✨Hello and Curious✨

[SeaofGlass221]

Hello! Obligatory “new member” post here.

I was curious if anyone else had a testimony/experience like myself. I was not raised to believe in any religion or God - and had no interest in seeking Him because I thought all religions were fabrications of men. Then, just before my 21st birthday, I visited a church with a friend (just to be nice because her brother-in-law had just started teaching there after the previous pastor left him a little church building in the middle of nowhere - but nearly the entire congregation left because he was younger and had tattoos… ) there were legitimately 7 people sitting in the pews: pastor’s wife, my friend, her husband (who did music) and one mom and her teenage kids, and me. so I went to be with her to support her/him. Fully expecting to leave unchanged.

There wasn’t anything in particular that was said that I can remember - but while singing a song I had never heard before, I suddenly felt God’s presence, acknowledged it, cried, and surrendered. I did not even yet realize that the God of the universe I suddenly knew WAS Jesus yet. That came a few months later when I read John 1:1…and I was only reading the Bible because that’s what the people who held me as I cried and was changed said I should do! Obviously I had heard things from the Bible throughout life, living in an area that is thick with churches and alleged Christians with loud opinions. I had just never come to this knowledge myself.

I questioned my rebirth over and over for years, because it seemed so different from everyone around me. Then, I found comfort in the fact that it reminded me of Abraham - and how He had no knowledge of God before He suddenly met Him and was changed. Nor did Abraham actually know who Jesus was - until perhaps he met Him when He promised the birth of Isaac and appeared with the 2 angels. But still, even then, Abraham did not have the knowledge we have now about Jesus, and this reminds me very much of how I came to know Him, in many ways. Just not as spectacular perhaps, but it is to me! And it has been 12 years since.

Anyway, I was curious if anyone else has had or knows someone that has had a similar experience when coming to know God. (The not being raised in religion, to meeting God, to then realizing He was Jesus.) Figured it would be a decent first post.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Highway54]

Hello! Obligatory “new member” post here.

I was curious if anyone else had a testimony/experience like myself. I was not raised to believe in any religion or God - and had no interest in seeking Him because I thought all religions were fabrications of men. Then, just before my 21st birthday, I visited a church with a friend (just to be nice because her brother-in-law had just started teaching there after the previous pastor left him a little church building in the middle of nowhere - but nearly the entire congregation left because he was younger and had tattoos… ) there were legitimately 7 people sitting in the pews: pastor’s wife, my friend, her husband (who did music) and one mom and her teenage kids, and me. so I went to be with her to support her/him. Fully expecting to leave unchanged.

There wasn’t anything in particular that was said that I can remember - but while singing a song I had never heard before, I suddenly felt God’s presence, acknowledged it, cried, and surrendered. I did not even yet realize that the God of the universe I suddenly knew WAS Jesus yet. That came a few months later when I read John 1:1…and I was only reading the Bible because that’s what the people who held me as I cried and was changed said I should do! Obviously I had heard things from the Bible throughout life, living in an area that is thick with churches and alleged Christians with loud opinions. I had just never come to this knowledge myself.

I questioned my rebirth over and over for years, because it seemed so different from everyone around me. Then, I found comfort in the fact that it reminded me of Abraham - and how He had no knowledge of God before He suddenly met Him and was changed. Nor did Abraham actually know who Jesus was - until perhaps he met Him when He promised the birth of Isaac and appeared with the 2 angels. But still, even then, Abraham did not have the knowledge we have now about Jesus, and this reminds me very much of how I came to know Him, in many ways. Just not as spectacular perhaps, but it is to me! And it has been 12 years since.

Anyway, I was curious if anyone else has had or knows someone that has had a similar experience when coming to know God. (The not being raised in religion, to meeting God, to then realizing He was Jesus.) Figured it would be a decent first post.

Thanks for reading!

Welcome to the forum maam. Most usually the first step of becoming a Christian is found at Jn 17:3, one hears about God and pursues learning more.

 

[Riven]

Welcome to the forum, SeaofGlass221

 

[Beit Avraham]

Welcome! My experience was different, but I am so happy to read that you are part of the Christian family.

 

[hawkman]

Welcome to the forum SeaofGlass221 !

 

[Hidden In Him]

Anyway, I was curious if anyone else has had or knows someone that has had a similar experience when coming to know God. (The not being raised in religion, to meeting God, to then realizing He was Jesus.) Figured it would be a decent first post.

Decent first post.

I had something similar happen. I was not raised Christian at all other than being water baptized as an infant because it's what my grandparents insisted my parents do. But they were largely agnostic and secularist, so I knew almost nothing about Christianity growing up. Then my life kinda went to Hell in a handbag because I started getting deeper into the occult and into playing in rock bands, and was eventually being recruited by hard core Satanists. But it was destroying my life, so I quit my last band and went back living with my mother in Thibodeaux, LA. She put me up in a little room that only had a couch, a window, and a little white TV that caught two channels: Some sports station that played hockey 24 hours a day, and EWTN, the Catholic station. I got sick of hockey in a hurry, so I would watch the Catholic channel just to have something on, only it started having an effect on me. Eventually I asked my mother if we had a Bible in the house, and she said yes and went and got it. From there it was over. Within days of starting to read the Bible I stopped and thought, "You know, if everybody lived by this book, the world would be a much better place," and I committed to living by its principles. But I still didn't know Jesus personally yet, only that I wanted to follow the God of the Bible and His teachings, but I was so ignorant that when I got to college and met some Christians, I told them, "You know, I really like the book of Job," only I pronounced it like you do when you are talk about people when getting a "job." They kinda chuckled at me and said, "You mean the book of 'Jobe'?" (pronouncing it correctly). I said, "Yeah, that one too," Lol.

I eventually found out who Jesus was when I got out of Proverbs and started reading the Book of Matthew, and then I gave my life to Christ, but at first I didn't know my uh huh from a hole in the ground when I got started.

Nor did Abraham actually know who Jesus was - until perhaps he met Him when He promised the birth of Isaac and appeared with the 2 angels. But still, even then, Abraham did not have the knowledge we have now about Jesus, and this reminds me very much of how I came to know Him, in many ways.

That's correct. I don't think the Old Testament saints knew about Jesus yet, for how could they? Both David and Moses prophesied about Him, and also men like Isaiah. But to say they fully understood what they were prophesying would be stretching it IMO.

Welcome to the forum, and hope you will stay awhile.
- H

 

[SeaofGlass221]

Decent first post.

I had something similar happen. —-

Thank you for sharing that! I went through a period of heavy study because I couldn’t get enough of the Truth that had been hidden from me my whole life. I now equate that period of time to me being “unbound” (as in when Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead, then said UNBIND HIM) I am likely still being unbound in ways…but that was a powerful realization for me, He rose me from the dead and called for me to be unbound from my earthly ties and lies