Hi All,

The following is something I wrote a while ago, trying to express in words, what it was like to meet Jesus for the first time. It is my honest personal testimony. It is the best I can do to try to describe my experience. I thought that it might help you to understand where I'm coming from, since I'm always talking about being "born again" and "knowing Him personally". And I sincerely, sincerely wish that all of you would experience what I have. God is love.

Love,

Lori


Meeting Jesus

I can’t remember exactly when it was that I met Jesus for the first time. I know that my spiritual journey had been a long one up to that point, going on for years…most of my life…trying to figure things out using the world I had around me…my life experience…science…emotions…logic…religion. Eventually, I had asked to be shown…I wanted the truth…sincerely…and had asked for it…if it was there to be shown. And it was shown to me…through experiences in my life…to the point where the idea of mere coincidence was out the window, and my doubt as to His existence was gone. Up to that time though, it had consisted of me seeing and experiencing things in life, from a simply analytical standpoint, and having enough faith from that to pray to Him for salvation and truth and understanding. With that prayer, truth was shown to me through life experience, physical and mental and emotional experience, and the understanding that came with that…and my faith grew and grew. I was being humbled, and humbled, and humbled…to the truth. At that point I was saved…and I had faith…and I had some understanding of some truth…and I knew where that came from…if for no other reason than that I had asked it of a very specific source…but I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. I didn’t even know what that was…or that it was even possible. I knew that He was manipulating my life and teaching me things…but it seemed from afar. I didn’t feel Him…I didn’t hear Him…I didn’t sense Him…it was all very “worldly” and analytical.

It bothers me now that I can’t remember what exactly brought on the experience I had when I met Jesus for the first time. I do know though, that I had prayed for that “personal” relationship…to actually know Him…to feel Him…as I know that He only comes when invited. I do remember what it was like though…and I’ve spent a lot of time since then trying to find the words that would adequately describe the experience. Well, there are none…but the following analogies and description are as close as I can come.

I was alone in prayer and in my bedroom and I heard Him speak to me. It was not audible…it was in my head. It was my inner voice…but it wasn’t me who was talking. It was like when I talk to myself in my mind…but it wasn’t me who was talking…and I knew that like I knew that there was a nose on my face. It was not my thought…they were not my words…it wasn’t my tone, or the inflection that I would use even…and what He said to me was…that He loved me. That He loved me and He always had and He always would. He actually said that He loved me over and over and over again. It was as if He knew that I didn't "get it", and so He kept repeating it. He said that He had been there for me…and with me…all along…my whole life…but that I never acknowledged Him…I never looked at Him…or to Him…and He had been waiting for me to for so long. And it wasn’t just the words either…they were accompanied by a presence…His presence. I couldn’t see him with my eyes…or hear Him with my ears…or reach out and touch Him with my hands…I couldn’t smell Him either. It was like I had a sixth sense all of a sudden…one that I was totally unfamiliar with and didn’t understand. I still have no way of describing it other than to say that it’s a “knowing”. His words and His presence brought about an extreme emotional response from me…I cried and cried. I would compare the emotion to what you would experience if you were reunited with a long lost parent maybe…only many times more intense…it’s the most intense and personal bond that I’ve ever felt…I mean, He knows everything…and I mean everything about you…every deed…every thought…every weakness…everything about you since conception….even more than you do about your own self…and then and yet…He loves you…and He loves you unconditionally…now think about that for a minute…yea, the closest thing you could compare it to would be a parent…but the closest parental relationship in the world doesn’t come close to that. I remember feeling as if I had known Him a long, long time ago…so long ago that I couldn’t remember what it was like to be with Him or to know Him…but that I definitely had. And it was bitter-sweet…loving reunions always are…you are so sad and remorseful because of the time lost between you…and yet at the same time so relieved that you have found each other in that moment and that the separation is finally over…and then joyful and thankful for the time together that is to come.

