What was the final piece that brought you

[Emily Ruth]

to the point of repentance and dieing to self and being born again?

We all seem to have stumbling blocks that held us from making that big decision - I was wondering if you all would be willing to share what that final piece was for you. Maybe it will help the rest of us in reaching the lost now.

For me - I always thought I was a Christian because I was born in a Christian home and was 'raised in the church.' But I never felt the personal relationship that I heard so much about and I didn't know the peace and joy that I saw in my Grandmother who did walk with Him.

How could I make it personal? I always heard people say
"Did you know Jesus died for you?"

And I would think - "Yeah and He died for a kazillion other people. How am I supposed to take that personally?"

I prayed and asked Him to please help me know Him like my Grandmother did.

The day I sent to see the movie the Passion I prayed before the movie began and as I opened my eyes - He made the movie personal. I saw that movie as if I were the one He went through it all for - and the Holy Spirit took me on a short journey through the scriptures of how the ONE was always important to Him.

I saw the movie as the greatest love story I would ever see and left the theater with a personal relationship with Him. http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m82/morganriley/Praise/ththpraisetheLord.jpg

Was there something that was the defining moment or issue for you and will you share it?
:)

[Solo Fide]

For me it was the issue of eternal security. My friend had a sense that I wasn't truly saved even though I talked a lot about Christ- she and her husband sat me down and asked me this one question: If there was any one thing you could do to lose your salvation- what would it be? They showed me then how there isn't anything I could do and that when Jesus died ALL my sins were in the future- so He died for them all!
I've been a believer now for 23 years to the month, can't remember the day, but do remember the moment! Anyway, I'm very passionate about eternal security as it was the difference between heaven and hell for me. I studied that subject for 2 solid years right after accepting Christ- along with many other subjects. I had thought I was saved for 2 years prior, but later came to understand that it was a works based salvation message that I responded to- and trusted in. I said that sinner's prayer must have been 1000 times and the darn thing never took! It's funny, but not really because there are probably tons of people out there hanging there hopes on that prayer instead of the blood of Jesus! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and though shalt be saved! I didn't even pray any prayer when I got saved- I just believed in my heart that Jesus died for me and that was enough! Lord knows I confessed me sins 1000 times before! So praise the Lord for friends who cared enough to share the truth of God's Word! Praise the Lord for people who COULD explain God's Word!
They also told me that if I was the only one that would ever come to believe in Him that He would have come to die just for me!:yeah That's how much He loves me:faint
Thanks for sharing Emily! I think it's just God who takes the veil away so we can see:candle

[Emily Ruth]

For me it was the issue of eternal security. My friend had a sense that I wasn't truly saved even though I talked a lot about Christ- she and her husband sat me down and asked me this one question: If there was any one thing you could do to lose your salvation- what would it be? They showed me then how there isn't anything I could do and that when Jesus died ALL my sins were in the future- so He died for them all!
I've been a believer now for 23 years to the month, can't remember the day, but do remember the moment! Anyway, I'm very passionate about eternal security as it was the difference between heaven and hell for me. I studied that subject for 2 solid years right after accepting Christ- along with many other subjects. I had thought I was saved for 2 years prior, but later came to understand that it was a works based salvation message that I responded to- and trusted in. I said that sinner's prayer must have been 1000 times and the darn thing never took! It's funny, but not really because there are probably tons of people out there hanging there hopes on that prayer instead of the blood of Jesus! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and though shalt be saved! I didn't even pray any prayer when I got saved- I just believed in my heart that Jesus died for me and that was enough! Lord knows I confessed me sins 1000 times before! So praise the Lord for friends who cared enough to share the truth of God's Word! Praise the Lord for people who COULD explain God's Word!
They also told me that if I was the only one that would ever come to believe in Him that He would have come to die just for me!:yeah That's how much He loves me:faint
Thanks for sharing Emily! I think it's just God who takes the veil away so we can see:candle

Thank you! What a beautiful testimony and exactly what I was asking for.

It is interesting how we all have the one piece that causes us to stumble and how He knows our hearts and yes - it truly is only Him who can lift the veil but just as with Elisha - He waits until we ask.

When Elisha asked for God to show his servant the mighty armies - then the Lord opened His eyes.

It also seems that if we don't ask - we aren't ready to really see the truth.

It is when we ask that the Lord has prepared our heart for that moment.

I know the answer to my quest was set before me many times before but it wasn't until I truly truly wanted it that I finally had my eyes opened.

[SilentShout]

Well... I stole something from JC Penneys and got caught. I thought I was invincible, and bing bam boom :Jesus found me: or vice versa. But it was actually a multitude of things.. I'm just glad I was one of the lucky ones.

