Archive for category Testimonies

His Sacrifice

Posted by Jayce Tamulevich in Testimonies on August 31, 2010

A spot sits black in the sky,
where a gold sphere used to give life,
but now the earth is cold,
and all life must erode,
because without the light,
we are trapped in night,
cold and confused, worn and abused,
gasp for air but the greens are beyond repair,
just thorns and snares, taking your share,
in this land of the blight only God has might,
no one else can save you from what you do,
cause in truth there is only one light and it is true,
that without the light we are gone, no hope to live on,
the light is there for all, to get up from the fall,
defeat yourself and get washed in the light,
or suffer eternal night and never see true life,
see only pain, nothing to gain, so far from Christ,
it’s a wonder you can stand in fight,
Satan will fly you like a kite, you puppet,
cut the strings and be free,
be redeemed or be a part of the symphony of screams,
in the fire your soul has only one desire, to get higher,
but your trapped in a cage of hurt and rage,
don’t wait go and get the key today,
follow the way and live in his light,
at the foot of truth who died for you,
don’t let his sacrifice be a waste tonight.

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FROM THE HEART

Posted by Diana in Testimonies on July 8, 2010

Only the chirping of the birds, rustling of the trees and distant noises from the other campers disturbed the quietness of my shelter of the shades of the green canopy high above me, enjoying the glimpses of blue and white as the hours drifted by I was enjoying the visual display of God’s creation.

Laying there in my old and much used netted hammock I reflected upon the inner workings of my heart and mind. The challenges and hurdles of my life somehow have crept up on me and left me feeling battered, bitter, bruised and exhausted; I wondered if things would ever change.

My relationship with Jesus began almost ten years ago. Abandoning all sense of reason I fell in love with Him, I knew without a doubt that He was the only one who could take away the distant pain that rumbled quietly within my heart and soul.

I remember the day distinctly when I asked Jesus into my life as my Lord and Savior. Kneeling on my bedroom floor, sobbing, I gave Him my life, my troubles, my heart and my soul. After the intensity of that moment passed and the days turned into years, I slowly saw the broken and hurt pieces of myself being replaced with joy, peace and a sense of well being – it was amazing!

I was changing from the inside out and I loved who I was becoming in Him! Opportunities became available that moved me closer to other Believers but also birthed roots that were growing deep. Although I was transitioning, my life around me, the daily ebb and flow of circumstances were still very much the same. Troubles and challenges did not go away, rather I was changing and therefore I had greater ease and confidence knowing that I was not alone as I hurdled over life’s hills and mountains.

However, today I am hurting, the depths of my heart cry out for Him and the Joy I once knew seemingly absent. There was not one traumatic event that caused me to end up in this place of disarray. It just seemed like life kept piling up stuff quicker then I could cope. Trying to absorb the reality of my situation, being angry with myself for the choices that I made only caused my pain to intensify. I need to find an escape, something that will ease the constant emotional, mental and spiritual pain that surrounds me.

As I gently rocked back and forth in my hammock I took inventory of myself. Things that use to comfort me, reading my bible, praying and then listening to what He whispered in my heart did not seem to help. Perhaps it was what He was nudging me to do that went against my own willful desires. Slowly coming to the realization that I was the one who turned away from Him caused me to take action. It seems my life had grown so chaotic that I felt I did not have time to read my Bible or spend quiet time with Him.

I literally rolled out from my place of comfort to retrieve my Bible. I began to read James 1. Tears welled up in my eyes and the dryness in my heart began to fill again with the sweetness of my Jesus. Even after all these years of walking in the Faith, I somehow manage to stumble and fall, proving that the frailty and vulnerability of our humanness is very much within all of us no matter how long our relationship with Jesus has been.

James 1:12-15 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

These scriptures literally cracked open the thin shell of hardness that began to encapsulate my heart, like hardening of the arteries, I could not see the damage that was being done to my spirit. I had pulled away from all that sustained me spiritually. Looking back, I am not quite sure why, all I knew is that it took a physical decline in my health to recognize the lack of spiritual nourishment and how it affected EVERY aspect of my life.

Hallelujah and Praise God because for the first time in a very long time my desire to be with my Jesus has returned in such a way that I want to scream it from the mountain tops of my life. I am ready for the next season of this journey and I want to please my heavenly Father in ways I have yet to do.

My purpose in life has always been to serve God. I know this without a doubt, after my self imposed sabbatical from all things considered “Christian” I am not only hungry for my Jesus but I am starving!

