vision. The Apostle Paul, who was formerly Saul a strict religious leader, also encountered Jesus whilst travelling to find & kill those Jews who had turned from Judaism to Christ. (See this in Acts chapter 9). That man was mightily changed by Jesus while travelling on a road & had to unlearn many things from Judaism & to learn many new things from Christ. So Josef, your exuberance for Christ & Bible reading, is a joy to read about, but you also need a good understanding & grasp of what you are reading & not persuaded by other voices. So ask the Holy Spirit's help to understand & you know that you're always welcome here to ask us also. Some of us are quite aged now having walked with the Lord for many years, proving His Word & His Spirit in our lives ever since we were born again of God's Spirit. Even though we aren't perfect in our knowledge, we can still guide you in looking at God, His Son & Spirit and the various doctrines & teachings in the Bible, with greater clarity & understanding. Walk carefully, brother & hope you receive God's Help in your higher studies. Blessings.
Hi Josef. Thank you for your comments. What I will write now may be a little difficult for you to appreciate but it is necessary for your guidance, I feel.
When a Muslim thinks of a Church, he generally sees a building that is visible & usually it's a large ornate building with a steeple, cross & stained glass windows. But there are other smaller Church buildings, or none at all, that are not seen. Before discussing the Roman Catholic Church, the Bible speaks of the Church as essentially being Christ's Body & not a building made of stones or bricks. This means the Church (Greek: ekklesia) is a gathering, or body of Christians - it is not a building. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". Jesus was telling Peter that "upon this rock" (i.e. upon Peter's great confession in verse 16), Christ would build His Church (not a building, but a body of believers coming from many lands & out of many religions).
I gather that you are in proximity to a Roman Catholic Church (RC) as you wrote about the music & chanting. Some things can be appealing but if you're drawn to RCs, then you should be aware that much of what they believe & do is not according to the Bible. Much could be said here, but to itemize those errors briefly: their prayer to idols & to saints, worship to Mary, burning or waving incense (as prayers offered to God), the Eucharist that turns into the Body & Blood of Christ, one is not baptized into Christ but into the Church (i.e. belonging to an RC Church is what gives you salvation along with faith in Jesus), faith alone cannot save you - good works are needed also, the Apocryphal books are used giving rise to strange teaching, baptism given to a child is true & valid, & for all, sprinkling, not immersion in water, is practised, the Pope is infallible & is Christ's representative on Earth, - go to page 2.
You are not required to confess your sins to anyone but Jesus Christ or whomever you may have wronged:
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. ( 1 Timothy 2:5-6)
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. ( James 5:16)
You may request brethren pray and assist to help overcome your faults.
he been watching me from childhood till teenages till i became a man
he saw me fighting extrimists as a teenager
he saw me being abused as a child when a teacher asked me to show them the islamist prayer.
he saw me feeding the homeless and donating to the hospitals while being called stupid for it.
he saw me defending on the weak and standing for the right .
my sins according to christianity is when i did look at a woman with lust before and when i lied too , i disciplined myself over that and still handeling myself.
muslims always got abuse even at the mosque and i saw that evil because it shall be considered a peaceful religion and i did not find peace , even when i criticize them i get horrible consequences .
but jesus been watching that and decided to do not let me athiest and came to show up to me two days ago .
made me searching for the truth and his holy spirite , even then i found the bible fits with me and through the bible i shall rebuild my soul .
i believe in every word in the bible & i would confess my sins , isn't that requiring a catholic church !!?? shall i be catholic or Protestant or Orthodox !!? as long as i'm non dimensional & not baptized !!??
by the way i love how in the catholic churchs when i hear them this way every Sunday , there is a catholic church in my city : that chanting & singing makes me too emotional & feeling that i belong to be next to them .
i'm addicted in reading the bible after seeing the lord jesus as he showed me the salvation from the vision , i woke up smiling & tried to resume sleeping even i'm late for university, i didn't care that day , i had the thirst to see him again and i feel all ready to be a pastor for his glory .
gonna keep studying the bible Philippians 1:11 , i still did not finish GENESIS because i'm analysing everything to finish building my soul in a christian thirst manner Isaiah 6:3 , so i will not ever lose the passion at all in jesus's spirite
Jude 1:20 .
he is all the way to salvation Ephesians 3:21 and Genesis 49:18
jesus came to me , he may knew my soul that fought against extrimism as a teenager & i been abused for the fights i had & now i'm a grown up man 23yo & i'm sure he been watching me when i was a child and a teenager & came that day 9/11/2020 to glorify me in the vision . John 3:16 & John 14:6
Thank you for your brief testimony, my ex-Muslim brother. This has been an often spoken experience by Muslims, that they've had a vision or a dream that has made them to consider Who this Jesus is. The Jesus spoken of in al-Quran is very different from the Jesus in the Bible, as He is far greater than any Prophet. This experience has got them questioning why their Imam speaks so badly about Christians & the many accusations made against them & the Bible. So, our Great God is working here & there & I am truly glad that God has had His Hand upon you to shed this Light upon you & give you a revelation.
