I was an alcoholic for about 20 years. every morning before going to work I would drink 2 or three beers and start smoking my cigarettes ( I was also addicted to cigarettes for about the same lenght of time ).in my late 30's I started reading the kjv bible and got to where I would read it at night as I drank myself to sleep . and I came to believe in God through both the old and new testaments and the Gospel of Jesus.so a little while after my 40th birthday one summer night I talked to God telling Him how I believed and how I was sorry for all my sins and that I would try to live as He said I should , however I also said that I wasn't going to try to quit drinking and smoking anymore because my nerves couldn't take it any more as I had prayed and tried to quit but just couldn't and I apologized for my lack of faith and willpower. I said look at me , I say I believe but yet i can't even do those 2 things . I said ,I know you could take both of these things away and I don't know why you haven't but the fault is mine not yours and even though i can't quit I still believe in you and Jesus and the Holy Spirit . I said ,you know when I quit talking to you I'll start drinking and smoking again and I'm sorry. so thats what I did , I opened a can of beer and took a drink but it tasted bad so I put it down and lit a cigarette but it tasted bad also so I put it out and went to sleep and the next morning when I woke up I didn't want my usual beers and cigarettes . the cravings for them was gone and never came back and I haven drank or smoked since then ( 1986 ). After that I started telling people what had happened and I went to a small nondenom church that my two sons were going to and got baptized in the Holy Spirit and water. after that i started going to churches and wittnessing but i didn't join any church as I also came to believe in saterday as the sabbathday and the closest church with my beliefs is about 80 miles away because I live way out in the bushes. so for years I have been giving away Bibles and wittnessing with the Lord as my church. I thank all the brethren who serve.shalom in YESHUA
Thanks very much for telling the story of your miracle. When I got to the part where you said I am not going to try anymore, I was thinking, "But that is what God was waiting to hear, that you can't do it. Then He can work." I rejoice in your victory.
Guess what? The Sabbath IS Saturday. It's too bad you are not allowed to join a church because of that belief. Denominations should be eliminated. I am amazed how much patience the Lord has as His Church continues to ignore His teachings. There are many confusions, and probably you have many confusions too. I might have confusions too, although, of course, I know I don't, ha, ha. However, we should never exclude someone from church participation due to confusions alone.
thanks thomas i still rejoice also. the next day i had to drive a bobtail truck to waco,tx for my boss to pick up a load of insulation.and as I was going down the highway i was thinking on the amazing thing that had happened to me and it suddenly hit me that I was not only free but 'forgiven'.have you ever done someone wrong and finaly asked for their forgiveness and when they forgave you it gave you such a relief and a feeling of happyness? well , when i realized i was also forgiven by The one and only God, I got this feeling of extreme joy and I started singing and laughing and although some of the other drivers on the road probably thought I was drunk I didn't care . to me the best description for happyness is forgiven. anyway when I got to the insulation ware house and was backed up to the dock waiting to be loaded ,I was bursting to tell somebody about what had happened to me so when one of the hands brought some insulation and started loading the truck I jumped in to help and told him about what had happened. anyway i started telling people about it on the streets and in churches so i have fellowship anyway. it's been a new and interesting journey in the secound part of my life. i have been giving to JFJ for sometime but i'm new to this website thing although i've been blogging and message boarding some so i hope i don't aggravate any one with my stumbling around.may the Lords comfort be with you.
what a awesome testimony
yes I believe the hardest task yet for me
Is that I may do the doing part
of even loving my enemies
It will be if i have faith and then just
do it .
Pray for me as I go to do
and leave my doubts behind me
if it changes one circumstance
I will rejoice
If it changes nothing
I still obeyed and did the doing part of it
I figure I have nothing to loose
the enemy has destroyed to much already
and Jesus super naturally gives the secret weapon
were to use when we know our lives are shattered by
ruthless enemies
His command was to love our enemies
so that is what I shall do
Thank you very much Elijah's mantle.and i greatly thank God for all he has done for me . and i do pray for you in the name of Jesus that he continues to guide you and help you overcome the world as He helped Jesus overcome the world. i understand how that it is hard to turn the other cheek at times and about repenting from the pleasures of the world. Jesus did it to show us it can be done in the flesh with the Holy spirit of God to overcome for us.
It is good to consider that God still give miracles , but no matter how great a miracle we receive : that if someone won't believe in Moses and the prophets , neither will they be persuaded , though one rose from the dead. but someone who receives a miracle can use that talent to draw with curiosity those who may be lost but are yet able to receive belief in Moses and the prophets and Jesus as God draws them to salvation. so we saved know that giving scriptures to whoever will receive them is a good way to serve God and it is easy to ask someone if they would like to have a free bible or scripture tract even if they be your enemy. shalom in yeshua.
Elijah'smantle ! as i considered what we were talking about i remembered other scriptures saying rebuking an offender is not hating and is something we should do . Leviticus 19 ; 17 -kjv Old Testament ( as spoken by Moses)--" Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart ; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour , and not suffer sin upon him."-----Luke 17 : 3 -kjv New Testament ( as spoken by Yeshua ) --" Take heed to yourselves : If thy brother tresspass against thee , rebuke him ; and if he repent , forgive him ." ---------------------------I added that in case some may think it is hatefull to protest offences against us or that it is not turning the other cheek. take it easy. shalom
thank you Elijah's mantle. i thought i had replied but apparently not lol.as i can't find the reply now. what i had wanted to say was i understand the part about turning the other cheek . but you are also told to rebuke thy brother. ( leviticus 19;17 oldtestament kjv ). " Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart ; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour , and not suffer sin upon him . and ( luke 17;3 new testament kjv ). " take heed to yourselves ; If thy brother tresspass against thee , rebuke him ; and if he repent , forgive him ."----sometimes i think many christians think they can't protest when someone tresspasses against them but they can as long as they do it mildly . or you can just walk away as long as you don't let grudging hate settle in your heart. i absolutly know it's much easyer said than done and i pray the Lord help you . and of course if you can forgive without rebuking thats good too.