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Are You As Guilty as Your Adversary?

Posted by Christoferl in Commentaries, Testimonies on March 18, 2010

Something I wish Christians would look at when they are out there in the Churches, in the streets, with their friends and family, or when they are on the computer is whether or not they are as guilty as their adversaries.

Everyone of feels like the victim sooner or later… and when we are victimized by another – we often turn to eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth… whether we realize it or not. We become bitter and vengeful… determined to make sure that person doesn’t get away with what they just did. Sometimes we even decide we are going to teach them a lesson… woe to we who forget our calling… we Christians are called to rise above that wickedness and to set the example even when under the gun.

When people are lashing out at us its the pain in them that drives them. Unhealed wounds that are seeping their infectious destruction to the persons very heart.

Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Disproportionate responses usually mean one thing… it’s bigger than you…

So with this knowledge, understand that if you lunge back at a person with the eye for an eye doctrine in your pocket, you’re making things worse on the person who is your adversary – your adversary who represents the walking wounded that the human race has become. That’s why Jesus told us all the Law and the Prophets hand on love… because that is the key to this sort of life. He told us to love – even our enemies… sooooooo… where does that start? With Jesus – then you – and you – and you – and you – and me too…

Next time someone wants to bite your head off – see if you can find a reason to love them anyways… its what I’m trying to do too! Remember, you just might be the person God uses to bring them out of their sleep…

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Former Christians FAIL!

Posted by Christoferl in Bible Study, Commentaries, Testimonies, YT Related on March 9, 2010

1 John 2
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

How long is an hour? In this case – it doesn’t define a sixty minute time period, for if it had the hour would’ve been up before the ink could have dried on the parchment John was writing on. Instead, we know that this hour refers to the time from when Jesus ascended to heaven till He returns.
These days – as seen on Youtube – there are quite a few atheists boldly stating they were former Christians who have forsaken the way because they have read the Bible cover to cover and realized that it is ludicrous… and indeed, many of them seem well versed in it, don’t they? The truth is – they could commit the Bible to memory – word for word – and they still wouldn’t understand it. When we hear them trying to attack God and the Bible – we have to remember they are speaking out of complete and total ignorance… they complain about the way Christians misunderstand science all the time – but they never seem to recognize that they are doing the same thing when they speak out against Jesus Christ…

We know from 1 John that they are anti-Christs! How can we know this? They left the faith, thus showing they were never truly part of the faith. Now don’t get me wrong – I am not saying these guys are necessarily evil incarnate, because many of them seem to be quite reasonable… but the fact of the matter is that they claim to know of something they never knew. It’s almost funny to hear them declare pwnage over Christians when it’s they who have failed.

This isn’t the same as a former atheist becoming a Christian who testifies against atheism. A Christian who is full of the Holy Spirit once wasn’t full of the Holy Spirit – so he can look back and relate to certain situations through his own experiences… but when someone claims to have been a former Christian, they can only go back to a superficial religious form of Christianity. They cannot claim to have known the Holy Spirit, thus, all their conclusions on our Lord and Savior are based on ignorance.
Now I know they get truly irritated at times when this is brought up, because several of them really believed that they believed… and indeed – they may have believed… but they were obviously not anointed by the Holy One. Had they been they would not have been swayed away from the glorious grace of God.

Matthew 13
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.
23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”They would turn to God for answers, and they would understand that we don’t have all the answers, nor should we.

Jesus describes four kinds of people who hear the word in this parable. Of these four, the former Christians belong to three of the categories. They are seeds sown along the path, seeds on rocky places, or seeds cast in thorns. Its sad, but true. Unless they humble themselves, which is to say, prepare themselves as soil to receive the seed, they will never receive the seed. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to help them understand, but we ought not be surprised when they make ridiculous statements and assertions concerning God.

I thought I should write this article so that Christians everywhere might think about what they are watching on Youtube when they view atheists who claim to be former Christians, who say they’ve read and studied the Bible cover to cover… you aren’t watching someone who has succeeded in Christ… you are someone who failed. They need our prayers more than our arguments, as they will never turn from their sins unless the Lord leads them from the places of darkness in which they have fallen.