I understand your difficulty in seeking out a Church, & maybe if you are in a 'closed' country, even those Christians are probably meeting in small groups hidden away. But you have the Bible & are reading it often: the Words in there are Words of Life powered by God's Spirit. Pray for understanding in your reading & wisdom to be able to live those glorious Truths in your life. When I used to speak with Muslims in Pakistan about them reading al-Quran in Arabic, they confessed that they did not understand what they were reading (as Urdu was their language, even with a similar script to Arabic). But they still faithfully read it as that was the right thing to do to please Allah. But you have a Teacher with you to help you understand & others here to assist when we can.
You said that Jesus called you, in your vision. Since you've not had anyone to help you further, I need to remind you that coming to Christ is not like coming or joining a religion. There is a special work that God does in a person's heart & this work starts when a person confesses he is a sinner & is separated from God ( Romans 3:23 & 10:9). When a person truly repents of his sin, then God assures him that He will forgive him ( 1 John 1:9) & bring him into His family ( John 1:12). When a person is so changed, we say that he is "born again" = made spiritually new (see John chapter 3). May God bless you.
i've seen Jesus in my vision , he took me & walked with me , he been smiling , i identified him as jesus from his clothes & from the peace i had in the vision , i knew that he was calling me .
as i don't live in a Free country , i can't seek the church as long as there are extremists targetting whoever reverted to christianity.
will keep on the bible till i get out of here oneday to the west to do all the holy requirements in the church because here it's not safe at all .
It was special to read that you have turned to Jesus Christ coming out of Islam. I had spent much time with dear Muslim folk whilst serving in Pakistan so when I hear that God's Spirit has brought you Light & understanding of the Truth, my heart rejoices. Yes, the Bible, God's Word is an amazing Book. Not just for its historical value but, as you're finding out, for its living Words out of the Mouth of God that cuts deep into our hearts & exposes us for who we really are. And yet, it gives us the way out of our predicament - through His Word made flesh (Kalimat'ullah).
I would love to hear your testimony bringing you to salvation. Baptism, is an outward demonstration of an inward change, just as the Lord's Supper shows a visible acknowledgement of Christ's Sacrifice in one's life. Baptism visibly shows you personally & those who witness the baptism that you have come out of religion, out of vain philosophies/imaginings, & now cleaving to the Son of God Who alone could save you from your sins & give you a new life & a new future, when once upon a time, you only hoped that your good deeds outweighed the bad. Every sin, any sin, is detestable to a Holy God & since 'something dirty cannot clean itself', it took Someone pure & holy to step in to do it for us. And that is what faith in Christ is: trusting God through Jesus to forgive us of our sin because of what He has done & nothing that we could do.
If you're connected to a Bible believing, Christ-centred Fellowship, do talk with your Pastor/Elder about this matter of baptism. It is the first step in a Christian's walk as it will always give you that confirmation of what took place spiritually in your life ( 1 Peter 3:21). I sense you have many things to ask, so feel free to do so here, so that you may know more of the Bible & God's Plan for your life. May God bless you as you seek to understand more from His Holy Word.
Adam and Eve had more kids than Cain and Abel. They went to other parts of Eden and beyond. And these had kids also. Most likely Cain married one of these. Most likely one of his cousins. You got to remember there was hundreds of years past by this time. Also people back then they lived long lives.
Also thank you very much Mishael for your reply. As now I know truly know why I typed my Testimony only say two weeks ago on my computer. To copy and post it here in the Testimony section. God is Perfect and it is truly a gift to receive the Holy Spirit and be "born again". All Glory and praise be to our Eternal Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank you all who spent the time to read my post and reply. God Bless you all!
Thank you for your reply brother. It is truly special to converse with others about the Lord. Again thank you for your warm reply and taking the time to read my post. God Bless you!
i'm working so hard , contacted a pastor even , things are going to be serious in the church , i know how to hide from the cops to get in without checking my informations , the pastor told me he will get me in .
i'm really so excited .
