I also remember them having prayer meetings at our house and sometimes we would go to their friends' house...the Coleman's. This was all around the age of 5-6 because it was before we moved to Florida. I remember having my 7th or 8th birthday in Florida and going to the beach. A lot changed when we moved back, according to my reconciliation. The good thing is; I still have that conviction! I know it's true in my heart by faith and by scripture. I am so thankful now to hear my parents talk about such things growing up.
How much more true is that today w/ the truth? It's hard to hear the truth? It's hard to know that something you may have believed in was not true or vs. Sometimes adults get mad, cover their ears and run and hide today! Sometimes I think it's denial and there is a delusion in the world from the Devil. The god of this world (the devil) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them-2 Corinthians 4:4.
I know for me when I was sinning and had not completely given my heart to the Lord; I knew the truth, but it wasn't enough for me to stop pleasing my flesh. I knew I needed and had to change because I did not want to go to hell or be left behind! I would repent every night I laid my head down and wake up the next morning and do it all over again. I would preach to all my sinner friends in whom I was sinning with and telling them, "if we don't change our ways we are going to Hell! Jesus could come back at any time and look at what we are doing!!" I would tell myself, "Vanessa, all this pleasure I am giving into my flesh is not worth missing Heaven and going to Hell for! Nothing is worth going to Hell for!!! I was not quite the good girl growing up and that's another post. I do still need to give my testimony, but it's still coming together! I am so thankful that I serve a very loving, graceful, merciful and forgiving God! There is only one sin that is unforgivable and that is blasphemy of the Holy Ghost-Mark 3:29. He has forgiven me of my sins, even would I couldn't. I have been baptized in the precious name (not plural) of Jesus and I received the gift of the Holy Ghost, which was better than any drug, drink, high, pill, sex I could've ever gotten my hands on! There is nothing like Jesus...nothing can satisfy me like Jesus! I am so thankful!
It's the same for a backslider too and once again I have been a backslider too! The Devil will let you think it's OK to compromise and it's OK to let a little slack here and there. Then before you know it; you quit reading, praying and going to church. In the mean time, you haven't forgotten what God did for you and how you felt in His presence. I thank God that I never forgot what it felt like to truly be in His presence because it's one of my biggest testimonies! I wasn't a backslider for too awful long, but I still did and that is hard to get past. But, thank God we have a forgiving God! When a believer repents and truly means it, making that complete 180 and changing, he will remember it no more-Hebrews 8:12! He has removed our sins from as far as the east is from the west-Psalms 103:12. Most of the time it's us trying to forgive ourselves, and for me that has been the hardest in more ways than one. Back to what I'm getting at! I tend to run off in all kinds of directions, so bare with me!!
What gets me the most is people of all different backgrounds and religions will base their beliefs or opinions based off their families beliefs or off a sermon they heard one time or off of one scripture. You must read the WHOLE Bible and then tell me what you believe. I am a firm believer in what the Word says...ALL OF IT! I didn't write it! Is He wants there to be that delusion or deception. This is salvation we are dealing with. We must know and spread the truth even if it makes someone mad. Many people believe many different things. Some believe that if they just have a good heart and have never really done anything too bad, they will make it to Heaven. Some people believe that just repenting and calling on the name of Jesus will be enough to get you into Heaven. I want to make for sure!! There is no gamble or compromise when it comes to Heaven or Hell. Ultimately, God will have the final say who will go where. The bible says, that the path to Hell is wide and many will follow it and the path to Heaven is narrow and few will follow it-Matthew 7:13. So right there will tell you. We live in the world and the god of this world is the Devil! The Devil wants you to think it's OK to do this, dress this way, act that way, watch this, read this...that there are no boundaries, but the God Almighty-Jesus Christ says there is!!! He is the truth, way and the light-John 14:6. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever-Heb 13:8. What I think it boils down to is....it's your convictions...what would Jesus do! And, I know that sounds so cliche, but really, would Jesus wear that, watch, read, be around them....so on and so fourth...Some say and think that it's pretty critical and I agree! Salvation is critical! I take it critical! Our convictions must match up w/ what the Word of God says! The Holy Spirit will not convict us or lead us on something that is not in the Bible.
What I'm getting at is...we must read the whole bible, have bible studies w/ our leaders, pray and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom, understanding and knowledge to understand what we need to know for salvation. I probably could have just found a link to post here about salvation, but I just felt like I needed to get it out there!
All I know is what the Bible tells me and I can see for myself that it's true. I can see all the prophesies coming true in the world today! I have many testimonies and prophesies that are true for me! And you have to work out your own salvation-Philippians 2:12. It's hard when we see loved ones refuse to listen or adhere to what you are trying to the relay. God has given us all free will and we can believe whatever doctrine the wind blows to us from the Devil. Jesus *willingly died on the cross for every person! Jesus didn't have to! He could have made it all stop and chosen a different route, but He didn't! He willingly gave us His spirit as a gift for those who believe.
Deception will only get worse as we get closer to the end. In Matthew 24 the bible talks about that even the very elect could be deceived if it were possible!!! How much more should we stay prayed up-including prayed up in the spirit and reading the Word of God daily-for it's one of our weapons against the evil one! For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers and darkness of this world-Eph 6:12.
I need to wrap this up and I can see this message going in many different ones, so I'm going to stop here.
If you new here....pray to God and repent of your sins and start by reading the Gospels! Acts 2:38-repent, every one of you for the remission of your sins in the name of Jesus Christ and ye shall receive the Gift of Holy Spirit. John 3:5-lest you be born again of water and of spirit ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God.
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