# A pagan's journey



## TN_Explorer (Nov 25, 2010)

I've had an interesting life journey with lots of twists and turns.  I believe in God, and that Christianity is the highest religion; however I do not have a "relationship" with Christ.  I did not have a great relationship with my own father, so God as a benevolent father does not light me up, nor do I think of Him as a friend and buudy.

Like Zaccheus, I think believers have kept me from seeing Jesus.  Church does nothing for me, and I have abandoned it.

If the Bible says only a small few will be saved, why would I be so arrogant or egotistical to I think I am one?  

If faith is a gift from God, and I need faith to seek Him, I'm pretty well done until he calls, right?

Why would a creator need and require adoration from his creations?  and doom the majority to eternal punishment? 

My last church was a place of worship, thanksgiving and affirmation.  "There may be some among us that are not saved . . "  It did nothing to answer how to become saved if you are not called.

This is not a rant.  I'm really not worried about my eternity, I try to live as He would have me, and the chips will fall where they may.  I just thought the men in this forum live closer to my lifestyle & wondered if you had  these questions.


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## apoint (Nov 25, 2010)

TN_Explorer said:


> I've had an interesting life journey with lots of twists and turns.  I believe in God, and that Christianity is the highest religion; however I do not have a "relationship" with Christ.  I did not have a great relationship with my own father, so God as a benevolent father does not light me up, nor do I think of Him as a friend and buudy.
> 
> Like Zaccheus, I think believers have kept me from seeing Jesus.  Church does nothing for me, and I have abandoned it.
> 
> ...



If you believe in God as you say then believe in what God say's in His bible. Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you...
 As far as your biological Father, Mine had nothing to do with me and I see this as a good thing. If you look to people for any reason you will be let down. I cherish my Father in heaven even more because of my bilogical father.
 Without a personal relationship with God , you have nothing.  Sounds like you need to go to a real church that gives an alter call  and teaches how to be born again.
 You ask why does God want Us to  adore and Praise Him?
Because God created all things for us to have a relationship with Him our Father who created us. As any REAL Father would want" His Love for us" returned in like fashion to Him in praise & love to Him.
 You say, only a few will be saved. I tell you its your free choice for your salvation. A free gift from Jesus to be born again. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive your sin so you can be a new creation.
 Let me know if I can help you understand being 'Born Again".  God loves us so much He say's He is jealous for you. PM me if you like.


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## FritzMichaels (Nov 25, 2010)

TN_Explorer said:


> I've had an interesting life journey with lots of twists and turns.  I believe in God, and that Christianity is the highest religion; however I do not have a "relationship" with Christ.  I did not have a great relationship with my own father, so God as a benevolent father does not light me up, nor do I think of Him as a friend and buudy.
> 
> The devils believe and they are not saved. Your belief is not a saving belief as the bible details.
> 
> ...



You need the fear of the Lord. if you you're not worried about your eternity you dont believe the word of God. the fear of the Lord IS the beginning of wisdom. dont let the chips fall where they may. you control your destiny like Bro Apoint said. dont believe the lies of false preachers who say you have no free will. devour the word of God and believe it. place all your faith in Christ and repent and become one of Christs. religion kills. Jesus saves. just my opinion.


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## fish hawk (Dec 19, 2010)

Tn-explorer and apoint i like you guys never had a good relationship with my earthly father heck we didnt talk for at least 10 years then a few years back I got a call from my Aunt saying that my Dad had cancer.We did try and patch our relationship at this point and did to a certain extent but never that close bond like it should have been,he died about a year later.So if your father is still alive I would say first try and put your differences aside and form a closer relationship before its too late like I did.Second you need to find a church where you connect, it might mean going to visit several but first ask God to show you where He wants you to be and he will show you and believe me you will know it when you do.then you need to ask God for a closer relationship with Him,it's probably not going to happen overnight and will take some time but it will come,i know it did for me,but it has taken about 10 years and im still learning and growing everyday.My Christianity started with pestering by my wife, she finally got me to visit a church and the first one we visited turned out to be the one we eventually joined we were going to visit another the following Sunday but the sermon was so good and drew me in we decided not to .I could totally relate to the preacher and what he was saying.i think the biggest draw was the preacher had used his own life experiences in his sermon and i said to myself hey this guy has the same problems and struggles as i do.Its been a long journey, at first i said to myself I will go to church because I want my Children to be raised in Church and i was tired of my wife aggravating me,I wasn't going for myself or to have a closer relationship with God you see.I would never go on Sunday night or Wednesday night because that interfered with my beer drinking and yard work.At this point I still didnt have a real relationship with God.But I found the more I attended and the closer I got to christian brothers and sisters the closer i got to God.The first thing he did for me was deliver me from a six pack or more daily beer habit,I ask him to do it and he did and it wasn't even hard.God has blessed me in so many ways and answered so many prayers and constantly watches over my family i can not think of him as anything else than my true Father,one who will never let me down like my earthly father did.When I pray this is what i call him "Father".So in all this please give it time because the Christian life is not a sprint but a marathon.So keep searching and you will find it.Tn exp. I fall short on a daily basis,but I know my true Father will forgive me and not hold any grudges and always be there for me, unlike my earthly father did.