Romans 1
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,
30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;
31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Just something to remember next time you hear them attack God, the Bible, and Christianity.

former Christians

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Exercising With Scripture

Posted by Christoferl in Commentaries, Testimonies on December 15, 2009

Recently, I was challenged by a brother in Christ who was counseling me through a difficult issue. He asked me to write down a verse every day, keep it in my pocket, and reflect on it throughout the day. This seemed like a rather bizarre request to me, as I am one who reads his Bible daily, however, I submitted to his request thinking, what harm could it do?

Let me tell you something my friends, this has been a marvelous experience. Taking one verse (sometimes two) and just focusing on them can really open up deeper meanings found in them. Sometimes a principle will strike through – other times you see something that you somehow missed despite reading the passage several times before in your previous readings.

Anyways, I just wanted to pass this little exercise along to you. Maybe you’ve already tried something like this – maybe you haven’t – but I am giving it my endorsement for anyone seeking to hear the voice of God a little more clearly.

hearing voice God

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A Further Response to ReligionFreeDiest

Posted by Christoferl in Bible Study, Commentaries, Testimonies, YT Related on October 29, 2009

Ok – let me first say I do believe that anyone who hasn’t heard the Gospel will end up in either heaven or hell – so to that degree – I agree, but my whole point in the video was that the ‘c’ answer was correct in that I do not know how God will address those people. It was all about how Christians attempted to answer the question and how you weren’t satisfied by the answers, (The question was what will God do with those who never hear the Gospel before they die) even calling the ‘c’ answer a non-answer. I don’t believe that we can say those who didn’t hear the Gospel automatically end up in Hell – or Heaven for that matter – I believe God will deal with them on an individual level – one by one – and that all I can know is the character of God and trust that whatever He does will be the correct thing to do. I come to this conclusion through the fact that Peter told us of how (1 Peter 3:18-22) Jesus ministered to those in ‘prison’ – who lived before He came to the earth – while He was dead those three days – realizing if God showed mercy on those who didn’t hear of Christ BEFORE Christ came, then God can do it again. True – its just a theory – only a possibility not clearly offered in the scriptures – a hope – but its how I deal with the question.

In your latest response – you talk about the Biblical reason for sending out missionaries vs. the logical reasons for not sending out missionaries… and I hear ya – but I don’t understand why you couldn’t simply look at how the Bible tells of Jesus ministering to those who came before He was on the earth and rest your hopes in that same principal… at the spiritual core of that event, those who would be His would come to Him – (John 10) as His sheep know His voice – while those who were not His would flee the light (John 1)… to me this makes a lot more sense then reincarnation – but I am not knocking you personally for that theory – I am simply saying it speaks to how far off the map you went when seeking an resolution to the issue.

You challenge my belief of an age of accountability – asking why – if the Holy Spirit is leading all of us Christians – why do we all have different answers… first of all – that seems to be dodging the answer I gave you by bringing all the other answers into it – I mean – come one – why do you think we all have different answers? The obvious answer is that we aren’t all led by the Holy Spirit but that most of us – if not all of us – are trying to use our own logic and knowledge of the Bible to defend our own beliefs concerning the age of accountability. While I do believe I am led by the Holy Spirit – I don’t expect anyone to be able to tell that unless they themselves have the Holy Spirit. Of course, many who think they have the Holy Spirit will think I don’t have it – but what does it matter what anyone thinks? We are to serve God – not the notions of men! Now, with all due apologies to your friend Mark – Psalms 51:5 and Psalm 58:3 are speaking not of children born sinners but of children born in a sinful world.

You quoted Psalms 51:5 from what I believe was the GOD’S WORD Translation and it said – Indeed, I was born guilty. I was a sinner when my mother conceived me. – but the problem with the GWT is that it simplifies the original languages to the point that it forfeits true translation in favor of interpretation and commentary, separating the reader from the actual words of the biblical author. Consider this passage in the more literal NASB translation…

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

In the case of Psalms 51:5 – when understood through the NASB – if I might paraphrase – reads something like this – David is saying he was born into a sinful world by a mother who was a sinner… not that he was a sinner from birth…

As for Psalms 58:3 – it is obviously poetic hyperbole – as an infant can neither err nor can it speak at all – let alone speak a lie… yet Christian theology has taken these passages and taught them to many – such as your friend Mark – and in turn – created one of the most horrible doctrines in any religion… and that is that innocent babies are sent to Hell… Look – one way of checking the meaning of the passages of the Old Testament is to look at what the Jews believed, right? Guess what – they too believe babies are born innocent… thus – the Jews didn’t get any Original Sin doctrine from these passages… its purely a creation of latter Christians… Remember Ezekiel 18:20? “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.” And I won’t even get into the complications this would create for Jesus when He was born – and please – with all due respect to Mary – spare me the man-made theologies concerning her Immaculate Conception – which claims she herself was born sinless… and kept sinless not only until Jesus was born but until she herself ‘ascended to Heaven’…

