Moving forward by seeking, finding, and following JESUS

[seekingthetruth]

To those of you on this website that are still seeking a relationship with The LORD and seeking to know how to take the next step forward, I am sharing some suggestions. This was something that I was searching for when I came here. These suggestions are things that The HOLY SPIRIT guided me to do so that I could begin my wonderful relationship with JESUS, and find out what is HIS specific will for me. Of course, always pray for the The LORD'S specific guidance for you.

First of all, I thanked the LORD that HE opened my eyes and brought me out of that false religion. Even though initially, I was still so frightened, and did not know what to expect.

I took full responsibility for being tricked due to not studying The WORD. The HOLY SPIRIT let me know where the breakdown occurred, so that I could learn from that lesson. I repented of that so that I could go forward.

I also admitted to GOD right away that I could not even say that I loved HIM, because I did not know HIM.

I sought The LORD with all my heart. I did not even know that was in The WORD at the time. I was not aware that The LORD was waiting for me to begin seeking HIM.

The HOLY SPIRIT guided me to start doing bible study every day. I started with repenting of my sins, in order to begin with a clean heart. HE had me to sit quietly and begin each study with a prayer asking HIM to help me to know what book to begin with, and to ask HIM to help me to understand whatever book, chapter, and verse HE was taking me to.
I had my paper and pencil ready for whatever HE was going to teach me that day. Sometimes it was just one word, sometimes it would be a verse. I would also pray asking HIM to remove all the false teaching that I had believed was true.

The really surprising occurrence was once I got into HIS WORD on a regular basis, I started to hear from the LORD. No one ever told me that could happen. It was not a voice in my ear, but a voice deep within my spirit.
JESUS states in John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

Cornelius (Acts 10) and Lydia (Acts 16:12-15) are great biblical examples of people searching for JESUS and finding HIM.

Acts 15:17, "So that the rest of mankind may seek The LORD, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says The LORD who does all these things."

Acts 17:27, "So that they should seek The LORD, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;"

The HOLY SPIRIT wanted me to add something that I did not do when I was beginning to seek HIM, but I love doing now which is singing praise songs to My LORD. HE gives me a song HE wants me to sing to HIM as soon as I wake up now.

Heavenly Father, I praise and thank YOU that YOU brought us all out of that darkness to guide us toward a wonderful relationship with JESUS. I pray that every person seeking YOU will repent of any and all resentment, bitterness, pain and anger, and lay it all at Your feet so that YOU can help them to forgive every person, so they can focus on the blessings YOU have in store for them instead. Please bless every person who is seeking YOU, to find YOU, and to not give up until that happens. In JESUS name amen.

[SolaDude]

Please bless every person who is seeking YOU, to find YOU, and to not give up until that happens. In JESUS name amen.

Thank you for the prayer, seeking, and blessings to you as well.

[ena]

First of all, I thanked the LORD that HE opened my eyes and brought me out of that false religion. Even though initially, I was still so frightened, and did not know what to expect.

I took full responsibility for being tricked due to not studying The WORD. The HOLY SPIRIT let me know where the breakdown occurred, so that I could learn from that lesson. I repented of that so that I could go forward.

I also admitted to GOD right away that I could not even say that I loved HIM, because I did not know HIM.

I enjoyed your post. I'm glad you got out of a false religious system. There are many. For this reason you will need to be vigilant and in the word. I did not find God in any church. In general I do not go to Church. I have found people who speak to what I need on youtube. I have found Michael Rood very helpful. He comes at Christianity from a second temple Hebrew perspective. Jesus died a Jew keeping the written Torah. The problems with the Pharisees was that they added many requirements not in the written Torah. Jesus at times went out of his way to violate added rules not is the Torah. It gets both hair raising and funny at times. The CoC made me so fearful of God because all men are sinners including Christians. Salvation is given as a grace does not mean that you have to be perfect as taught in the CoC. The price is that you accept Jesus as your messiah. This is not explained in the CoC. In the CoC you are taught fear God and ultimately judgement. This is the opposite of love. The CoC is a church who flunked Christianity 1a. Glad you made it out. Staying on the straight and narrow is difficult.

