Rejoicing and Praising Jesus Christ Forum!

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Rejoicing and Praising Jesus Christ Forum!

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[Berlin Bear]

The Lord allowed my family and I to choose our ways until we were ready to give Him the say. He allowed us to walk out of our comfort zone thinking we were moving to bigger and better places. And we did, not at first, at first we still sought to satisfy the longings of the flesh. But the day that we understood how desperately we needed a savior our life changed. God is patient and he knocked at the doors of our hearts for years before we let Him in. On the second time I went back to church, the first for my wife, God told us we would see our 16-year-old son who had run away. On the way home God said, in the next subway station you will see your son. When the train stopped, directly in front of the window stood our son. He returned home the next day and said he had no idea why he was there in that train station, he just felt that he must go down there. But we know, God had made an appointment for him. That is just one of many. we will keep them spread out for gooood reading.
God bless and protect you every one, especially you non-believers that have the chance to read about God's love and care. May you have time to realize you too need a savior and The True One is waiting to answer your call of help.

[Omega]

Interesting story Berlin Bear!
Almost like the parable of the prodigal son!

[Berlin Bear]

Like I said, we have lots, try this one,
Once I was unemployed and making ends meet was difficult. But then as now God saw to our needs. My son, who had moved out by this time, needed some financial help to get groceries for him and his lady. Once again we shared the Gospel and testified that God takes care of His children. And we gave him the last 100 in cash we had at that time. At first he didn't want it, but we insisted that God takes care of us and He will provide for us. He took the money and went to the bathroom, when he came out of the bathroom he was close to the front door and an envelope came through the mail shoot. He brought it to us and we opened it to find that "someone" had anonymously given us 100 to replace what we had just given away. My son said, "Hey, God does take care of you" Amen,
One step at the time sweet Jesus, one step at the time.
May God richly bless all those who read these testimonies of His love.

[Madeleine]

That is so cool! Tell us another one!

Kind of like when I was struggling to find a job. I got turned down for a few and none of the job agencies seemed to be able to help me. Then I walked into another agency and I not only got a job straight away, but it was better paid than all the jobs I'd been turned down for!

I had previously been talking to some of the people from Church about it. One of the women told me that her husband had gone through a rough patch of being unemployed previously, but assured me that if I continued to have faith, I would find a job.

I also prayed that God would help my brother find a job. And He did, even though my brother doesn't believe in Him and blasphemes Him and His son.

[Omega]

The Lord is so Gracious anf Generous, i know that He will not give anyone what they are not able to handle efficiently, but gives according to their needs and not wants. I do not believe that a Father will give unto Son a real life machine gun after he toys around with a squirt gun!

Psalms 37:4 - Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

This verse has great promises, God will give anyone the desires of their heart if living in accordance to the Will of God, anyone who lives in accordance to the Will of God will ask the Lord by the Holy Spirit within them and therefore will be in accordance and will have their prayers answered 100% of the time.

Even with Berlin Bear and you Maddie as True Christians, i can see that both of your desires is the desire towards the Lord which is great!

God Bless!

[Berlin Bear]

Like I said we have plenty, our God is great and loving, and if anyone questions His love for us, look at what His Son agreed to, for us. John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through Him. Amen

You want another one here it is, My youngest son who is now eight. I was in school and I get a call that he is sick to the point of having to be carried to the doctor. The doctor looked at him and right away had him ambulanced to the hospital. When I arrived he was in a room with three doctors standing around him. He was as white as my keyboard and his eyes kept rolling back in his head. The doctors were really worried and they spoke about all kinds of possibilities amongst themselves. They turned and walked out for a minute and my wife and I took his hands and prayed, you could see the color return. One of the doctors who had just left the room came back to see my son sitting up and talking normal where three minutes before he couldn't hold his head up. The doctor freaked, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM came shooting out of her mouth. I said I have an almighty God. She said I believe in God too, but I have never seen anything like this. I victoriously said come to my church. And then another miracle happened, a Muslim man whose son was laying next to our son witnessed it all. He sat down and let me share the Gospel with him and his son asked him to allow me to pray for him. I told him I would be happy to pray for him, but God would listen to him if he would seek Him.
The sower sows, and the Spirit grows, and who will make the harvest?

[Omega]

Amazing story berlin bear!
Almost like the scripture in the Bible, life lessons!