You know, I had always thought it strange, when watching those stupid tv talk shows with their “long lost relative” reunions, how people got so emotional about it all. I never understood what the big emotional deal was about meeting someone, that you didn’t know, for the first time. I mean so what that you shared a little dna? What was the big deal? You hadn’t shared anything else. You hadn’t spent any time together, shared any experiences, or had any knowledge of each other at all, so why all of the emotion? I just didn’t get it. But when I met Jesus for the first time, it became clear to me, that it wasn’t about the time spent, or the experience shared, or the knowledge of the other that was important…it was about who that person is to you. Who is this? This is my Father. And it wasn’t even something that I intellectualized at the time, but something that I felt deep inside of me…a bond that was felt to the very core of my soul. And my soul cried out in comfort and relief.

It was strange because at that point…and looking back on my life…it felt like I knew He had been there all along…right there beside me…but for some reason I had forgotten that He was…it was very strange. It reminds me of a most disturbing scene in the movie “Trainspotting”, which if you haven’t seen it, is a film about heroine addiction. In the film, the parents of a baby are heroine addicts…and you see the baby throughout the film…crawling around their apartment here and there…you don’t really think much of it. Until in one scene, the baby’s parents wake up out of their heroine induced stupor enough to remember to “check on” the baby. And the emotion conveyed is sheer terror and panic…because they’ve lost track of time in a big way…who knows how long they’ve been out…the truth is…and all of a sudden they realize…that for some period of time…who knows how long…they had actually forgotten that they had a baby. And they go to the baby’s room…and look into the crib…and they find their baby dead from neglect…malnourishment…dehydration…whatever. It’s like one of those nightmare’s that you have when you forget about a class that you have until the day of the final…times one million…sheer panic…and confusion…wondering how in the world you could possibly just forget about something like that…something that important…a sense of devastating frustration would be an understatement.

Well, those are analogies that would describe the logistics of it…He was there…right there…I should have known it…maybe at a time so long ago that I don’t quite remember I did know it…but something distracted me…distracted me so much that I couldn’t see Him or hear Him or feel Him…and for so long that I forgot He was there altogether…until that moment. But I didn’t feel terror or panic or frustration or anything even resembling that…like you would in the analogies that I gave…because the baby didn’t die…there was no exam to fail…He loved me just as much as He always had…and was really happy that I finally remembered Him…or found Him…or looked for Him. After all, He always knew I would eventually…He had just been waiting patiently…so patiently…for so long. There was no judgment…no chastisement…nothing lost…nothing damaged…no hurt feelings….just total and unconditional love and acceptance and welcome and joy. It was so strange and so wonderful.

It’s kind of like if you could imagine a world in which you birth your child into a different dimension than the one that you exist in…yea, it’s like that. Your child is born into a dimension in which you can see and hear and feel them, but they can not see or hear or feel you. And as a parent, you live with your child…following them wherever they go, whatever they do…but they have no idea that you are there…that you even exist. You can call to them, but they don’t hear you…you stand right in front of them waving your arms about, but they can’t see you…you reach out to them to hold them and comfort them, but they can’t feel you…you are like a ghost in their world. You have so much you want to teach him, but he can’t learn from you…so much love to give him, but he can’t feel it…he doesn’t even know it’s there to accept. So you have to watch your child grow up in a world without your love and your guidance, and suffer the consequence of the absence of that, and you can’t intervene…you can’t do anything about it. The child has no idea how he came to exist in his world…doesn’t understand how or why or by whom he was created…has no understanding of the existence of his parent…it’s an unanswered question in his dimension. And in his dimension, the question is pondered, and evidence is gathered, and theories are proposed...but the truth is...that the there is only one way for your child to find you…to know you…to know that you’re there…to feel you, to hear you, to learn from you, and to experience your love. But the only way to do that is for your child to believe in your existence enough to invite you…to look for you…to listen for you…he has to seek you…and then and only then can he experience you and your love and learn from you…all of a sudden…you’re there to him.