[Solo Fide]

Well... I stole something from JC Penneys and got caught. I thought I was invincible, and bing bam boom :Jesus found me: or vice versa. But it was actually a multitude of things.. I'm just glad I was one of the lucky ones.

Do you mind expounding on this a little?:scratch

[Jesse]

I came to the point of repentance on July 4th, 1999 on a day that my mom came over to my apartment to have a talk with me. Shortly before this day, I had plainly told her that I felt that my life is headed nowhere.

On this day, she began talking to me about how the youth today are being conditioned for the new world order through certain music, video games, movies, ect. - and how this new world order relates to Bible prophecy, and I began to see that I was living a lie. In fact, one of the songs that I used to listen to was a song titled N. W. O. (which stands for New World Order) by an industrial metal band called Ministry. This band was not one of my favorites, but that is one song that I listened to a lot. After my mom had this talk with me, I began to see that I had become desensitized to evil.

Before then, I already believed in God, but I was angry with Him - and I was drawn toward just about anything ungodly. But I turned to Him on that day because I had no where else to turn. I had simply reached the end of my rope, and I realized that there was no point in running from Him any longer, and I was tired of living a lie.

I also want to make it clear that I would not have been born again if it had not been for the hearing of the word: Scripture plainly tells us that "Faith comes by hearing...the word of God" (Romans 10:17)...and that we are "born again...by the word of God" (1 Peter 1:23).

My mom later told me that she felt God's presence all over her as she was leaving my apartment on this day that she had this talk with me. She had tried to reach me before, but I had simply reached the end of my rope during this time, and I had no where else to turn. My mom has said that the Lord had already told her that this was my day of salvation before she came over to have this talk with me. She already knew this was it, and she felt God's presence tremendously as she left my apartment that day.

Those who are interested can read my entire testimony on my site at http://members.tripod.com/jdlarsenmn/testimony.htm

[Emily Ruth]

God bless you dear brother! Thank you for your post. They are always so incredible. You are such a blessing to the body of Christ. Thank God for your mom!

[lbeels]

I've been a professed christian since 1992, but I believe I was actually saved just a few years ago. 5 years ago I had breast cancer. Before that I was always annoyed with everyone. I was critical and judgemental. My husband drove me crazy. I just couldn't find peace in my life. :ohno

When I developed the cancer I actually hoped it would kill me so that I could escape this life and this would've been a respectable way to go out. :shocked I would've never admitted this to anyone. I don't think I've ever heard of or known anyone with cancer who would admit to wanting to die from it. So I just pretended and relished in all of the attention I got from it. I became consumed with it and learning about it and forgot about God. I lost weight and looked great, bought new clothes and flaunted my figure and wore sexy clothing. I entertained serious thoughts of adultery, but thank goodness never actually had one. I was very superficial in all my ways.

In all of this I kept having my conscience nagging me (The Holy Spirit) to turn from my ways. I knew it was wrong but I remember thinking at one point that I didn't care. And I was miserable. This was not making me happy. Instead of bringing all of this to Christ, I became consumed with myself. It took 1-2 years before I came to my senses and it was this experience that humbled me into repentance and a turning away from that pursuance of pleasure.

When I first turned away from that selfish time in my life I'd look back in horror at what I did against God, my husband, the example I set for my son, how many men I caused to lust after me, etc. I realized that I wasn't such a good person after all. Miss goody two shoes wasn't so good. Thank goodness as time goes by the pain of it all becomes less and less. However, that lesson saved my eternal life and I'm very, very grateful for it. I can honestly say that my cancer was the best thing that ever happened to me. I am now soundly saved. :yeah

[Solo Fide]

I once heard a preacher say that God often uses sicknesses of the body to cure the sicknesses in the soul!

[Emily Ruth]

I once heard a preacher say that God often uses sicknesses of the body to cure the sicknesses in the soul!

God can use anything. I think this is something we should not venture to guess at - because telling someone that God ordained their illness to heal their soul can sometimes cause people to be very angry at God and slam the door on Him forever.

I look at it from the other direction - Romans 8:28.
God can take whatever situation is layed out and use that for those who seek Him or use it to be the foundation in which they seek Him.

But I sincerely do not believe that God causes all the illnesses because that is all a result of a fallen world. He can and does use it to bring people to Him.

I always like to look at it this way - none of us think poop is pleasant but God can and does use it to grow the beautiful rose.

God is outside of time. He knows far more and has a much grander perspective than He can explain to us as we are in the dimension of time.

I liken it to a parent who has a child with a broken leg. That leg has to be set in order for it to heal properly. Otherwise the child will be a cripple.
So the parent takes the child to the doctor knowing the next event will be extremely painful but also that it is for permanent healing.