That was sad to read of the comment by the ex-military man from Pakistan; such is the hate of those opposed to the Gospel & claims of Christ. You did well to block him, though I hope that you have since then also blocked cigarette smoke from filling you. Your body is God's Temple ( 1 Corinthians 6:19) where His Spirit resides - we must care for it by what we put into it just as much as to show care for what comes out of it (by our minds, our mouths, etc).
Also, do seek the Lord about a place to meet real believers & worship with them. The RC Church is not suitable at all, as much as you have a desire to be in a 'Christian' environment to pray. God hears & answers prayer right there in your room ( Matthew 6:6), where you are alone with God to call & cry to Him, & no man can interfere. But with the strong influence of the French in your country, I'm sure there would 'evangelical' Christians there also, just as we had contact with them travelling as 'Equipe Commando' in France in 1988, spreading the Word to a predominantly RC population.
Josef, may you continue to grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Brother Josef, thank you for your kind words - each one here loves the Lord & loves each one who comes here so that we might learn together & also teach & encourage others. To learn more of the Lord, His Word & to build one another up in our faith, is the important thread that runs throughout the Bible.
My short time in Pakistan was very special as I met people that had the same desires & needs as anyone else & most were even willing to listen to God's Word as it was applied to their situation. In the West sadly, most have their hearts hardened to anything of God, preferring to cast Him aside & attend to spiritist teachings or their own inclinations. There was always danger in Pakistan, but the God Whom we serve carried us through at every instance.
And so for you also Josef, I know there are spiritual struggles going on in you as you live as a follower of Christ amongst those that give Him little regard. You need to follow the Lord's leading: if He prompts you clearly to go somewhere or do something in His Power, then it means that He is with you, giving you the words & protection that you need. When you are in the centre of His Will, you will see wonders before your face. In Karachi, we often saw how God worked on our behalf: blinding the eyes of those against us so we were invisible to them. Or changing their minds of hate to minds willing to listen. The Holy Spirit goes before you to prepare the way, preparing both the hearer & the messenger.
thank you for being there and i thank jesus christ too for bringing you up in here , a conversation with is smart and amazing to hear from you .as you even encountered muslims in Pakistan , that makes my heart beats , you met one of the most extremists over there .
as Charlie Hebdo events happened in Nice and Paris , i posted on my Facebook "Rest in Peace for the Christians who passed away and i wish your families to recover from their losses " , a Pakistani guy(he doesn't know that i left islam long time ago) told me that the muslim shall consider the prophet more than his parents so he shall kill , and he told me also that i'm a blasphemous for wishing the westerns and the priests to rest in peace , the guy is an ex military in the pakistani army , Yes Chris i got sick and blocked that guy and lighted a cigarette .
i'm not about spreading hate , but let's be more clear , westerns are lucky they got the Church and the freedom.
and i come from NORTH Africa that's why we got french and italian universities.
i know some woman too , her Brother works with islamist salafists in the country and those are the worst extremists, she told me that she attended the Church and she is secretly baptised and she loves jesus christ , she told me that she felt like a NEWBORN and she told me that it makes her terrified from her extremist brother .
for my personal experience when i just tried to get into the Church , there was extremists standing on the roofs of the neighberhoods watching "who is popular and new and from same race ? " , police been there but they will leak informations bcz police does not like to clash with them .
made me needing to buy a camera to be the church film maker just to get in to pray .
So you can still have a career & also give of your love & experience to the Lord's work that will build up His Church. Some of us here on this site, did just that: personally, I worked during the day (so I had money to live & give for the Lord's Work/Missions), & on some nights I dropped tracts (small Christian Gospel leaflets) walking around in my neighbourhood & on weekends, did street evangelism & sometimes shared in a Bible study. That way I kept myself busy doing what the Lord put onto my heart - and the wonderful thing was that while in prayer one morning (in 1987), the Lord specifically guided me to full time service (I mentioned to you about being in Pakistan). When we submit ourselves wholly to Him, He promises to be with us & lead us in HIS paths.
Doing a Bible course online or at a Bible College is very useful but care should be taken first. Ask yourself: is this something that the Lord would have me do at this time? What do I know about the College or course of studies: do research on their requirements & Statement of beliefs & practises (not all colleges hold to pure biblical teaching). Their costs? How long is the course? Is the certificate at the end of the course of any value? But never forget, personal Bible study is most useful. I hope some of this advice helps you further.
and also the pope is a sinner like any other man ,understood.