And some of the children say that there are no such things as parents…that it’s foolish to believe in such things…like believing in fairy tales…that they grew here in this dimension like the plants in the field…and will one day return to the ground where they came. They are no different from the plants. And some children say that they don’t know for sure…can’t really say one way or the other…and they don’t really care…they are happy living their lives as they know it…and have no time to ponder such questions. They say “Who would want such a thing as a parent anyway? Someone to boss you around and chastise and punish you? Who would want such grief?” And their parents hear them say that too. But some children say that they’ve met their parent…and that they’re parents love them so much it’s almost unbelievable…so much more than any child loves another child in their dimension…and that they’ve learned so much from them…and are so grateful. And they go around talking about their parents and trying to lead other children to look for theirs too…to believe that they have them…and that their parents love them and are longing for a relationship with them. Most other children see this as insane boasting of some sort…some elitist fairy tale crapola…they just don’t understand. They say “Well if you have these so called parents to learn from then shouldn’t you be perfect? Why don’t you know everything there is to know then?” And the children who have found their parents explain that they are still learning, and will never know all that there is to learn from them. And they say “Well if these so called parents exist, then why can't you show them to me?” And the children who have found their parents explain that only they themselves can discover their own parents…that it is only you who can invite your own parent…that one child cannot seek or discover another child’s parent’s for them. And those children who have found their parents get frustrated sometimes…because the others don’t understand…they just don’t know what they’re missing…and they don’t even want to know…they think that they are fools or liars one or the other.

Think about what it would be like to be a parent in that world…the sadness…the loneliness…the frustration…the lost love…the waste of all you have to give…and the only barrier between you and your child is the profoundly selfless and generous gift of free will.

what free will

I agree, Trainspotting was a great film.
Otherwise I can't relate to any of this post on any level.

I was alone in prayer and in my bedroom and I heard Him speak to me. It was not audible no it was'nt me, I was'nt there.

Hiya Lori,

I too have had a very similar experience to this, so powerful that I decided to become a Christian because of it. It is awesome to think that not only is there a God, but that He actually loves you, well beyond words...


It’s kind of like if you could imagine a world in which you birth your child into a different dimension than the one that you exist in…yea, it’s like that. Your child is born into a dimension in which you can see and hear and feel them, but they can not see or hear or feel you. And as a parent, you live with your child…following them wherever they go, whatever they do…but they have no idea that you are there…that you even exist. You can call to them, but they don’t hear you…you stand right in front of them waving your arms about, but they can’t see you…you reach out to them to hold them and comfort them, but they can’t feel you…you are like a ghost in their world. You have so much you want to teach him, but he can’t learn from you…so much love to give him, but he can’t feel it…he doesn’t even know it’s there to accept. So you have to watch your child grow up in a world without your love and your guidance, and suffer the consequence of the absence of that, and you can’t intervene…you can’t do anything about it. The child has no idea how he came to exist in his world…doesn’t understand how or why or by whom he was created…has no understanding of the existence of his parent…it’s an unanswered question in his dimension. And in his dimension, the question is pondered, and evidence is gathered, and theories are proposed...but the truth is...that the there is only one way for your child to find you…to know you…to know that you’re there…to feel you, to hear you, to learn from you, and to experience your love. But the only way to do that is for your child to believe in your existence enough to invite you…to look for you…to listen for you…he has to seek you…and then and only then can he experience you and your love and learn from you…all of a sudden…you’re there to him.


The above explains our situation very well indeed.

I very much enjoyed reading your post, thanks for sharing it.

Best wishes

Dave

It’s kind of like if you could imagine a world in which you birth your child into a different dimension than the one that you exist in…yea, it’s like that. Your child is born into a dimension in which you can see and hear and feel them, but they can not see or hear or feel you. And as a parent, you live with your child…following them wherever they go, whatever they do…but they have no idea that you are there…that you even exist. You can call to them, but they don’t hear you…you stand right in front of them waving your arms about, but they can’t see you…you reach out to them to hold them and comfort them, but they can’t feel you…you are like a ghost in their world. You have so much you want to teach him, but he can’t learn from you…so much love to give him, but he can’t feel it…he doesn’t even know it’s there to accept.

And you become so 'grieved' by all of this, that you just drown him and everything else. Problem solved.

And you become so 'grieved' by all of this, that you just drown him and everything else. Problem solved.

