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I might have been. I was baptized in the Southern Baptist church, attended church often and did a lot singing in the choir but still not sure I was ever a Christian.
Is there a time in your life that you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and begin a personal relationship with Him? Be baptized, going to church and singing in the choir are nice, but they don't have any saving power.
Thanks Blue 62. I appreciate your thoughts. As for whether the Lord saves us or takes us, I can tell you this. I have always been an adventurous sole. I have been through many things in my life, and lived to talk about them.
Once when I was around seven years old I was climbing a cliff by myself when a portion broke loose in my hand, I began to fall backwards and things slowed down. My momentum was most definitley backwards toward the rocky bottom 18-20 feet below me. Out of nowhere, I felt myself pressed back against the cliff and climbed down as quickly as possible. To this day, I swear it defied phsyics.
A few years later, while emulating Evil Kenevil, I was jumping a concrete culvert with my bycicle. I endowed over the handlebars and smashed into the concrete on the other side head first! It did not immediately knock me out, but I eventually slipped and was unconcious for a few days with a fractured skull. The doctors told my parents I might not make it and if I did, I would not be the same.
Well, I did make it and had no side effects. They could not believe it. Then about eleven years ago, while I was Abalone diving with some friends I was hit buy a huge "sleeper" wave that drove me beneath the water and hurled me backwards toward a cliff on the shore. I did not panic. I remember thinking "please God take care of my baby and wife". I was totally relaxed. As I moved backwards underwater being shaken like a rag-doll I felt at ease. Suddenly I heard a giant rumble as the wave crashed into the cliff. I felt tremendous hydraulic pressure behind as the ocean pushed me out the backside of the wave only to see another the same size coming at me. I dove beneath it and swam with everything I had.
I made it through the series of waves and found a diver I did not know struggling in the water. He was terrified. He had been stripped of his gear and was near panic. I told him to hold on to me and we swam out of the turmoil and made it ashore.
He thanked me and said I saved his life. We looked for our friends and found them scattered all over the place. Beat up and bloody, but alive!
Many people on shore witnessed this including a ranger and could not believe I made it out alive. They said they saw the wave bury me and carry me some 50+ yards backwards underwater. I was the only one without injury and the only one with all my equipment still attached. You tell me.
Is there a time in your life that you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and begin a personal relationship with Him? Be baptized, going to church and singing in the choir are nice, but they don't have any saving power.
I think that by the time I was 18 I was over the Christian thing. I am really not into faith, I am more of a touch, feel, smell, and see type of guy. The wonders of the universe are far more awe inspiring to me than the Bible.
Great post Spunky.
Jerz,I would be curious as to where you got your majic information regards the council of Nicea. Very interesting that I have never come across that. Would you please share your reference.
Whereas I understand mans meddling into the evolution of the Bible, I can't help but believe that if such grand claims are to be believed, i.e. Jesus is the son of God, creator of all matter and space, I believe his guiding hand would have gotten it right in spite of mans interference. Now that is a bit more than magic.
Great post Spunky.
Jerz,I would be curious as to where you got your majic information regards the council of Nicea. Very interesting that I have never come across that. Would you please share your reference.
Whereas I understand mans meddling into the evolution of the Bible, I can't help but believe that if such grand claims are to be believed, i.e. Jesus is the son of God, creator of all matter and space, I believe his guiding hand would have gotten it right in spite of mans interference. Now that is a bit more than magic.
Hi...well, you can Google it...I just did really quick...here is a website. Scroll down to "First Council of Nicea". PTET - The composition of the New Testament (http://ptet.dubar.com/bible-composition.html - broken link)
I think that by the time I was 18 I was over the Christian thing. I am really not into faith, I am more of a touch, feel, smell, and see type of guy. The wonders of the universe are far more awe inspiring to me than the Bible.
The wonders of the universe are also more awe inspiring to me than the bible..Makes me know that there had to be an intelligent force behind it
Thanks Blue 62. I appreciate your thoughts. As for whether the Lord saves us or takes us, I can tell you this. I have always been an adventurous sole. I have been through many things in my life, and lived to talk about them.
Once when I was around seven years old I was climbing a cliff by myself when a portion broke loose in my hand, I began to fall backwards and things slowed down. My momentum was most definitley backwards toward the rocky bottom 18-20 feet below me. Out of nowhere, I felt myself pressed back against the cliff and climbed down as quickly as possible. To this day, I swear it defied phsyics.
A few years later, while emulating Evil Kenevil, I was jumping a concrete culvert with my bycicle. I endowed over the handlebars and smashed into the concrete on the other side head first! It did not immediately knock me out, but I eventually slipped and was unconcious for a few days with a fractured skull. The doctors told my parents I might not make it and if I did, I would not be the same.
Well, I did make it and had no side effects. They could not believe it. Then about eleven years ago, while I was Abalone diving with some friends I was hit buy a huge "sleeper" wave that drove me beneath the water and hurled me backwards toward a cliff on the shore. I did not panic. I remember thinking "please God take care of my baby and wife". I was totally relaxed. As I moved backwards underwater being shaken like a rag-doll I felt at ease. Suddenly I heard a giant rumble as the wave crashed into the cliff. I felt tremendous hydraulic pressure behind as the ocean pushed me out the backside of the wave only to see another the same size coming at me. I dove beneath it and swam with everything I had.
I made it through the series of waves and found a diver I did not know struggling in the water. He was terrified. He had been stripped of his gear and was near panic. I told him to hold on to me and we swam out of the turmoil and made it ashore.
He thanked me and said I saved his life. We looked for our friends and found them scattered all over the place. Beat up and bloody, but alive!
Many people on shore witnessed this including a ranger and could not believe I made it out alive. They said they saw the wave bury me and carry me some 50+ yards backwards underwater. I was the only one without injury and the only one with all my equipment still attached. You tell me.
Wow! I say that because Ive had some of the same experiences...I was riding my motorcycle close to a rocky ravine going pretty fast, and I hit some loose gravel, tried to gain control but went over the edge anyway, down the side, I was thrown off the bike and to this day, on the way down, I felt like I was in slow motion, upside down, but in slow motion. this was about a 15 foot drop onto jagged rocks too. I landed on my head, but didnt get hurt at all. cant say the same for my motorcycle though. Bent the honda in several places. Say what you will, I believe it was God.
Excellent!!! So it is pre-determination and not free-will after all??
I think the quote that you quoted was refering to what happens after accepting Christ.
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