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## Beehaw (Dec 24, 2010)

I highly recommend a minitry in SC called Shiloh Place.  There are some great teachings called "Restorign the Father's Love" that have changed my life, and they will yours.

http://www.shilohplace.org/


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## Ronnie T (Dec 24, 2010)

fish hawk said:


> Tn-explorer and apoint i like you guys never had a good relationship with my earthly father heck we didnt talk for at least 10 years then a few years back I got a call from my Aunt saying that my Dad had cancer.We did try and patch our relationship at this point and did to a certain extent but never that close bond like it should have been,he died about a year later.So if your father is still alive I would say first try and put your differences aside and form a closer relationship before its too late like I did.Second you need to find a church where you connect, it might mean going to visit several but first ask God to show you where He wants you to be and he will show you and believe me you will know it when you do.then you need to ask God for a closer relationship with Him,it's probably not going to happen overnight and will take some time but it will come,i know it did for me,but it has taken about 10 years and im still learning and growing everyday.My Christianity started with pestering by my wife, she finally got me to visit a church and the first one we visited turned out to be the one we eventually joined we were going to visit another the following Sunday but the sermon was so good and drew me in we decided not to .I could totally relate to the preacher and what he was saying.i think the biggest draw was the preacher had used his own life experiences in his sermon and i said to myself hey this guy has the same problems and struggles as i do.Its been a long journey, at first i said to myself I will go to church because I want my Children to be raised in Church and i was tired of my wife aggravating me,I wasn't going for myself or to have a closer relationship with God you see.I would never go on Sunday night or Wednesday night because that interfered with my beer drinking and yard work.At this point I still didnt have a real relationship with God.But I found the more I attended and the closer I got to christian brothers and sisters the closer i got to God.The first thing he did for me was deliver me from a six pack or more daily beer habit,I ask him to do it and he did and it wasn't even hard.God has blessed me in so many ways and answered so many prayers and constantly watches over my family i can not think of him as anything else than my true Father,one who will never let me down like my earthly father did.When I pray this is what i call him "Father".So in all this please give it time because the Christian life is not a sprint but a marathon.So keep searching and you will find it.Tn exp. I fall short on a daily basis,but I know my true Father will forgive me and not hold any grudges and always be there for me, unlike my earthly father did.




Brother that's one of the greatest testimonies I've heard in a long long time.

Thank you for taking the time to share it with others.


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## RickS (Jan 17, 2011)

Christians choose to be saved and God wants nothing more in the world than to have a relationship with us. I can appreciate your comments and your answers all lie in the good book. I was brought up going to church 3 times a week and went because I was supposed to not because I desired to go. After the past 15 years or so of turning my back on the lord I finally have that relationship. I just got to a point that I felt something inside was missing and all the bad in the world was just getting to be too much. Thats when I started reading my NIV bible looking for answers. There are study guides in the back of most of them. I owe my relationship with God to reading the bible and making my own decision (with lots of prayer for guidance)of what my heart was telling me. Seemed like the first 6 months I was wasting my time reading but one day you just wake up and it just feels natural to say morning to God and pray everyday for him to guide you through life. Put God first and everything else in life will fall into place. I joined this forum because I was just surfing looking for a hunt club and found myself reading your post. You think that was chance or luck? No way. Read your bible brother, God bless!