And where exactly in the Bible, which is what I'm assuming your "source" is, does it say that God flooded the earth because He was grieved because of a lack of relationship with His children?

what free will


How about the free will that allows you to continually post trite bs on this board? ;)

thats the free thinkers own free will, god has pre-ordained yours.

Rom.9:11-22 "For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. .... For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction."

that the free thinkers own free will, god has pre-ordained yours.

Sounds like a foolish boast to me mustafakofi. Sounds conceited. Why would it be a bad thing for God to save you from death? Be a father to you?
Would God be so bad to rescue the hurt children of the world and reveal His spirit to them? What if God were grieved mustafhakofi? Truly grieved? Like a mother watching her children be raped by evil? What if God were like that mustafhakofi? What if God had his face up to yours now? You know, the maker of all the whole beautiful universe that you see? The God that says to His children "I will make you a new one. It will be yours and you will live forever. I promise my children.". Our Father. Only under Our Father can we be one forever. All else leads to death. We become as bastards cut off from our inheritance. The inheritance of course being eternal life with God and the Lamb of God who is Jesus whom I have been speaking of. Our brother. He Who Is.

peace

c20

And where exactly in the Bible, which is what I'm assuming your "source" is, does it say that God flooded the earth because He was grieved because of a lack of relationship with His children?



Genesis
6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

your god should be grieved c20, for it created evil and used evil with relish.
and an inherently evil thing is not something I would worship.
btw it's not a boast it's a fact.
read the scriptures, about your god, try not to only look at the pictures, be a big boy now and read it.

God is like you and I mustafhakofi. Jesus came as a human being. He has His place among living beings who are us because of His life on earth. You could say that Jesus won the race. Top seed. Top dog. He didn't come from no earthly father though mustafakofi. Mary was a virgin. The second Eve among us. Jesus was Immanuel. God with us. God among us. His blood on the earth. His ressurection. First blood. His blood covers us. There is one greater than Jesus. Our Father. Jesus is a lamb. The rest is peace. We will be ressurected. All will give account. It is important that we are judged. Each must take his place. Whoever does not accept this message will have to be responsible for themselves on that day. The blood of Jesus pays for your sins. All of God's wrath poured out on the innocent. Baby Jesus, who did God's will and was obedient to God even unto death by crucifixion. God's own boy. His own. God is massivly powerful. I cannot begin to describe some revelations I have had. But look up to the sky. It should give you an idea of something greater than your own understanding. Even if you know all the names of all the bits in space, even if you know what they all do, you cannot make them. And you never will be able to. I know a man who can though. Well it seems only fair that Jesus gets to be top dog. He is God's Son after all.

peace

c20

All of God's wrath poured out on the innocent. Baby Jesus, who did God's will and was obedient to God even unto death by crucifixion. God's own boy. His own.

If this really happened, was there anything more unjust than this? But yet you say God is "just"? I think that's a problem some have with the "cross of Christ".

If this really happened, was there anything more unjust than this? But yet you say God is "just"? I think that a problem some have with the "cross of Christ".


An excellent excellent point. This is why Jesus said "Not my will be done but Your Will be done". It was an offering. It had to be. God saved us. He paid the price Himself. Amazing grace.

peace

c20

We may say "It was not Eve's fault. She was tricked."

But evil has been committed.

It must be balanced.

Jesus balanced it.

peace

c20

Genesis
6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Here's the problem with your thinking. From God's point of view, He did not drown MAN, He drowned some Men... yet he preserved MAN through Noah.

God sees all of MAN as a sort of tree or vine where sons are branches off their father. As long as one Man still lives then MAN still lives. There is nothing evil or wrong with God executing rightous judgement on Men who are evil - any more than it was wrong to execute Timothy McVea. God works on a broader scale than we do. From God's point of view, MAN is still alive and He sent his Only-Begotton-Son to save MAN - to become one with MAN just as a Man takes a Woman and becomes one with her. Why would God permit His only Son to do such a thing with evil, unrigheous MAN? - His great Love.

It is interesting that you blame God for some great evil which you don't even believe happened? Strange Logic!

It is interesting that you blame God for some great evil which you don't even believe happened? Strange Logic!