"Jesus Christ through His death & resurrection gives us certainty that those who come by faith will be saved from Hell & it won't be dependent on what we try to do to clean ourselves up."
i believe in that too no doubt in it .. the strong faith , to the strong faith , through the strong faith , until the strongest of the strongest from all who has faith .
in the name of that holy vision that i had , if any of you experienced that he will know exactly what i'm talking about .
i know some Muslim guy who he is an engineer and in same time an IMAM in the Mosque , that means he isn't better than me , he got his own god that i LEFT five years ago , i have my "True god now" and i shall do for him the maximum efforts.
as first bowing more and more to our Lord Jesus christ and getting his blessings because i have that thirst so badly in me .
that requires years of honesty and remembering his blessings on my soul .
Secondly even spending money on online christian courses worths it and i'm telling you , i shall stay on this passion , he is not any lord that's Jesus christ and he is the prince of all peace and i felt his holiness in that VISION i had at my sleep.
finally , i can be in three sectors that will serve jesus christ and his followers at the same time.
my energy is sooooo really ready for that and , the peace that i experienced in my Vision i never had before even with my Girlfriend , it's not to be compared at all .
So do what you're doing now: spending time in feasting on God's living Word. Do deeper study, ask questions, get to know God & His Ways, join a Fellowship if you able to find a good one & be baptized as a witness to yourself & others. What types of Churches are there around you, apart from the RC Church? Are you in contact with any Christians that can guide you as to where these other 'hidden' Churches/Fellowships might be? There's no time limit for progressing with the Lord - His timing, His Ways are not ours - He just looks for that heart that loves Him & desires to please Him in every area of the life. He will do the rest. Every blessing to you Josef.
Your question about going into the ministry. There is no timeline for this nor is it everyone's calling to be a Pastor. I'm unsure what you are thinking when you say, "If I succeed". If you're thinking of some steps, e.g. baptism, Bible College, etc. that you need to do to become a minister, then it doesn't work that way. Not everyone is gifted by the Spirit to do that work. You can read of some of the work within the Church in Ephesians 4:7-13. What you must do is to get to know God, His Son & Spirit more; & that comes from spending time in reading the Word, in prayer & study. As you do this, it may well be that the Spirit will speak to your heart or lead you in directions that make you useful for the Gospel. It could be pastoring, or evangelizing, or teaching, or even in prayer for others or serving in the Church. We can't presume on God for a calling - He will do it when He knows that you are ready. I can see how zealous you are for the things of God, which is wonderful, but don't let your "zeal eat you up", which means, one can get so zealous that you over-step the guiding Hand of God upon your life & start to do things your way & not God's Way. I know you are at University, indicating that you have the mental capacity & desire for excelling in some specific field of study or employment. God could well use your abilities or your future career to further His Kingdom by your witness & those gifts He develops for His use.
Hi Josef. I'm glad the points were helpful to you, but I have to restate, that what I said about the RC Church (re: idolatry, Mary worship, etc.) were things that were wrong at that Church. So when you wrote "the Pope is infallible & is Christ's representative on Earth", I had listed that as being wrong. The Pope is only a man, elected to be so by the RC hierarchy & considered to be infallible (i.e. he cannot sin or say or do any wrong). The Pope, like us, is sinful & we all have to be saved through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ at the Cross. So please correct your notes, in this respect at least.
The thing that makes Christianity not a religion is that it is the only one that claims, & enjoys, a personal relationship to God & His Son Jesus Christ. There is no other religion that can make claim to this, as to them God is unknowable & too distant away & anything we do in this life, good or bad, will go to our account in our last days. This is not the teaching of Christ. We can do absolutely nothing to please God - we're all filthy with sin ( Isaiah 64:6) & a filthy person cannot make himself clean. He needs someone Pure to do it. So it was God, through His Son Jesus, Who did it for us & through this act of great Love, brought all those who believe in Him to a new relationship with Him. Now we can know this God of Love because He has willed this to happen by bringing us into the brotherhood of His Son, Whom He loves. Read John chapter 17. Islam believes that a person's deeds are weighed by the angels sitting above each shoulder & therefore one's destiny is finally given, but Jesus Christ through His death & resurrection gives us certainty that those who come by faith will be saved from Hell & it won't be dependent on what we try to do to clean ourselves up. Any good works we do won't be acceptable to God - Christ's Blood alone was the acceptable sacrifice to God.