Mark 2:17 - When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

[Berlin Bear]

Let me back up a little bit, all the way back to the very beginning. Well our new life beginning. As I said my wife started going to church after me, I guess the main reason she was hesitant at first is she was a Muslim, yea that's right Muslim. We had an argument on that Sunday morning and I became so frustrated I said fine, I am not going to church today. She went out of the room, then came back, and said not only are you going to church today but I'm coming with you. That morning at church she cried like a baby, answered the alter call, requested prayer for our runaway son and was filled with the peace of God. Not bad for the first time in a church. It was this day that God told us about our son. She has been spreading the Gospel since that personal encounter with such conviction that people just stand with their mouths open and say they wish they had her faith. I don't want to be the only one praising God, come on people tell me about God's works in your or your loved ones lives.
P.S. We still have more!
God is GOOOOOD! AMEN

[Alpha]

Needed to pass math course. On the verge of failing. Low score on first test, failed second test. Prayed. Teacher made retest. Passed retest. Aced third test. Passed course

Have no money. Needed summer job. Waited for summer job. Paper slipped under my door about a summer job. Got summer job.

Waiting for school library to open. Looking around..........still waiting. Saw banner for Christian fellowship. Went to fellowship. Made new Christian friends who also have wonderful testimonies

[Berlin Bear]

AMEN and AMEN!
Let me give just one more for today. My wife's side of the family are still Muslims, (by name not by life?) they know our previous life styles and or current NEW LIFE. Where they use to say don't drink, now they say come on one want hurt, go figure. Well any way my sister-in-law calls us up and says her son has a tumor on his knee. That the doctors want to operate next week and could we come by and pray for him. I have never turned down such a request, or opportunity to see God glorified. We thought that we would visit, talk a little bit, pray for the boy and go home. However, waiting on us was not just my nephew, the whole family had gathered to watch the "Christians" pray. After visiting for a while I took the boy in the back room for privacy and quite. My wife translated (I still don't speak Turkish) and I explained that this was no magic or power of mine. I told him about the blood of Christ and that it was what Jesus did and promised to do that would heal him. (He had already seen the Jesus Film according to the book of Luke)
I prayed and my wife translated, when I finished I turned around to see the whole family watching, like they was at some kind of show.
When he went to the doctor, that's right, no tumor, and if that isn't proof enough that God is a healer. When he went to the dentist to get his braces the doctor asked if he had been to another dentist, your teeth are almost perfect. Amen, But now comes the icing, he told his mother that he knew he was healed from that very night, he said he felt warmth on his knee that I was touching and then it went through his whole body. He was supposed to be on crutches and now he plays soccer, with shiny teeth. Of course only God knows how long he'll keep them teeth. (Joke of-course)
May God Bless and protect his children every step of their way. Amen

[Omega]

I love your guys stories!

I remember when i use to go to a church called Shiloh and everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit and everyone would always say,"God is Good!"
And i don't really see those anymore, but now i am starting to see more here on this forum and it Truly makes me very happy beyond explanation.

God Bless!

[Berlin Bear]

Hello Brothers and sisters,
I enjoy building peoples faith so here is a testimony that happened a couple of months ago.
My younger son, the 8 year old, ask one night why people drown when they fall in the water. I explained to him the importance of not panicking, remaining calm and then concentrating on keeping your head above the water. Of course, I went into more detail but not here and now.
The following day after the morning service one of the members wanted to take D.J. (my son) to her house.
This woman is in a wheel chair and instead of her going directly to her house she went down by the frozen over river. As boys tend to do mine wound up a little to close and fell through the ice, he told me later "I remembered what you said about not freakin out, but I couldn't get out of that water, so I said God help me."
Then he said, "Dad it was like a big hand got up under my butt and just pushed me out of that water." Amen
Winter months, frozen river, soaking wet and he didn't even get a sniffle.
Ps. 46:11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

I pray that many who read these forums will desire to meet and know personally the loving protecting God that we know as Friend, Savior and Father. Amen

[Madeleine]

That is fantastic!

How I came to believe in the first place was pretty amazing. I was a junior leader on a Christian Youth Camp. This was last year. In fact I've probably already written this story on this forum somewhere, but I'll write it again.

I was the only non-Christian there. All the other leaders were Christians, all the kids were Christians. A Christian friend of mine said they needed a few 18 year olds and told me that I just had to be open minded enough to join in, so I accepted. Nobody except her and Tom knew I wasn't a Christian.

Throughout the week, things started changing. I would join in with everything, all the prayers, all the worship... and it began to affect me. I realised there was something about these people that I was lacking. I wanted to be a part of it. But I've always been a scientific person, a bit skeptical, thinking "there might be a God... there might not be...".

I began praying by myself. I still wasn't sure. I prayed to God, asking Him to give me some sort of sign to help me to abandon this skepticism. My prayer was answered a couple of nights later, when the worship was in full swing, going on much longer than it was scheduled for because most people just did not want to stop!