It should be recognized that many people know about the Bible, know that it's supposedly the "Word of God", know that it has had a major impact in world history, have read it, or some of it, been brought up with it, and some may at least have some "residue" of prior "Bible belief". So I don't see it necessarily as strange logic. If someone were to leave Islam, or any other religion, that person might still have at least some "residue" of that belief in that person's mind.

If this really happened, was there anything more unjust than this? But yet you say God is "just"? I think that's a problem some have with the "cross of Christ".
Yes, this was terribly unjust... yet Jesus took this upon himself willingly and voluntarily. He could have, by his own words, declined. This is like me paying off your house. Once it is payed, you no longer have to make the payments even though you did not pay the debt. Jesus paid the debt. In Jesus' own words - It Is Finished - which can also be interpreted as - It Is Paid!

This is the key and this is why Jesus is deserving of so much Honor... Jesus took this upon himself voluntarily.

Lori is it a goal of yours to meet Jesus or a only a desire? I find the Christian fixation on one man fascinating. When you presented this to your fellow Christians how did they react? Do others you know have similar feelings or letters? Does your pasture or minister or priest talk about meeting Jesus too? I noticed their was a song on the radio at my old day job. A lot of the office workers there were strong Christians and they were really moved by the song which made me think they may have had ideas or notions about meeting Jesus too....the wish I knew the name of the song but it is something about a man who meets Jesus in the flesh for the first time and is in awe and falls to his knees and looks up to the sky ect..it was played alot on local country stations down here in Austin Tx.

It should be recognized that many people know about the Bible, know that it's supposedly the "Word of God", know that it has had a major impact in world history, have read it, or some of it, been brought up with it, and some may at least have some "residue" of prior "Bible belief". So I don't see it necessarily as strange logic. If someone were to leave Islam, or any other religion, that person might still have at least some "residue" of that belief in that person's mind.
Oh, my greatest apologies... I had no idea mustafhakofi believed the Flood occured. My criticizm is reserved for those who do not believe the bible yet criticize God for the things in it - which would be the worst kind of circular logic.

It is interesting that you blame God for some great evil which you don't even believe happened? Strange Logic! but you do believe it happened.
I dont blame it for anything, it would be illogical to blame a non-existent thing, I'm just trying to understand( get my head round) your xian logic, if any.

Oh, my greatest apologies... I had no idea mustafhakofi believed the Flood occured. My criticism is reserved for those who do not believe the bible yet criticise God for the things in it - which would be the worst kind of circular logic.

:) I don't know what his background is either. Do you? So I made that statement. :)

anonymous2 - Jesus was a Holy Child when He was thirty three. His great love for us took Him to His death. It was the only way we could be saved and He knew it. He was God, yet He never considered Himself equal with God. He looked up as we do and saw the Magnificent Heavens. He knew how miraculous His existence was. He was fully pure. The Word of God made pure in the flesh. His blood upon the earth means God is with us. The very earth is covered in His blood. We are saved. God is good. Man is not Good. God loves us. I love God. I am saved. Eternal life. What is perishable must be made imperishable. It is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The narrow gate of Faith. From little acorns big oak trees grow.

peace

c20

Genesis
6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.


So there ya go...it doesn't say that He destroyed because of grief caused by "loneliness", but because of the evil and wickedness that he saw in the hearts of men, which of course grieved Him, as He would have us love as He loves us. Sounds like He was repulsed by the men of this time. And let's not forget that the wages of sin are death, and He wants us to live forever...to not die and to not suffer. He created us and He created the law. To live forever is why He created us and so we will. There is the life of the spirit and the life of the flesh which is different. In the life of this flesh, everyone will die, but that does not account for the life of your spirit, or that of what God creates in the future. This is not the end result of His creation.