Baptism is not salvation. It is a testimony to the world that you have been saved.
The Pope is not infallible and is not Christ's representative on Earth. Infallible means without error. The Pope is a sinner like any other man and often exceeds other sinners in his pronouncements contrary to scripture.
and thank you brother Bendito Palvara
and thank you brother Butch .
i really enjoyed talking to you my brothers , i really can't wait more to be baptized , i love our lord Jesus Christ & i will remain his loyal servant as he brought you guys here to discuss with me senstive points but that didn't make me feel uncomfortable , i'm just saying :"yes , this is it right here , that's what really fits with me , Thank you Lord Jesus through those guys right here they are standing for me to deliver the word of god."
i'm taking notes , that made my passion even higher .
Firstly , the Church is a holy place portrays Jesus's body .
Fecondly ,Baptism is a salvation .
Thirdly , i shall read carefully the Bible .
Fourthly , the Pope is infallible & is Christ's representative on Earth.
Fifth THNG IS, i'm not required to confess my sins to anyone Except the Lord Jesus Christ & it's okey to confess my faults with some.
Sixth thing is, i have to request Brethren Pray .
Finally , i shall always seek the Holy spirite to guide me through this wonderful religion .
my last question is , If i succeed & i make it all in Four Years , will i be qualified to be a Pastor !? because i think it's so difficult when it's related to the Ministry.
(these) are just some of the beliefs & practises that are NOT found in Scripture. So Josef, please be warned about joining such a Church that is in opposition to the Bible & teachings of Christ. I've only given the above points briefly, but if you need more information, then I can expand on them.
I read through your testimony of what you had been through as a younger person & even your help to the needy & defending the weak. All beautiful traits in a person that I'm sure God has brought you through or allowed you to suffer, to the point now of revealing His Son Jesus Christ to you in the vision. The Apostle Paul, who was formerly Saul a strict religious leader, also encountered Jesus whilst travelling to find & kill those Jews who had turned from Judaism to Christ. (See this in Acts chapter 9). That man was mightily changed by Jesus while travelling on a road & had to unlearn many things from Judaism & to learn many new things from Christ. So Josef, your exuberance for Christ & Bible reading, is a joy to read about, but you also need a good understanding & grasp of what you are reading & not persuaded by other voices. So ask the Holy Spirit's help to understand & you know that you're always welcome here to ask us also. Some of us are quite aged now having walked with the Lord for many years, proving His Word & His Spirit in our lives ever since we were born again of God's Spirit. Even though we aren't perfect in our knowledge, we can still guide you in looking at God, His Son & Spirit and the various doctrines & teachings in the Bible, with greater clarity & understanding. Walk carefully, brother & hope you receive God's Help in your higher studies. Blessings.
Hi Josef. Thank you for your comments. What I will write now may be a little difficult for you to appreciate but it is necessary for your guidance, I feel.
When a Muslim thinks of a Church, he generally sees a building that is visible & usually it's a large ornate building with a steeple, cross & stained glass windows. But there are other smaller Church buildings, or none at all, that are not seen. Before discussing the Roman Catholic Church, the Bible speaks of the Church as essentially being Christ's Body & not a building made of stones or bricks. This means the Church (Greek: ekklesia) is a gathering, or body of Christians - it is not a building. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". Jesus was telling Peter that "upon this rock" (i.e. upon Peter's great confession in verse 16), Christ would build His Church (not a building, but a body of believers coming from many lands & out of many religions).
I gather that you are in proximity to a Roman Catholic Church (RC) as you wrote about the music & chanting. Some things can be appealing but if you're drawn to RCs, then you should be aware that much of what they believe & do is not according to the Bible. Much could be said here, but to itemize those errors briefly: their prayer to idols & to saints, worship to Mary, burning or waving incense (as prayers offered to God), the Eucharist that turns into the Body & Blood of Christ, one is not baptized into Christ but into the Church (i.e. belonging to an RC Church is what gives you salvation along with faith in Jesus), faith alone cannot save you - good works are needed also, the Apocryphal books are used giving rise to strange teaching, baptism given to a child is true & valid, & for all, sprinkling, not immersion in water, is practised, the Pope is infallible & is Christ's representative on Earth, - go to page 2.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. ( 1 Timothy 2:5-6)
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. ( James 5:16)
You may request brethren pray and assist to help overcome your faults.
he been watching me from childhood till teenages till i became a man
he saw me fighting extrimists as a teenager
he saw me being abused as a child when a teacher asked me to show them the islamist prayer.