One of the young men leading the worship stood up and told us what God had told him. He told us that God had told him that someone was feeling like Zaccheus- stuck in a tree thinking, "I want some of this!". I was amazed. He had just described my situation better than I could have done. Then he said, "Jesus wants you to come down from that tree!"

A wave of emotion swept over me. I kept biting back the tears, but as I left after the worship, they all flooded out. Tom, my boyfriend, who was also there, fell to his knees and put his arms around my waist. It must have been pretty wonderful for him to have witnessed this too, I expect he was longing for me to be able to share in his faith!

And now, looking back, I think God must have planned the whole thing. He must have inspired my friend to ask me to help out with said camp. He must have arranged the opportunity for me to find out about Him and turn to Him. Before it all happened, He brought one of His servants into my life who would support me.

Sorry this post is so long!

[Berlin Bear]

Praise God!
Madeleine that is beautiful!
The Lord's knocks gently at the door of hearts, and if we will answer and invite Him in...
You have invited Him in and I praise God for the way He is working in and through you.
Brother Jerry - The Berlin Bear

[Omega]

... ...
I love these testimonies, i wish they can go on forever!

I had a friend who had a serious habit with drugs and could not get off of it no matter how hard he tried. I told that Jesus is greater than his drug addiction but he failed to accept it as a truth. I would be in his presence whenever he decided to get lit on drugs and would go as far as to snatch it from him, that would not work, he just went and got more when i was not around him.

Furthermore it is his choice and not my decision, i prayed fervently on this daily. The Lord told me that it takes time for him to learn and it will be difficult but he will eventually overcome. Whenever he was in the process of either getting drugs or doing drugs i would say to him,"Do you believe that Christ is greater than your problem and can free you from this addiction?" and he responded by saying yes! Then he would immediately go and do drugs.

His faith and will power grew and his wisdom grew and the Lord taught him well throughout the years and even during the midst of his troublesome lifestyle, the Lord saw him through the end until he finally overcame. And now he is a dental worker and is now free from this demon that had enslaved him for over 25 years!!!

There is a scripture in the bible which reads:? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

A drunkard and a drug user both cannot enter the Kingdom of God as the scripture saith!
Now here is the Great part of God, if a drug user or a drunkard calls upon the Lord in sincerity wanting to defeat his/her habit and believes that Christ is able to free them from their bondage, I believe with all my heart that God will see them through the end even in the midst of suffering and sin.

What a Glorious and Wonderful Awesome God we have, abounding in mercy and slow to anger and full of compassion, there is none like him forever and ever!

God Bless!

[Berlin Bear]

The weapons and power of evil lay in their ability to deceive us. When we make a decision to over come or accept something. The deceiver comes with all forms of deception. A drug addict who wants to quit, and tries with all his will power will continually fail. A non believer who desires to seek God will be bombarded with doubtful thoughts. I believe God can, but will He accept me?
Regardless of what our sin is, as a believer or a non believer, it is coming to the cross of Christ, laying our burden down and saying, God I know this is wrong, I know this separates us, however in my own power I am incapable of stopping. I lay it at your feet Lord, I give my problem to you, and if you will empower me together we can beat this.
Believe me I know this is how it works in my life, refuse to accept the overwhelming physical facts and accept the Word!
We must consciously make a choice to take our problem immediately to God, He will handle it if we allow Him to. Not meaning that we pray help me God to overcome drugs, between tokes, but that we pray for strength and courage when we feel the desire the temptation. Tell the devil he is right and wrong, alone we cannot overcome, but with the help of Jesus Christ who lives within me, I am victorious I am more then a conqueror. AMEN