At the beginning of Genesis ch6...the story of the flood...it talks about the Nephilim being on the earth then, and afterwards (which is strange considering He floods the earth and kills all save Noah, whom is found to be "pure"). The Nephilim are demi-gods...when the sons of God went to the daughters of men, and had children by them. These are fallen angels who against God's will are impregnating humans and creating hybrids. These Nephilim are what "aliens" are or what "aliens" are made from...demonically created and manipulated genetic concoctions...and they are doing this same thing to humans right now and have been for who knows how long. So it states plainly in this chapter that the corruption of the human flesh with the demon seed is why men were increasingly wicked in these days, and why God destroyed humanity at this time, save Noah and his sons whose bloodline had not been tainted and remained "relatively" pure. So at this time, and regarding the flood, God's wrath had nothing to do with our rejection of Him due to the fall of man, or due to our sin, that remains to this day, but in fact due to a genetic alteration of the human flesh, perpetuated by demons and allowed, or even sought out by the free will of man. And a genetic alteration, being the mark of the beast, which will also be perpetuated by demons, and by the Nephilim which they have created, is the reason why the earth will be destroyed again...this time by fire.

Here is the scripture...

Genesis
6:1When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them,
6:2the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.
6:3then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."
6:4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days-and also afterward-when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

Love,

Lori

Lori is it a goal of yours to meet Jesus or a only a desire? I find the Christian fixation on one man fascinating. When you presented this to your fellow Christians how did they react? Do others you know have similar feelings or letters? Does your pasture or minister or priest talk about meeting Jesus too? I noticed their was a song on the radio at my old day job. A lot of the office workers there were strong Christians and they were really moved by the song which made me think they may have had ideas or notions about meeting Jesus too....the wish I knew the name of the song but it is something about a man who meets Jesus in the flesh for the first time and is in awe and falls to his knees and looks up to the sky ect..it was played alot on local country stations down here in Austin Tx.

It is a goal and a desire of mine fulfilled...as described above. The above is not something that I made up in hope, but something that I wrote to attempt to describe in words what actually happened to me. I have met Jesus...I have heard His voice and felt His presence...that's what this writing is about...that's what I'm always talking about. We have had a relationship since then, and He has taught me so much and helped me in so many ways...He is so wonderful...He is love...unconditional. This meeting and this relationship is what being born again is, and is the source of my faith and my knowledge of God. That is why I say that faith is not a belief in something that you don't know to be true, but a belief in something that you do know to be true. I know God...I know His nature because I know Him...have interacted with Him...in a relationship that has progressively built an infinite trust in Him. That trust is my faith. That knowledge and learning directly of Him and from Him is where my "beliefs" come from. That is why I'm always saying that they don't come from a book or from a man like a preacher or from an organized religious dogma of any kind. The fact that what God teaches me in person is substantiated or confirmed in scripture is only because the Bible is in fact God's Word. But for me, I do not learn it from the book, I learn it from God, and through my life experience, which He uses to teach me things. And I do not believe it because it is written, but because He explains it to me personally, and because I HAVE LIVED IT.

I can usually tell if someone who professes themselves to be a Christian is born again or not. I find that lots of people subscribe to the dogma within the realm of organized religion for lots of other reasons other than a sincere desire to know God and have a personal relationship with Him...pity...damn shame actually. The people who do not know Him have no idea what I'm talking about and the people who do know Him know exactly what I'm talking about. Trust me, when you meet Him, you know it...there is no doubt about whether or not you are born again...you know it. I can tell if someone knows Him or not based upon the things they say...how they talk about Him and what they refer to when they speak of Him. Do they refer to a personal relationship or to a dogma or an organization or organized event or a book? People who know Him speak of Him as if He is their best friend and constant companion or their Father.

I'll give you an example...If I say to someone that I am a born again Christian, and the first thing they ask me in response is, "Oh really, me too, what church do you go to?" Then I know immediately that they have no flippin' idea what I'm talking about. What church do I go to, or a discussion about organized religion in any capacity would be maybe...I don't know...47th or so on the list of relevant questions or comments that someone who knows Him would make in response to my statement. If you know Him, you know that there is so much more relevant to talk about...namely HIM! Actually, that is where my sig came from. I am a waitress at an Applebee's restaurant in some hodunk redneck town in Ohio. And I was working one Sunday afternoon...waiting on the churchies...who are by the way infamous for their impatience, gluttony, pride, and greediness...and one couple, who had just apparently come from church commented on the necklace that I was wearing. The guy said something to the effect of, "I noticed that you are wearing a cross on your necklace...are you a Christian?" To which I responded, while trying oh so hard not to roll my eyes, "Yes...born again." And he immediately asked in response, "Do you go to church?" And so I cocked my head, and wrinkled my brow, and gave him a look of utter confusion, and said, "Go to church? I am the church!" To which of course, he had no reply whatsoever....just sat there dumbfounded with his jaw slightly ajar...and so I went about my business. They finished their meal and left without mentioning another thing to me.

