Hi getting saved is the easy part.

Becoming a Christian is the easy part. Knowing what to do next is the hard part. If you believe Jesus took your place and made a way for you to become HIS righteousness. To exchange your sin nature for God's nature and become one of His children. if you have prayed Lord i know i fall short and need you and i believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that you are Lord and ask you to save me and become my Lord and Savior. Then you are now a new creation born of God. Many questions now exist that were not there before. Questions like "WHAT NOW ? WHAT'S NEXT ? WHO IS GOD THE FATHER ? WHO AM I TO HIM ? WHERE DO I START FROM HERE ?" Just to mention a few. Well sorry to say most churches do not answer these questions and many more that we need answered in order to live in fellowship with God, and to live a victorious life here on earth.
I would like to introduce you to many things you need to know about living a victorious Christian life. I have been in many churches that taught nothing beyond receiving Jesus as Savior. They did not really know the fullness of what being Redeemed really entailed. They were like a social club being ruled by emotions and senses, instead of ruling in the Power of God. Allow me to invite you on a journey into true Christianity. Starting with my testimony. I do not want you to go through what i went through, but rather to start higher and go higher through the knowledge i have gained through my experiences and the knowledge of HIM.

My testimony pt. 1

Hello everyone. My name is Michael. I have been a Christian since 1975. My experience in the church was bad, and not the way it should have been. It has been said that Christians shoot and bury their wounded. A lot of them do, because they have never renewed their minds and hearts to the Word of God. They call themselves Christians and walk in the world. The church I first attended was not teaching any thing helpful to a Christian, let alone a new convert, a babe in Christ. When I started going I was not a saved person. My girlfriend attended there so I went with her, and we got married, and continued to attend. I got saved in that church, only because of a group that came and ministered the Word of Salvation to us. Six months of sitting in services at that church and never heard any word on salvation. We continued there for about 2 years. Never were we taught the things we were to need to walk this new life. Nothing on Walking in Love, forgiveness, not taking offence, health and healing, miracles, authority in Christ, or anything we really needed at all. In 1977 we moved to another church that was teaching more of what was needed to live in this world as a Christian. Only they weren't living or walking the talk they were speaking. I got offended ....!!! Hurt..!!!! And unforgiving..!!!!! Which lead to a life of bitterness.. (What a waste) I continued to go to church, but it was out of duty not out of a heart of love, or being thirsty and hungry for righteousness and the kingdom of God. In 1982 We moved to a third church and sat there 18 years out of duty, sulking in bitterness, not able to walk in the calling on our lives to teach, preach, and sing the Word. One day in the year 2000 something happened that caused me to think and reflect on a statement that my daughter said about me. That day it all turned around for me. Angry and upset over what she had said, I sat in my study alone, when I spoke out loud to myself a question. I said, " what she said was true, so why am I getting so upset over it?" Just as I said that I heard a voice say," I'm glad you ask, now we can get this taken care of." What happened after that changed me from an unforgiving, bitter, unproductive, hurtful, not able to help others, into a minister of the Word, seeing people healed and set free, helping others find the way, helping others grow in the things that they need to walk in Victory in this life in Christ. I am doing my best with God's help to keep others from walking down that long wasted path i walked, being bitter and unproductive. God has us testifying of our past ( being like an open book ) and then teaching a foundation of what we need to live a Christ centered lives. How to deal with hurtful, unforgiving, offensive, unlearned in the scriptures, rejecting people. And not not becoming like that, but instead becoming one who walks in Victory and draws people to Christ. The day it all turned around in my life was awesome. The Lord just started speaking once that question left my lips. I am going to take you through that day and what the Lord showed me in the Word that transformed me from a loser to a winner in Christ. I will be talking about a dark past that I never really wanted to even remember let alone share with others. The Lord said to be an effective minister that I would need to be an open book, nothing hidden or covered up, in order to reach and help others. I told Him yes I can do that, so in the next blog posting I will go through my testimony of where I had been, and what happened on that day of the great turnaround, to where I am today. Then the Lord and I will start some foundation teaching and build on that, to deeper things in Christ. REMEMBER THAT GOD IS LIGHT AND IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. JOHN 10:10 ANYTHING THAT KILLS, STEALS, OR DESTROYS IS FROM THE DEVIL. AND ABUNDANT LIFE TO THE FULL COMES FROM GOD. Your brother in Christ Michael

