Without that ancient book to guide me into the right direction. This unmistakable faith happened when I read the bible as a skeptic. The impression it made on me felt supernatural. It was like if I felt concerned about an issue, I would randomly read a passage and it would talk about my concern and how to deal with it. It was the ultimate muse in my life. The holy spirit talked to my heart and the bible confirmed just what my soul was needing at the time.
So it would be hard to disprove this to me. It's right for me. God is right for me. The king James bible is right for me.
I'm with ya, Mags. Even though I was raised in a Christian home, I soon realized I was an independent soul and wanted
nothing to do with their God. I left the church at 13 and lived my life the way "I" wanted for nearly 20 years. Party over here, party over there...living life large. No god in my life but ME, baby!. I thought i was all that...for years and years.....and years. Without filling in all the details, it was in the breaking up of a long-term, live-in relationship that I realized I was simply running away from God all those years. Can't exactly place my finger on it, but He somehow got hold of me. Stopped me dead in my tracks.
It's not like I went sobbing into a church, and nobody preached me or anything like that, but I ended up on my knees totally surrendering myself to God and asked Jesus to fill that void in my life. (Note: My parents had been continuing to pray for me all those years. I'm convinced that played a big part in my conversion.) Now, I'm not necessarily into all that signs and wonders stuff, but I'll never forget that evening in my kitchen. It was like a total glow in the room. It was like Jesus was right there next to me saying, "I forgive you. Welcome into my family." There was a peace that came over me like none other I'd EVER experienced in my life.
I was a changed man
I then began reading the Word of God, I began attending a church that a gal from work recommended, I basically turned from my old ways. A friend at work was like, "Whoa, dude, what's this metamorphosis that's happened to you?" That made me happy, because it confirmed that my change was apparent to others. It made me even stronger in my faith.
That was over 20 years ago. From that point of conversion in my kitchen, God has given me His Holy Spirit who continues to minister to me and confirm (time after time after time) His presence in my life. Nothing or nobody can take that from me. It's as real as I'm sitting here typing this out. I know that I know that I know that God is real; His Holy Scriptures are real and communicate God's will and instructions for my life to me; Jesus is real; and importantly, His Holy Spirit is real and a tremendously dynamic influence in my life.
Do I continue to sin and screw up? Absolutely. Daily. BUT, I have the peace, joy, and confidence knowing that I have a risen Savior who has forgiven me, and continues to guide my life - even in the midst of my sinfulness. It's a beautiful thing. The Scriptures remind me that I have the reassurance (through what HE did) that I'll spend eternity with Him. It's not a license to sin, rather a beautiful relationship that compels me to "want" to live a life that's pleasing to him.....and the BEST way of living for me.
Win-win, baby.