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## Bloodbag (Jan 18, 2011)

TN_Explorer said:


> I've had an interesting life journey with lots of twists and turns.  I believe in God, and that Christianity is the highest religion; however I do not have a "relationship" with Christ.  I did not have a great relationship with my own father, so God as a benevolent father does not light me up, nor do I think of Him as a friend and buudy.
> 
> Like Zaccheus, I think believers have kept me from seeing Jesus.  Church does nothing for me, and I have abandoned it.
> 
> ...



Egotistical and arrogant have nothing to do with it.  A beautiful and fair gift from God is "freewill".  God's wish is that we all return to him, but we have been given that choice.  Does it get more perfect than that?
If you want to transition from believing in God to witnessing God, ask him to show you and he will.


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## fish hawk (Jan 18, 2011)

RickS said:


> Christians choose to be saved and God wants nothing more in the world than to have a relationship with us. I can appreciate your comments and your answers all lie in the good book. I was brought up going to church 3 times a week and went because I was supposed to not because I desired to go. After the past 15 years or so of turning my back on the lord I finally have that relationship. I just got to a point that I felt something inside was missing and all the bad in the world was just getting to be too much. Thats when I started reading my NIV bible looking for answers. There are study guides in the back of most of them. I owe my relationship with God to reading the bible and making my own decision (with lots of prayer for guidance)of what my heart was telling me. Seemed like the first 6 months I was wasting my time reading but one day you just wake up and it just feels natural to say morning to God and pray everyday for him to guide you through life. Put God first and everything else in life will fall into place. I joined this forum because I was just surfing looking for a hunt club and found myself reading your post. You think that was chance or luck? No way. Read your bible brother, God bless!





Bloodbag said:


> Egotistical and arrogant have nothing to do with it.  A beautiful and fair gift from God is "freewill".  God's wish is that we all return to him, but we have been given that choice.  Does it get more perfect than that?
> If you want to transition from believing in God to witnessing God, ask him to show you and he will.


Amen and Amen!!!


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## sea trout (Jan 18, 2011)

TN_Explorer said:


> If the Bible says only a small few will be saved, why would I be so arrogant or egotistical to I think I am one?



sometimes i wonder about the above statement and how it pertains to me.
somtimes when my mind is too busy and corrupt i feel none of it can be real because it's to good to be true. how awsome would it be for this all to be real.....it cant be.....it would be too great.
then when i'm calm and really pay attintion and ponder on where God is leading me and how the sunday scripture readings tie in to it all.....it makes sense and i can make out a path that i am on.
i don't think you would be arrogant at all to beleive you are a part of Gods plan. follow your feelings and treat others the way you want to be treated. keep doin what yer doin and live honestly and somthing will come.


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## brian lancaster (Jan 18, 2011)

Thanks so much for the testimonies, I;ve been a christian a long time and went through the valleys and on the mountain top, God has never forsaken me though I have failed him many times. I love him so much and am so thankful for his son and what he did for me on the cross. I cant imagine life without him. God bless you all.


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## 1gr8bldr (Jan 18, 2011)

TN has not been back on since the 28th, I hope he found the answers he was looking for.


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## Ronnie T (Jan 18, 2011)

sea trout said:


> sometimes i wonder about the above statement and how it pertains to me.
> somtimes when my mind is too busy and corrupt i feel none of it can be real because it's to good to be true. how awsome would it be for this all to be real.....it cant be.....it would be too great.
> then when i'm calm and really pay attintion and ponder on where God is leading me and how the sunday scripture readings tie in to it all.....it makes sense and i can make out a path that i am on.
> i don't think you would be arrogant at all to beleive you are a part of Gods plan. follow your feelings and treat others the way you want to be treated. keep doin what yer doin and live honestly and somthing will come.



That's a good point.
Maybe we all should expect God to be using us.


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## Greaserbilly (Nov 10, 2011)

Few people will be saved because few will try to be.

Most will ignore the message.
Fewer will embrace it on a superficial level, like that Texas judge who thinks good Christian parenting is a cluster F-bomb and threatening to hit a 16 year old girl with cerebral palsy across the face with his belt, even though she'd ALREADY been beaten.

There will be those few that realise that it isn't about being in a club, or saying a few words, or buying a bracelet with a pithy saying, or voting for a certain party - but genuinely caring for people even when that's costly, difficult, uncomfortable and/or personally repellent.


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