Another testimony;
My wife's side of the family;
One day we get a phone call that the whole family needs to get to Turkey as fast as possible.
My brother-in-law had gone home one night and lit up a newly purchased coal-burning stove. He had been spending long hours with his pregnant wife in the hospital and he was in bad need of some sleep. So he lights the stove and lay down on the couch for a few hours of shuteye.
His driver wondering where he was came to check on him 16 hours later and saw his shoes outside his door but got no answer. Worried, he called the fire department.
They came in through a window to find him laying on the floor and blue. (Carbon monoxide poisining)
The fire department said he was dead, however there was a nurse who happens to be visiting a neighbor. She checked him and found a weak pulse. He was rushed to the hospital. His wife calls Berlin to inform every one that the doctor said he only had hours to live.
My wife and I received the call from family living in the near and of course they were crying as they told us.
THE LORD spoke to my wife and I and said HE WILL NOT DIE, I WILL USE THIS TO MY GLORIFICATION. Praise God, and we knew that we knew that we knew, he would not die. A tear never entered our eye, a smile came on our faces that never left. We told my wife's family that the devil is a liar, he is not going to die, God has a plan, you will see.
We met the family at the airport, smiled, and encouraged as they cried and shook. We told them that God had assured us he would not die, and the Muslim response, "if it is the will of God" We assured them over and over that God's will was that he live. (Sometimes they accuse us of being fanatical.)
We read scripture from Isaiah and gave them a Turkish Bible. Then they, (they meaning the whole family out side of me, my wife and one young sister-in-law) went to the boarding station and we left.
GOD STARTS MOVING IN THEIR SIGHT
We had left the airport and gone home singing songs of praise, and thanking God for the miracle He was going to use to open their eyes to Him being a loving Father God.
A couple of hours latter we get a phone call that their flight has been delayed for 5 hours, so out of desperation they were rereading the scriptures we gave them for comfort and assurance. They received a phone call, (Mobile Phone) and were told, the doctors don't know why but my brother-in-laws vital signs had just started rapidly climbing. PRAISE GOD!!!!
When they arrived in Turkey and went to visit my comatose brother-in-law the doctors said," He is starting to wake up, but please be forewarned, his brain was without oxygen and swollen to three times its normal size, he will not be the same, he probably want recognize you." Prepared for the worst but grateful that their son was alive my in-laws entered his room. He turned over looked at them and said, "What happened, and what are you doing in Turkey?" PRAISE GOD AGAIN!!
Just two days later, he was back home in perfect health with the fire department, the hospital, and his city saying, God has definitely performed a miracle in this mans life. AMEN and AMEN!!!
He was back to work within days and everyone knows his story, not from his mouth but by word of mouth.
God did use the situation for His glorification, in Turkey, in Berlin, and now on this forum.
May my mouth never cease to praise His name. God our Father I thank You for being You, and saving this world from the grips of the father of lies.
May Your mercy and goodness be praised by all forever and ever AMEN.

[Madeleine]

Incredible stuff! Praise God indeed!

Last October I realised I had not seen my dad for almost a year. I had heard that he had "lost" the past year through drinking.

Anyway, I prayed that God would help me to get in contact with him again. I realised that my dad was not going to contact me and that I was going to have to make the first move.

I didn't know where he lived. So I went into a pub where I knew he was a regular. His best friend's wife was in there. She hadn't seen me in years! She phoned my dad and told him I was here. He immediately dropped what he was doing (painting someone's fence) and came over. He was really pleased to see me.

I started seeing him more often. I had just started work in Swindon, but I was still living with Mum. I wanted to get out of there as it was a long journey to work every day. My dad helped me find somewhere to live closer to work and as I was living close to him, I saw him every week. So I encouraged my brother to start talking to him again.

Dad changed. He stopped drinking so much. Still too much in my opinion, but not as much as he used to. I went to see him the day after my birthday. He was drunk, but everything was fine. He gave me a big box of chocolates and I gave him a pastel picture of a cat that I'd just drawn on the train on the way back from Tom's house.

He had never taken any responsibility for me and my brother Henry. The "FATHER" section of my birth certificate is blank. He never married my mother and refused to pay any child support as he believed that as it was her who failed to take contraception, it was her who should take the responsibility for the resulting children. (What he doesn't realise is that he is as guilty of the sin of adultery as she is). Anyway, Henry and I had never been abroad before and he took us to Spain. Henry had never been that close to Dad and was really looking forward to spending some time with him.

Unfortunately, things went wrong. Henry and Dad just don't get along. No matter what Henry does, Dad never seems to approve. Henry is a fairly typical 17 year old boy. Unfortunately, Dad has not spent enough time with him to realise this and hence thinks that Henry is just plain rude. OK, he is rude, but he really requires a bit more tolerance.

It started with Dad getting drunk. He let out a burst of anger as Henry started picking bits off a chicken and stuffing it into his mouth. I'd never, ever seen him so angry. Henry got scared and retreated to his room. Dad asked me what the point of Henry's existence was. I went to the bathroom and when I came back I told him I couldn't believe he had just said that about his own son. I could hear Henry crying in the next room. Dad couldn't care less, he told him to cry all he wanted. He said a few other things. I told Dad I thought he was going too far. Henry hid under the bed because he thought Dad was going to hit him. Then he started hitting his head against the wall, trying to knock himself out so that he wouldn't have to hear what Dad was saying.