So to your next question, I do not have a minister, pastor, or priest. But if I did, I'm sure that they would speak of it. I mean, it's in the Bible all over the place. Practically everyone in the book had God speak to them or knew Jesus and interacted with Him personally. The Bible talks about being born again of the Spirit all over the place. I just also know that it's something that many people...many people involved in organized religion too...don't pay attention to, or consider metaphorically. Why? Because they don't want to have a personal relationship with Him. They don't really want to know Him. And that is the only thing that keeps them from it. Like I said, many people...if not most people involve themselves in organized religion for other reasons...selfish reasons...prideful reasons...guilty reasons. I would imagine that most people do it to make someone else happy, like their parents or their wife or husband. Or maybe because they consider it the "thing to do", like in a socially acceptable kind of way....keeping up with the Joneses. Or maybe because they think it makes them a better person...or at least to appear that way. Or maybe their lonely and just want to join a club or a group or be included in something. And I know for sure that many go to church just so they can say to themselves that they are "better" than those who do not. And like I said, it's a damn shame. Actually, it's worse than that...it's deadly and destructive. Because it's taking the Lord's name in vain, and witnessing falsely of Him. And He will say to them, "I never knew you."


Love,

Lori

The One whom Lori_7 speaks of I also know. We fellowship. This is the truth as I am alive.

peace

c20

The One whom Lori_7 speaks of I also know. We fellowship. This is the truth as I am alive.

peace

c20

Yea, fellowship, which is something that I've never had. The only person that I've ever known to be born again, is my grandma, and she's hard to relate to. We all have different paths, and we all learn different things, and her path is so far removed from mine, and now unfortunately she is very old, and due to illness is losing her memory. Anyway, I can not even explain how nice it is to hear someone talk of the One that I love as I do. To be able to talk to someone about Him and not in a theoretical or theological way, but in a personal way. I am so happy that God introduced me to you, c2o, and I thank God for you!

Love,

Lori

Yea, fellowship, which is something that I've never had. The only person that I've ever known to be born again, is my grandma, and she's hard to relate to. We all have different paths, and we all learn different things, and her path is so far removed from mine, and now unfortunately she is very old, and due to illness is losing her memory. Anyway, I can not even explain how nice it is to hear someone talk of the One that I love as I do. To be able to talk to someone about Him and not in a theoretical or theological way, but in a personal way. I am so happy that God introduced me to you, c2o, and I thank God for you!

Love,

Lori

The good news Lori_7 is that we are not alone. Christ's work will not fail in the hearts of men. But you know this. It is always nice to find a long lost brother or sister :)

love

c20

I said greediness. roflmao. Seems I've been a waitress in this hodunk redneck town for a little too long...yea.

Lori I used work with a woman in her mid 30's that you remind me of. She would always talk about him and after about a week of this I am like "him who" . She looks at me like I have fallen out of a tree and says "Him, Jesus". I let it go and didn't say anything but thought it was kinda strange.

She tried to have a child for two years before I met her with her husband and could not. She was declared sterile by her doctor the year before I started work there and she went to church and during a church confession she said she wanted a kid with her husband so bad that it hurt. A woman sitting in the church told her she had talked to Jesus and she was going to have a child which really upset her since she was sterile.

I heard this story about 3 months of working in that office. One year later she was pregnant and a year after that she had a second child. The doctors were baffled. Maybe a misdiagnosis. Maybe divine intervention. It was just the strangest thing....she told me she should not have doubted that Jesus would give her a child....I haven't thought about that in the longest time...but she was like you ...always talking to Jesus at work as if he was in the cubical with her.......

