Christ First Forum

When I was 24 years old a young Christian fellow worker started trying to give me the small booklets he called tracts, which I rejected on a regular basis. Then one day he offered me one and for some reason I stuck it in my pocket. Later that day I found this thing in my pocket and pulled it out and read it,(the first one I had ever read) at the end of this little 7 or 8 page miniature book was the sinners prayer. I can honestly say that this was something I did not know about.
All I can say is that the Lord spoke to me through that silly little booklet and convicted me of my sins and my need for salvation. I thought about it for the rest of the day and when I prayed that prayer that night my life changed, instantly. I had been a smoker and pot smoker since I was 16 and when I woke up the next morning, it was all gone, no withdrawal no wanting no desire for any of them and the foul mouth went with them.
I found my way into a Pentecostal church the next Sunday and fell in love with God’s word. I studied the word as much as possible and quickly learned that I had been given a thirst to know as much as possible about the Word and what it meant. My wife was saved shortly after and we were in church every time the doors were open. Less than a year later the church gave me my own Sunday school class “young adults” because I had a desire to try to teach others to love the word like I did.
I can’t say it was successful but it was an experience I am glad I had.
Something not right drove me out of that church and into a state of wandering around looking for a home church to feed the soul, which we did not find, awhile after the wandering started, the Lord led me to start studying, just the Holy Spirit and I, to learn what he said and not what someone said he said. This study session has not ended yet and I am 58 now. I have 12 versions of the bible and both Hebrew and Greek dictionaries to study from. I have enjoyed many bible study groups and think I wandered in here to find a new study direction as they have all broken up and moved on. I am in a situation that I do not have many close Christian friends now and miss the interaction.
From my reading through the threads in here I feel the group is sincere and genuine.
I have had this feeling that the LOVE of GOD has taken a back seat in the church (and not the buildings) and it needs to be back in the front row, as I have said in here already, I believe we as Christians need to stop finding reasons to divide up because of differences and team up because of our common love for Christ, and his for us. As we study and absorb the Word, we absorb Christ, the living Word into our lives, and we help each other in that quest by sharpening and polishing each other.
Romans 10: 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
2nd Timothy 2: 15. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I truly love my Lord and Savior and his letters to us. I have found God’s Word to contain layers of information for different levels of teaching depending on where we are in life and what we are ready to know.
I also believe we are in the last days and do not have much time left.
I am In His service, by his Grace and for his Glory.
Rick

Rick, I was blessed reading your testimony of God's grace and love in your life.

We should never stop searching for truth, especially when our spirit does not meet with something some pastor, teacher, or or denomination dictate to us and if love is not exercised in that process.

The word of God should be the gauge in which we all should live by. I too am still searching. Although I have found many truths and am fully convinced of them. I am still open to change.

I have also found that they are multitudes of people just like you who are saved without the fellowship that they could find in a local fellowship. So! That is one of the reasons for Christ First Forum.

Not to take place of the Local church, but to give an alternative in case one does not have a local fellowship.

Frank is so right, Rick. There are a lot of us out there who do not have a church to fellowship in. It's hard to stay in a church that is not adhering to the Word of God. May God bless you and hold you close to Him as we trudge through these last days!

Jeani wrote:[i]There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Romans 3:10-12

No one can come to me (Jesus) unless the Father who sent me draws him. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me...This is whyenable him I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has . John 6:44,45,65

I learn that God always takes the initative in the love relationship.

God must take the initiative and come to us if we are to experience Him.

This is the witness of the entire Bible.

He came to Adam and Eve in the garden.

In love He fellowshipped with them,and they with Him.

He came to Noah, Abraham, Moses, and the prophets.

God took the initiative for each person in the OT to experience Him in a personal fellowship of love.

He came to Paul on the Damascus Road.

In our natural human state, we do not seek God on our own initiative.

Your Christian fellow worker was obedient to the Lord by giving you those small booklets as a witness of Christ.

Jesus reveal Himself through that tiny book,and the Lord made you a 'new creature.'

i]

I thank God for the personal relationship we share. I have said it many times, I talk to him more than my own wife and I love her as much as any human on earth ;-)
I would not have thought that a person could stay "tight" with God, without an emersion thru the church and I would think most would find it a different walk than I have had. I have tried to keep up my end by reading the word daily, as much as possible anyway. Romans 10: 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We need this faith and God tells us how to get more of it.
The thing I have said about God's love being a secondary issue for too many people is something that I really feel, everyone wants to relate the angry God, the jealous God, the vengeful God. What is missing from the equation is that if we love him and let him love us , there is no anger, jealousy or vengance.
ephesians 1: 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, And he did this because he wanted to!
6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

This is the love of the Almighty God, pure, undeserved, Love. We can never be worthy of it. We can only accept it and be thankful for it. I personally feel that God actually enjoys hearing from us, he does not need for me to tell him what is going on in my life, he already knows, but he enjoys the fellowship of our conversations.

Thank you all for the welcome.
I look forward to studying and peeling back the layers of God's word here.

Rick