Eventually Henry came out of his room and said he was going for a walk. Dad shouted more abuse at him. I ran after him and tried to make him come back, but he ran away from me. I sat in the kitchen for the next two hours, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep until he came back. Henry and Dad managed to keep it together (for my sake, apparently) for the rest of the holiday, but it just wasn't the same. I haven't spoken to Dad since the holiday and Henry says he will never speak to him again. I will speak to him again, but I don't know how to. I'm scared. I feel as if I am being disloyal to my brother by doing so. I know that God will give me back my relationship with Dad if I ask him to and part of me really wants it. But there is another part of me telling me to stay away from him.

The week after the holiday was nasty. I went dancing as usual, but I wasn't myself. I was still feeling depressed, I had been unable to sleep and unable to focus. My dancing teacher came up to me a few minutes before I was due to leave. He took my hand and we started dancing. Then he said, "Are you all right? You're looking a bit spaced out." I said, "Yes, I feel a bit spaced out". A few seconds later I was on the floor. He gripped my hands to stop me from hitting my head. All the energy had been sucked out of me, I couldn't move, not even open my eyes. "Madeleine, can you hear me???" he said. I could hear him, but I couldn't respond. Then I felt someone tapping my face and saying, "Madeleine! Wake up!". Still nothing. Slowly, the energy came back to me and an ambulance arrived.

I went to hospital to get checked over. They couldn't find anything wrong with me. At first they suspected I was on drugs because my pupils were so dilated. They also insisted on testing me for pregnancy despite my protests that I hadn't seen any angels lately. Being in hospital was scary, I had never been in hospital before. Luckily, Richard (aforementioned dancing teacher), Maddy and Martin came with me, so I felt much more secure. Later on, I was able to leave the hospital, safe in the knowledge that there wasn't actually anything wrong with me. Richard and Maddy took me home. I realised more than ever what a lovely bunch of people they are. I will have to leave Swindon in September, but I am so glad to have met them.

The following week I needed a "pick-me-up". That was when I stumbled across this forum. Talking to all these people with such strong faith in the Lord made me feel peaceful again. And whilst I'm still not sure what to do about my situation, I no longer feel so anxious.

[Berlin Bear]

Madeleine, my beloved sister in Christ,
God knows you as His! God knows the things that trouble your heart and He desires that you lay them at the feet of Christ.
I am not speaking mumbo-jumbo I am speaking about a God who was willing to take the chance of loosing His Son Jesus Christ forever, so that He could have you as a daughter.
On your birth certificate where it says father, physically it may be blank, but in the Spirit God has written His name in with the blood of Christ.
Your physical father may be suffering from his rejection of you and your brother. The older we men get the more obvious and painful our mistakes of the past show themselves to be. And if a man is not washed in the blood then he is trying to bare that weight alone.
You write beautifully here on the forum, why not try telling him in written form what you have shared with us.
Especially your conversion testimony. Tell him the difference in your life since you took Christ as Savior, share the FACT that God loves him, it is the sin not the sinner that god hates. However I would suggest that you stay with letters, even if he doesn't answer, you can rest assured that he will read every word, more then once.
And what about your brother, does he know the Lord?
Can he hold his head high and say my father is a King, the King of the universe?
Is there a stepfather, and if not look in the mirror and say, boy my Mom sure did a good job.
My sister, it is not you who failed in the relationship between you and your father, it was his self-guilt that weighed, and still weighs on him like a ton of bricks that causes him such pain. Pain that he alone can not deal with. No one but Jesus can repair a broken heart and Jesus is willing to take on every job. Share the Gospel, the good news, the too good to be true news. And wait on the Lord.
People believe that running away from responsibilities and troubles brings them peace when in truth they never stop looking over their shoulder and thinking, if only.
God loves you and wants to give you more!
Seek and ye shall find!

Sorry if I am out of place here but I felt led to comment in a hurry!

Jerry-The Berlin Bear

[Madeleine]

Thank you, Berlin Bear!

On your birth certificate where it says father, physically it may be blank, but in the Spirit God has written His name in with the blood of Christ.

That's wonderful. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit must be telling you exactly what to write!

The main problem with my dad is that he does not display emotion. It is almost impossible to know what he is feeling. I don't know if he knows I'm a Christian. I haven't spoken to him about it. It's possible that Mum had told him. They used to be able to remain civilised to each other, even if they were both guilty of insulting the other behind their back.

The lack of emotional display includes guilt. He does not regret anything; and if he does, he does not admit it. What really annoyed me was the way he sat there blaming my mother for "the way Henry's turned out" when he himself has not been there to be a good male role model for Henry. Even after Henry had run off in a place where he could not even speak to other people, he still insisted that he was right to act in that manner.