You know – its funny to think about signing up for a mental disability in order to be saved… you’re right – it would be ‘easier’ in the big picture… but they must endure so many other situations here in this life that I don’t think we can truly appreciate – still – its definitely a blessing in disguise if I am correct in my belief…

In closing – I do believe that anyone who hasn’t heard the Gospel will end up in either heaven or hell – my problem with what you said is I don’t believe that we can say those who didn’t get the Gospel automatically end up in Hell – or Heaven for that matter – I believe God will deal with them on an individual level – one by one – and that all I can know is the character of God and trust that whatever He does will be the correct thing to do.

Finally – when I said ‘repent’ – I meant repenting your disbelief… not necessarily your lifestyle…

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The Toll of Worry

Posted by Christoferl in Bible Study, Commentaries, Testimonies on October 22, 2009

I was talking with a very close friend of mine when I told her I wanted to get her a Christmas gift this year, and I asked her what she might want. She replied, “I’ve got too much to worry about to think about a gift.”

This statement instantly hit my heart and I knew right away God was speaking something to me through her. She was was so consumed with worry about so many other things that she couldn’t take a moment to reflect on what she might want for a Christmas gift. This seemed to draw me to reflect on the scriptures, and remind me of what Jesus said concerning worry…

Matthew 6:25-34
25″For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26″Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27″And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
28″And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30″But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31″Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’
32″For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33″But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34″So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Each day has enough trouble of its own – and yet we have made an art form out of worrying… What about the economy? What about the rising costs of fuel? How will I provide for my family? How can I help my kids become better students? How can I help them learn to deal with their struggles? How am I going to afford their college tution? What’s happening with my mother and father? What if they begin to suffer due to age? What about my retirement? Will there be anyone there to help me when I am old and gray? What about things like the NWO? Is the swine flue shot really safe? Is Obama the anti-Christ? Are we in the end times?

STOP!

The world certainly has a way of piling on – doesn’t it? If we allow it to overwhelm us, it will. This reminds me of the parable of the sower… looking at the explanation Jesus offered in Matthew 13, we can see how dangerous worry really is… in Matthew 13:22 He says…

“And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

If you’re a Christian consumed with worry – I encourage you to pray for God to strengthen you – and guide you away from all the anxiety. If we seek first His Kingdom and Righteousness, all these things we worry about will be taken care of. If we don’t we are in danger of being choked out from the Word and from Jesus Christ – becoming unfruitful – too consumed with worry to flourish in His grace.

Don’t allow yourself to be so upset and nervous in the worries that you can’t think about the gift that is Jesus Christ. Think about the time Peter called to Jesus as He walked on water…

Matthew 14:25-31
25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

It might be obvious to most – but it should not go unsaid that Peter was actually able to walk on the water so long as He kept his eyes on Christ. It wasn’t until worry and fear consumed him that he started to sink – and so it is with us… Our worries don’t help us at all… they hinder us – and distract us from the gifts of God.

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Why Bother?

Posted by Christoferl in Commentaries, Testimonies on September 11, 2009

Its a reasonable question isn’t it? Why bother talking about Christian issues? Who’s it helping? Who’s it hurting?

Yes – it is a reasonable question. I bother because Jesus tells us to bother – we are called to reach out and try to help others – we are called to love God and each other… so thats why we bother…

Why talk about Christian issues? Because truth is paramount – and you don’t find it by accepting everything your given… test everything and keep what is good… you’ve got some truth – I’ve got some truth – you’ve got some error – I’ve got some error – but unless we put it all on the table – all we have is error…

Who does it help? It helps you – me – and those that are still seeking… it helps those who can’t accept the modern church because the big picture of hypocrisy is obvious to them… some of us are too close to the situation to see the hypocrisy – we are so busy defending what we believe that we can’t see the reality… yet – if a person can see the hypocrisy – and relate to a call for reform – or a stand for truth – they know there is hope because they can see Christ working within the body of believers…

Who does it hurt? The only person hurt by honest discussions concerning the Christian religion are those seeking to hide the problems as opposed to exposing and correcting them…

What is the goal? To lead people to Christ – not bondage but freedom – not a religion but a relationship…

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