he saw me feeding the homeless and donating to the hospitals while being called stupid for it.
he saw me defending on the weak and standing for the right .
my sins according to christianity is when i did look at a woman with lust before and when i lied too , i disciplined myself over that and still handeling myself.
muslims always got abuse even at the mosque and i saw that evil because it shall be considered a peaceful religion and i did not find peace , even when i criticize them i get horrible consequences .
but jesus been watching that and decided to do not let me athiest and came to show up to me two days ago .
made me searching for the truth and his holy spirite , even then i found the bible fits with me and through the bible i shall rebuild my soul .
by the way i love how in the catholic churchs when i hear them this way every Sunday , there is a catholic church in my city : that chanting & singing makes me too emotional & feeling that i belong to be next to them .
i'm addicted in reading the bible after seeing the lord jesus as he showed me the salvation from the vision , i woke up smiling & tried to resume sleeping even i'm late for university, i didn't care that day , i had the thirst to see him again and i feel all ready to be a pastor for his glory .
gonna keep studying the bible Philippians 1:11 , i still did not finish GENESIS because i'm analysing everything to finish building my soul in a christian thirst manner Isaiah 6:3 , so i will not ever lose the passion at all in jesus's spirite
Jude 1:20 .
he is all the way to salvation Ephesians 3:21 and Genesis 49:18
jesus came to me , he may knew my soul that fought against extrimism as a teenager & i been abused for the fights i had & now i'm a grown up man 23yo & i'm sure he been watching me when i was a child and a teenager & came that day 9/11/2020 to glorify me in the vision . John 3:16 & John 14:6
I understand your difficulty in seeking out a Church, & maybe if you are in a 'closed' country, even those Christians are probably meeting in small groups hidden away. But you have the Bible & are reading it often: the Words in there are Words of Life powered by God's Spirit. Pray for understanding in your reading & wisdom to be able to live those glorious Truths in your life. When I used to speak with Muslims in Pakistan about them reading al-Quran in Arabic, they confessed that they did not understand what they were reading (as Urdu was their language, even with a similar script to Arabic). But they still faithfully read it as that was the right thing to do to please Allah. But you have a Teacher with you to help you understand & others here to assist when we can.
You said that Jesus called you, in your vision. Since you've not had anyone to help you further, I need to remind you that coming to Christ is not like coming or joining a religion. There is a special work that God does in a person's heart & this work starts when a person confesses he is a sinner & is separated from God ( Romans 3:23 & 10:9). When a person truly repents of his sin, then God assures him that He will forgive him ( 1 John 1:9) & bring him into His family ( John 1:12). When a person is so changed, we say that he is "born again" = made spiritually new (see John chapter 3). May God bless you.
as i don't live in a Free country , i can't seek the church as long as there are extremists targetting whoever reverted to christianity.
will keep on the bible till i get out of here oneday to the west to do all the holy requirements in the church because here it's not safe at all .
Read acts chapter 2, acts chapter 8, acts chapter 10, acts chapter 19, they were all baptized in the name of Jesus.
I would love to hear your testimony bringing you to salvation. Baptism, is an outward demonstration of an inward change, just as the Lord's Supper shows a visible acknowledgement of Christ's Sacrifice in one's life. Baptism visibly shows you personally & those who witness the baptism that you have come out of religion, out of vain philosophies/imaginings, & now cleaving to the Son of God Who alone could save you from your sins & give you a new life & a new future, when once upon a time, you only hoped that your good deeds outweighed the bad. Every sin, any sin, is detestable to a Holy God & since 'something dirty cannot clean itself', it took Someone pure & holy to step in to do it for us. And that is what faith in Christ is: trusting God through Jesus to forgive us of our sin because of what He has done & nothing that we could do.
If you're connected to a Bible believing, Christ-centred Fellowship, do talk with your Pastor/Elder about this matter of baptism. It is the first step in a Christian's walk as it will always give you that confirmation of what took place spiritually in your life ( 1 Peter 3:21). I sense you have many things to ask, so feel free to do so here, so that you may know more of the Bible & God's Plan for your life. May God bless you as you seek to understand more from His Holy Word.
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God honors his word.
As a rule, female names were not recorded unless they were involved in Jesus's story.
Cain and Abel had kids. Males and females.
Genesis 2:4
Genesis 5:3-4
Luke 3
Luke 3:38 *
1 Corinthian 15:45-47
Thank you all who spent the time to read my post and reply. God Bless you all!