Jesus is within us through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is not out there somewhere in the clouds he is not in some stone building. We are a temple and he dwells within us. You cannot get any closer than that. :)


Temples of God

We are the Church
God's holy people
We need no doors
Or fancy steeples

For we are the Temple
Where He wishes to stay
Which He bought with His blood
And willingly paid

So open your hearts
And let Jesus come in
And lay aside each weight
And besetting sin

Then run the race
That is set before you
Only trusting in Jesus
And never what you do

For He'll fill you with joy
His love and His peace
And you as His bride
He will lovingly keep

By blindseeker

All praise The Ancient Of Days

And where exactly in the Bible, which is what I'm assuming your "source" is, does it say that God flooded the earth because He was grieved because of a lack of relationship with His children?

Gen 6:6 Yahweh regretted having made human beings on earth and was grieved at heart. And Yahweh said, "I shall rid the surface of the earth of the human beings whom I created.."

May I, as an atheist and a rationalist express my admiration for Lori's post? I myself had a similar experience of the direct presence of Jesus, but I was ten at the time and can scarcely remember it now. As a rationalist, I of course have simple psychological explanations for what I experienced. In psychological terms, Lori has undergone a successful course of "self-medication". I'm not here, however, to force a rationalist viewpoint, to denigrate Lori's transcendental experience or to attack her God for what he's supposed to have done in the Bible. Lori didn't cite the Bible in her first post, she cited her personal experience. She has also expressed her dissatisfaction with conventional religion and with Christians who don't actually "get it". She even pointed out a logical flaw in the Bible!

Of course, this is a debate and discussion forum, and there really isn't a great deal to debate about a totally personal experience, but I'm glad Lori took the time to share her feelings.

Gen 6:6 Yahweh regretted having made human beings on earth and was grieved at heart. And Yahweh said, "I shall rid the surface of the earth of the human beings whom I created.."

What I'm saying Snake, is that He didn't destroy them because He was grieved by loneliness...it says that He destroyed them because they were wicked and evil...and not just the "normal" kind of wicked either, but exceedingly wicked...abnormally evil....as if some greater evil influence had come upon them besides the normal everyday sinful nature of man since his fall. In the verses that I referenced, it explains what that abnormal evil influence was...the nephilim. The nephilim is what was to be destroyed. He was grieved to see His children partake of such wickedness and repulsed by their exceedingly evil deeds. Remember that God hates sin and not the sinner. It was this evil "seed" amongst men that was to be destroyed, and for the good of mankind, not for his harm. For what was destroyed was flesh, not spirit. The spirit of man is eternal...even inside you Snake. And the flesh can be replenished once again...and again, and again, and again. I suppose until we finally get it right...because we desire what is right. Then and only then will the flesh also be eternal.

Love ya pookie.

May I, as an atheist and a rationalist express my admiration for Lori's post? I myself had a similar experience of the direct presence of Jesus, but I was ten at the time and can scarcely remember it now. As a rationalist, I of course have simple psychological explanations for what I experienced. In psychological terms, Lori has undergone a successful course of "self-medication". I'm not here, however, to force a rationalist viewpoint, to denigrate Lori's transcendental experience or to attack her God for what he's supposed to have done in the Bible. Lori didn't cite the Bible in her first post, she cited her personal experience. She has also expressed her dissatisfaction with conventional religion and with Christians who don't actually "get it". She even pointed out a logical flaw in the Bible!

Of course, this is a debate and discussion forum, and there really isn't a great deal to debate about a totally personal experience, but I'm glad Lori took the time to share her feelings.


Mmmmmm...warm fuzzies. :)

I never met Jesus, but I had some visions when I ate shrooms this one time. I saw a snake where there was no snake. I was like, 'dang'.

This Jesus shit must be hardcore.

Enjoy the trip folks

SnakeLord: Gen 6:6 Yahweh regretted having made human beings on earth and was grieved at heart. And Yahweh said, "I shall rid the surface of the earth of the human beings whom I created.."
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M*W: "Good dog, good dog, down boy," said the dyslexic.