My family are atheists. When they first found out that I had become a Christian, they sneered a little. They have accepted it of course. They had to! But remembering what it was like not to have faith, I am very subtle about sharing it. What I tend to do is just set an example. That way, they can see how God is working in my life, but don't feel intimidated or harrassed. Of course, as my dad is not around, he doesn't see any of this. He's not there when I get up way before everyone else on a Sunday morning to go to Church, he hasn't seen my pastel pictures with Bible verses on.

But perhaps I'm being a little too subtle. Perhaps I should take one of these pictures and leave it on the windscreen of my dad's car. He can't throw it away because it's pretty. Also, if he pays enough attention to it, done in pastels, left in his car, in my handwriting, he will realise I did it. As for my brother, I know that he would have immense trouble becoming a Christian because of his friends. He complains about his life an awful lot. I guess what I need to do is next time he asks why his life is so dreadful, I will have to tell him. I guess he will probably have a go at me, but it's a risk I'll have to take. Telling people about your faith when they reject it is usually not as bad as you think it will be. My mum told her friends (also my friend's parents) that I had become a Christian. One of them caught me as I was walking past and said, "What's all this bull**** I hear about you becoming a Christian??" Now, I would have expected to be embarrassed at this point, but I just smiled and said, "It's not bull****, it's true!". It's a pretty cool feeling when the Holy Spirit just suddenly gives you this rush of enthusiasm and confidence. Of course, the man who had said that didn't have anything else to say.

[Berlin Bear]

Hallelujah!!
God is good, and of that, there is no disputing. The Lord will continue to strengthen you and provide opportunities for you to witness His goodness.
Christ gave us a mission, go into the entire world and PROCLAIM the gospel. Notice it says proclaim, not argue, not debate. In addition, I know you know that the Bible says when the Gospel is spread over the whole world then will Jesus return. Do we need more motivation then that to tell everyone who gives us an ear?
And as far as rejection goes it is not you they reject, it is the convicting message that they are sinners in need of a savior. Sin is darkness and darkness hates the light.
They know that what they are doing is wrong, and as long as no one is pointing it out they can handle that guilt.
How many people wear mask to church? Just remember Christ said that if they hated Him they will hate us.
Like the farmer who found a treasure in a field he was working, he sold everything in order to be able to purchase that field. We have a treasure that is more valuable then all the gold in the world.
Eternal life may be a gift but we still have to do some trading.
I would suggest you share your love for Christ as though you were explaining to Christ Himself why you love Him.
We will pray that God gives you divine wisdom in how to handle your loved ones.
Your Brother Jerry-The Berlin Bear

[Madeleine]

Well... I 'accidentally' left a Bible in my mum's bedroom the other day. Let's hope she gets curious and starts reading it!

[Berlin Bear]

My aren't you forgetful!
Don't leave it at that though, the churches usually have well thought out flyers and/or tracts that draw attention with their messages or pictures.
Plus they don't take long to read.
I like to leave them laying in the seats of buses and subways. A seed you know, let the Spirit do the work.
God Bless and keep up the good works,
Brother Jerry-The Berlin Bear

[Madeleine]

Ah yes, that reminds me. I have a few pastel pictures with Bible verses on them that I have drawn and I'm aiming to distribute them tomorrow. I am going to fold them up and write "READ ME" on them in big letters and leave them in places. I think I will leave one by the bus station, one by the train station, one at the entrance to this building...

I showed them to Mum actually, I think she read them. I told her she could read my Bible if she wanted. She asked me how it ended. I told her that Satan would be defeated and cast into a lake of fire, then everyone will be with God forever, so it's a happy ending.

She and my brother think I'm insane!

I bring home a copy of the Sarum Link (Diocese newspaper) every now and then. I noticed she uses it to put the cats' dishes on, so the cats can read about the Church and stuff while they're eating.

[Madeleine]

I checked my little hiding places. The pictures are GONE!

Which means that some people, somewhere, have read them and (presumably) taken them home!