[SolaDude]

The CoC made me so fearful of God because all men are sinners including Christians. Salvation is given as a grace does not mean that you have to be perfect as taught in the CoC. The price is that you accept Jesus as your messiah. This is not explained in the CoC. In the CoC you are taught fear God and ultimately judgement. This is the opposite of love. The CoC is a church who flunked Christianity 1a.

But, of course, in their own minds they pass Christianity with an A+. I remember speaking with a CofC preacher online who taught "prospective" Christians intensely on water baptism for several days before the baptism, you know, what it really means, what they are really doing, etc. Then after the water baptism, when they had actually become Christians, he taught them that they can no longer sin. Just go home the first day, concentrate really hard, and not sin. Then simply extend that to the second day, and so on. So, I asked him, what if someone blew it and sinned. He said that's where the blood of Christ comes in, you just figuratively take a big cup or bucket of it and pour it over your head and down your back, then you're back to day one. Hey, what a relief. But if you die without pouring that cup over yourself, oops.

[Moogy]

But, of course, in their own minds they pass Christianity with an A+. I remember speaking with a CofC preacher online who taught "prospective" Christians intensely on water baptism for several days before the baptism, you know, what it really means, what they are really doing, etc. Then after the water baptism, when they had actually become Christians, he taught them that they can no longer sin. Just go home the first day, concentrate really hard, and not sin. Then simply extend that to the second day, and so on. So, I asked him, what if someone blew it and sinned. He said that's where the blood of Christ comes in, you just figuratively take a big cup or bucket of it and pour it over your head and down your back, then you're back to day one. Hey, what a relief. But if you die without pouring that cup over yourself, oops.

I am curious what that preacher meant by “figuratively” pouring water over your head. (And why wouldn’t he instead say figuratively dunking yourself, not just pouring water?)

I was taught growing up in the COC (1950s to 1970s) that to get forgiveness, I had to ask for it in prayer after repenting. Preferably asking forgiveness for each specific sin by name, making it difficult to remember everything. So don’t say a cuss word when you see the 18-wheeler about to run you over, because you won’t have time to ask forgiveness.

Later, shortly before I left the COC, my parents’ preacher taught that God did the subsequent washing automatically if you were basically “walking in the light” as much as you could. (My husband and I jokingly referred to this as the “washing machine” theory.) I will say that this teaching seemed to give my mother much peace.

I now know that the washing machine theory is much closer to the notion of grace taught by most Christian churches than the teaching I grew up with.

So again, just HOW did that COC preacher teach you should get rid of later sins?

[SolaDude]

So again, just HOW did that COC preacher teach you should get rid of later sins?

I think this guy was actually telling them to pray for forgiveness of their sin and that Chirst's blood was limitless and was what gave them that forgiveness whenever they called on that blood being invoked, i.e., "just in case" they needed it. I had just never heard of Christ's blood being "available", like in a vat, that you could just scoop up and pour over yourself when necessary. And on the bottom line, it just negates his own premise that you can live a sinless life anyway, so it seems like such a waste. He also let me know that if you're on an airplane going down and the person next to you confesses Jesus as Lord, he or she is going to Hell since there's no place to perform a water baptism. I remember him being from a southern state. I've met some idiots from the CofC, but he is in the Hall of Fame. I can't wrap my brain around such arrogance toward God, it's like Jesus' mission was purely utilitarian, to be used, like a slave I guess, for the purposes of and at the pleasure of, the slavemaster. What a deal.

[Moogy]

He also let me know that if you're on an airplane going down and the person next to you confesses Jesus as Lord, he or she is going to Hell since there's no place to perform a water baptism. I remember him being from a southern state. I've met some idiots from the CofC, but he is in the Hall of Fame. I can't wrap my brain around such arrogance toward God, it's like Jesus' mission was purely utilitarian, to be used, like a slave I guess, for the purposes of and at the pleasure of, the slavemaster. What a deal.

So if the crashing airplane is going down in water, you can quickly say “I baptize you in the name...etc.”. Then the guy next to you gets dunked when you crash. That should take care of his soul.

[SolaDude]

So if the crashing airplane is going down in water, you can quickly say “I baptize you in the name...etc.”. Then the guy next to you gets dunked when you crash. That should take care of his soul.

Absolutely! Great point.

[teresa]

LOL. Good one, Moogy.

[seekingthetruth]

Thank you, SolaDude!