testimony pt. 2

Testimony Pt.2 Many things happened from the time I gave my heart to the Lord until that turn a round day in 2000. As I stated in the First Posting the Christians, and Churches I attended were not teaching any substantial, meaningful, fruitful things pertaining to how to live a Christ centered life in this world. I was offended at them and found a church that taught more, but they didn't walk in it. I was more offended and found yet another church, where I spent 18 years pouting and drowning in unforgiveness and bitterness toward others. One day my daughter said a statement about me, and I got upset over it. When You live in bitterness even the truth will upset you. As I was sitting in my place of study thinking on what she had said, and rehearsing those words in my mind, I spoke out loud these words. I said, " What she said was true so why am I so mad and upset about it?" As soon as those words left my lips I heard a voice from deep within my heart say, "I'm glad you asked, Now we can take care of this problem in your life." All those years in church hearing the word but not living it was about to come to a head. That word was in me and God was about to bring it out and show me what I needed to do. On this day He turned my whole life around and launched me on a journey that amazes me.. First the Lord asked me if I remembered what my son had said his favorite scripture was. Sure I said it's Song of Solomon 2:15 which says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." He said that I had walked in bitterness and unforgiveness so long that it was like a brother to me, and I let the little things set me off, and they were choking the life out of me. He then directed me to go to MARK 11:22-26 King James Version (KJV)Passage Mark 11:22-26: 22And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. The Lord told me when it comes down to it without forgiveness nothing will work. First I had to forgive the hardest person in the world to forgive.( MYSELF ) and all the others I had ought against. He then directed me to this passage of scripture. Passage Hebrews 12:11-15: 11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; The Lord said," Michael you have walked in bitterness, and you have defiled many. You can't progress and a lot of those you hurt haven't progressed either. " ( I'll come back to this point and tell you what I had to do to make it right.) There was one more set of scripture that the Lord took me too, that day, and it set me free so I could go back to HEBREWS 12:11-15 and do something about that root of bitterness, and those that I had defiled (hurt). He then took me to PSALMS 51:1-14 1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. THIS IS AN AWESOME PASSAGE I BROKE DOWN AT VERSE 10 Oh Lord what do I need to do. 1. Realize the things that I've done. 2. forgive others and myself and ask the Lord to forgive me. 3. Ask God to remove that root of bitterness from me. 4. Ask God to create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. I did all those steps and what freedom came over me.. Heaviness lifted. Was that all I had to do? NO I had to go back to all those that I had hurt and speak to then about my life and my new life and ask them for forgiveness, and bring a restoration to all our lives... ( I'll tell you about that in the next posting.) ...............Your Brother In Christ.............Michael

testimony pt. 3

TESTIMONY PT. 3 Hebrews 12:14-1514. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:15. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;As I stated in the last posting I had defiled or hurt many people as I walked in bitterness all those years. Asking the Lord to forgive and clean me up wasn't going to be all I needed to do. He told me I must go back to many of them and ask for their forgiveness. One very important thing He impressed on me was this truth. Many times we know we must go back to people and make amends or restitution. We charge out and find those people and talk to them and think, If they accept my apology great, and if they don't, well I tried. I did my best. No you haven't. The Lord told me to go to these people, but only when he told me to go to each one, and to listen for the words to say to them, and only say those words. He was working in their lives and only can we say we did our best is after we do it in God timing and with the words he gave us to say.Everyone hears forgiveness in different ways and words.The first thing I had to do was go to my wife and to my children and ask their forgiveness, because I was a mess for most of the kids lives. Then to about six other people from the past I must go. As I was weed eating the back yard on afternoon, the Lord began to speak to me about going to a man named Sonny. I said yea right he would probably shoot me if he saw me on his front porch. The answer was still the same you must talk to him. As i was trimming the yard I looked up and Sonny was coming cross the alley towards me. I shut the weed eater off and he ask me a question and we started talking. A miracle in itself. He was asking about some people that had moved into the neighborhood. As we talked I was listening for the right words to say concerning forgiveness. The Lord told me with Sonny the way he hears I'm sorry will you forgive me is in the word apologise. I said, Sonny we have had a problem for a while. I did some things that I shouldn't concerning you. He said, I know I've wanted to kill you for at least four years. ( It was bad between us ) ( real bad ) I said to him that I was not that person anymore. I guess he could see that word apologise was about to come out. He said forget it that is water under the bridge. ( He did not want to hear that word come from me because it would then take the burden off me and force him to make a decision concerning the situation.I told him no it is not water under the bridge, and I want to apologise for my actions of the past. He looked at me and stared at me for a moment and the said OK... We talked for a long time and have been like brothers ever since. He has asked me to watch his house when he is gone. My apology placed a choice for him to make. To accept it or to reject it. He accepted it and it was awesome. Whichever way he went in his choice to accept or reject my apology, I could truly say I did all I could do, because I listened for the words to say and said them. I didn't have to wait for when to go because he came to me. He was ready.One of the others I needed to go to came a little later at a store. The Lord said now is the time just go up to him and start talking as if nothing ever happened between you at all. ( He had a chainsaw cranked up and was yelling for me to come out of the house. He was mad at me for something I had done. I came out with a rifle and we then each went back into our houses. ) Bitterness defiles many and many had I defiled. It was bad in those bitter years. And now the Lord was telling me to just walk up and start talking to him as if nothing ever happened between us. He said this man sees forgiveness in that act of walking up to him and talking as if the past never happened. I did just that and stood in that store and talked and talked like had never missed a step .. In every case I went back to the people the Lord told me to go too. I listened and said what the Lord said to say. And all of them gave me the forgiveness I was seeking. We are all friends. I know you won't always get 100% good results like I did, but if you just rush into it and not listen for what to say and when to go you sure won't get 100% good results. Doing it in God's way and God's time is the only way you can say I did all I can do.I was restored in Christ and restored to the people I had hurt in the past. Now I needed to get back into the Word and get a foundation and build a good solid mature Christian out of myself and go on to teach others as God had called me to do.