[Madeleine]

So Berlin Bear, can you tell us another story please? :D:D

[Berlin Bear]

I had to start thinking about which one to share, they are all blessings and evidence that God is just as active in the lives of His children now as He ever was.
This one is an ongoing blessing;
It was only a few years ago that our group, now church was formed. It started with a couple of African brothers who desired a place to worship in English because they didn't speak German.
The group started with 2-male students, 1-woman and her son, and an occasional student nurse who lived and worked over the meeting room of the "church".
The doctor who provided the room we used for meeting in was head of the health department. His wife is an American, and the two of them with their children would visit occasionally.
I met one of the brothers from that group who invited me to a satellite broadcast that they were downloading.
After the broadcast was completed my wife, my children, and I joined this group.
This worship/Bible study group grew from 3, to 4, to 8, to 10 in just a few months time. This number is of course not including those who visit on and off.
We moved from the room we were using to the basement room of a church. (This church has a German church upstairs, a Polish church next door to us, a Brazilian group behind us, and Jackie (my wife) and I are trying to start a Turkish group in our rooms after normal service times have ended)
In less then two years time a group that was given little hope of succeeding became an official church. We sponsored the first ever, English camp meeting in Berlin, and have just finished the second one. We have been the download site for multiple satellite broadcast and are known as a church that is alive and filled with love.
And yet we are still only a small 30, registered member, church. As always we are filled to overflowing with guest. We currently meet in a room that will hold at around 50 people and it is filled to overflowing. Our church has included at one meeting people from 16 different nationalities.
We are looking for a new building, however things work a little different here in Germany then in other places around the world.
My wife, during a prayer meeting heard/felt God tell her we would have our own building by fall of this year. And now I'll tell you how He is arranging it.
When we finished our last camp meeting we finished with a 2000 Euro debt after all the bills were calculated. The following week at Church service an anonymous offering of 4000 Euro with directions to be used for the camp meeting and book purchase came in.

Then a person walks up and asks if we would like to have a free organ. A couple of days latter we read about a church who is moving and they want to give away a number of chairs, a podium, a piano bench and a book cabinet. We quickly replied and were told that a lot of people had inquired and they must decide by who needed them the most. The following week one of our brothers is invited to preach to the very same church that wants to give away these items. It came up in conversation and he said yea we are one of those churches, so we pick it all up on Monday.
I have repeatedly had the impression that a warehouse like those next to the railroad tracks would make a great place, with plenty of room for expansion and a large grounds for the children to run around on.
Since the Berlin wall came down there are a lot of such places that are empty and no longer used.
Now I have appointments for Tuesday to view two such places at a very reasonable rent rate. Which by the way these adds came to me in the mail.
We will, (we meaning God and our church members) have our own building by fall. We will be able to reach out to the city and share God's love, we will be able to start even more groups who will become churches and desire to move into their own buildings.
And then, God willing, I might be able to visit my family in America who we have not seen in more then 11 years.
God brought us here for a reason and we will follow as He leads where He leads.
This may not be a testimony like the others I have written but God is not limited in how, when and where He blesses us.
I still have more to share, but I like being built up too. Come on you guys tell me about those blessings.
Brother Jerry-The Berlin Bear

[Madeleine]

I have a friend called Ruth. We have been friends for about nine years now. I became a Christian last year. She never put me down, we didn't really talk about it in fact.

Anyway, this morning I come to work to find an email quiz that she has sent round to everyone. Check this out...

D - Drastic change recently – Finding a faith, yes all you people who thought they would never hear ruth saying she’s a Christian I actually am- made the conscious decision this afternoon- but been thinking about it for a while.

Marvellous stuff, I'm so pleased for her! I just e-mailed her back asking if she wanted to come on this forum to talk/debate about stuff.

[Madeleine]

Check out what happened to me last night...

Every Wednesday night, I go dancing. This involves getting a bus to the other side of town. Last night, it was raining. I was stood at the bus stop and there was a girl of about 15 or so with a toddler. I waited for the bus. As it came, I came out from under the bus shelter. The bus went straight past me and didn't stop, even though I ran after it.

I was wondering why that happened and something told me there was a reason for it. Missing that bus meant that I would have to get a bus to the town centre, which was where the girl with the toddler needed to go, and then get another bus to my destination.

We got on the next bus that went into town. The bus driver didn't want to let the girl on the bus because they have this rule where a child can't bring another child on for free (normally you don't have to pay for kids under 5). The girl didn't have any money to pay for the little one, so praise God for giving me an opportunity to help someone else and for looking after this girl!

Another thing that happened was this. I was feeling a little light-headed (as I quite frequently do) and during my prayer before I went out, I asked God to take the feeling away as I had fainted when dancing a little while ago and didn't want it happening again. I knew He would do it and He did!

Let's give thanks for all these things God does for us!

[Madeleine]

Last week I returned to the place where it all began. The Salisbury Diocese Youth Camp. One year later. Same place and a lot of the same people... and the same amazing stuff.

At the beginning of the week, the worship was somewhat half-hearted. Everyone was singing, but not really getting into it.

Of course, it escalated throughout the week. By Tuesday night, everyone was dancing as they praised God. I couldn't dance because I had to mess around with a laptop and make sure the words got onto the screen, but a couple of times, near the end, I just thought "Oh they know the words to this one" and got up out of my seat.

One night I was sat in the prayer tent with a couple of people I had met on the camp. One of them was a 20 year old called Jon, a fellow leader. The other was a camper called Michael, I think he is 15. Jon was new to the team. Michael was there last year, but I hadn't really spoken to him properly.

I started thinking about my dad. I suddenly got this urge to tell them everything. I hadn't really sat down and talked to anyone about it properly before. They sat and listened, they didn't mind at all. After I had finished talking, I told them I wouldn't be able to sleep. They didn't leave me there, they stayed there with me. I went and sat beside the big wooden cross that was hung inside the tent. They joined me, sitting on the ground. I felt really depressed. Jon hugged me and Michael sat silently, praying. I began to pray. I begged God to take the pain away and then I started to cry. I didn't cry for very long and after I had, the pain did go away. I think I had needed an opportunity to let my feelings out and God had provided it. Not only that, but he had blessed me with new friends.

We sat there until about 4am, talking. It's strange, I know I probably won't see those two for another year but I feel like I have this connection with them now, particularly Jon, who I spent quite a lot of time talking to on this camp. In fact, I have pointed him in the direction of this site so hopefully he will be joining us.

The last night of worship had quite an effect on me. The guy leading it told anyone who wanted to come closer to God to just stand up and then someone would go round and pray for them. I stood up and a girl called Eva came over and prayed for me. As we began singing again, I was overcome with emotion. You can stand there singing "Because of Jesus, I am forgiven, I am restored" and things like that, but only occasionally will it really sink in what Jesus has done for you. I carried on until the end of the worship and then went to the prayer tent.

Michael was in the prayer tent, he was busy praying. You could tell it had had an incredible effect on him. I knelt beside him, thanked God and cried for a bit. It took a little while for my emotions to get back to normal after that.

[jameswsparker]

removed by newseed due to repetitive posting about his site

[newseed]

jamesparker: you have posted in the past requesting others to vist your site already. Anymore advertising posting from you will be deleted along with the possibility of deactivating your account.

[Narky_McDark]

Yes it is rather annoying i can understand. Although James' site is rather good (i have not given any address therefore i am not advertising ) because it is completely free. Which i personally like.

You where treated rather badly when you went on it so i understand why you would hold a grudge. I was particularly nasty (for which i appologise). James is fairly upset by this. Did you not get his email?

[GM]

Praise The Lord for His death was not Painless, nor short.

If you think, and I mean Really think ... about it, your love for JESUS will GROW more and more each day.

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Is 53:5


Lets .... l@>@k ......at the above.......
He... Q: He who?....A:Jesus.
Q: Was what?.......... A: Wounded...
Q: for our What?.......A: Transgressions.
Q: He was what?.......A:BRUISED.
Q: Bruised for what? A: our iniquities (sin).
Q: the chastisement? A:To punish, as by beating.
Q: and with His , what? A:Stripes- the tearing of his Skin. (To pull apart or into pieces by force).

This was not easy...... nor was it a picnic. so remember, when you get into a Jam, remember Jesus and His Goal HE ran for every man,woman and child.
Cause when you look atit this way, your problems will seem as small as a grape seed.

May I include.........


His Resurrection - 1 Corinthian Chapter 15 Verses, 1 th 8.


For, ....... THIS! .... I Praise Him.

----------- †-
-------- Jesus-
---------- a-
---------- v-
---------- e-
---------- s.-

[GM]

jamesparker: you have posted in the past requesting others to vist your site already. Anymore advertising posting from you will be deleted along with the possibility of deactivating your account.

GM Asks: other then posting his/her web address here.... did Jamesparker do anything else to anoy anyone? ........

I know what its like to hold a grudge, I use to when I Was a sinner.... but Since Jesus Saved me, I've ( through Him) have learned to forgive.

I don't understand.... I didn't see any so far, but is there a block botton on this website? ....


just curious.

[Jabez]

"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, " 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise' ? "Matthew 21:16

[Jabez]

john 1711I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you.
Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one.

[Jabez]

John 12 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Daniel 7:15 "I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me.

1 Corinthians 8:9Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Forgive me!

Praise the lord!

[Jabez]

John 3: 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.

4"How can a man be born when he is old?"

5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Jesus bless!!

[ann]

can I be totally thick here and ask, "and"?

or doesn't it need an 'and' for it is up to us to make of it as will do as it could be appropriate since it was Pentecost on Sunday?