A Christian Home : The Bible Stories, But Not The God Of Those Amazing Accounts

A hug from a father, a thank you note from the wife, or a gift from the children; these are all expressions of love that brightens a day. Chapter 13 of The Family: A Christian Perspective on the Contemporary Home, talks about love in the family. The expression of love within the family is key, because it will also affect how we react outside the home.

I had been a “Christian” for years, being raised in a Christian home it was just the thing to do. However this meant nothing to me at the time I was a Christian because everyone else was. So after a long time and the struggles I went through, I was so far gone and away from what God had planned for my life that it looked like there was no hope. This is when something happened to me something incredible God restored my life and brought me home, out of my sin. Now this didn’t happen over night it was a process which took a matter of months, but it started the night I fell on my knees and realized I had been living a lie and that I was not a Christ follower, I knew the stuff but never applied it to my life and let it change my life.

This night was one of the best nights there ( and not just because I was leading it). This night was the night that people opened up the most, and let there walls down, and let one another see each other's brokenness, that we may be healed by the Lord, keep each accountable, and pray for one another. This was the first time that I knew that I was supposed to go into ministry, although I had thought about it before. Here on this mission trip was also when I knew that I was going to be baptized for the second time. I was baptized once before, I knew that I had realized that I was not completely aware of what I was doing. I told my youth pastor that I wanted to be baptized aging, and he was very happy for me. We got back from our mission trip, and about a month later I was baptized by my youth pastor on July 31, 2016. The only way I could describe how I felt afterward was “complete”. It made with special experience even better, that I was able to share it with all of my church family, that has supported my through my walk with

My family and I got up, got ready, and drove less than a mile down Old Hickory Boulevard to Forest Hills Baptist Church, like we had always done. Except, that day I packed my swimming trunks. On August 5th of 2007, I was baptized by a minister at my church. I was eager to get started. With both of us cloaked in white, the minster and I stepped into the baptism “tub” during the worship service. Colorful rays of light were beaming through the stained glass windows, the water was warm, and my mother was standing beside of me for comfort and reassurance; I was at peace. Out of the opening, I could see the watchful eyes of the choir, worship leader, congregation, and my family; I was at peace. As part of tradition, I was getting ready to be immersed into the water; I was at peace. While in the water, an extraordinary sensation of purification swept through my body. I, for the first time in my eight years of life, had truly felt cleansed from head to toe. This feeling was a direct action of the Holy Spirit entering and presiding in my vulnerable self permanently.

poverty and I assumed that it only really existed in other far away countries. Everyone

And in terms of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the baptizer. He places you into the Holy Spirit's power. Jesus, is the baptizer in the Spirit . And you seek Him. You don't seek the Spirit. You seek the Lord and ask for His power, and He places you into the Holy

I did not come to know Christ until December of 2003 at the age of 25 at First Baptist Church of Gordonsville Tennessee. As a young boy, I had a desire to know GOD, and had even made a profession of faith, but never had anyone

My journey on to my Christian faith began when I was born so I basically didn’t feel. I had a choice not to be a Christian but I never asked why am I a Christian because I felt as though being a child of god was the right way to go I felt as though that god would always be here for not just me but with everyone that needed him. My journey to Christ probably would have to be in the miracles that he have brought me through and I have seen. A long time ago my uncle basically overdosed and the doctors said that he was brain dead and that we should just cut the cord. I will never forget the hospital room filled with the people from my church praying out loud. As I was sitting in there I could feel the spiritual energy. It felt like my skin was crawling with adrenaline. The doctors took us back there to see him and when I saw him I was honestly scared I didn’t think he was going make it but he made it my mother told me when she went back there she saw a angel over him and she said that his wings filled the room. After that day my uncle began to get better when he got home he didn’t have any memory of any sort he had to start completely over we had to help him step by step. And now today my

Baptism in (or with) the Holy Spirit is a very important, distinctive Christian experience in the life of the believer. The basis is found in the book of Acts, specifically the event of Pentecost.

Throughout the years I would attend Church, because I truly believed there was a God, but he was mad at me. After many years of questioning God’s love for me, I met a man who would share the message of God’s grace with me. On April 4th, 1999, I accepted the invitation to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. That day changed my life forever.

I was about six years old when I asked Jesus into my heart. It was a Saturday night when my oldest sister Marilyn asked me if I wanted to get saved. I heard that getting saved was the only way to heaven and I couldn't go unless I had asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins, I accepted Christ that night. Then when I turned thirteen, there were several times that I doubted salvation. I went to one of my counselors at camp and made sure that I was saved. About three years later I went and got baptized. Under the leadership of my then Pastor Paul Gaymon, I was able to be a helper in different ministries; nursery, VBS, junior church, and sing in both teen and adult choirs.

Spirit baptism has been an important topic in the Church for a really long time and while we discuss this topic we always have several questions rising about this issue. Churches have different perspective about the way they address the issue. The common question which arises with this topic are that, some of the Churches claim that spirit baptism is demonstrated after receiving the gifts of tongues and the other issues which often raises is that its relation with the word.

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: OUR FRIEND, COMFORTER, TEACHER, AND PART OF THE TRINITY

One of the catechism we have today as followers of Christ is, do we all speak in tongues? The veracity is, we do not all speak in tongues. Among believers, the custom of when an individual is born-again, spiritually leaders gravitate to laying their hands on the individual, praying for them, that the Holy Spirit will baptize them. This act is an experience found of when Peter and John were sent to Samaria. Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost (Acts, 8:15-17, King James Version). During our born-again experience, with the laying of hands, we can forthwith receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as Cornelius experienced. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, (Acts, 10:44-46, King James Version). On the other hand, we can receive the baptism of Holy Spirit after our born-again experience and the laying of hands. Personally, I did not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit instantaneously. It wasn’t

Since the day I was born my parents took my sister and me to church ever Sunday. I grew up in a loving Christian home and was encouraged at an age where I could fully understand, to purse a relationship with Jesus. I accepted Christ into my heart when I was in the second grade and was baptized in the fourth grade at age 10. Growing up I have always been super involved in Church. I have a heart for people and love serving. Since 3rd grade until now, my senior year of high school I have been on the leadership team with my youth group. I can not imagine my life without Jesus as the center. I have been pushed to step out of my comfort zone and because of that I have grown in several different ways. For example, I am an extrovert and enjoy getting new people, but never liked public speaking as I felt nervous and intimidated. By the many adult leaders, and pastors coming along side of me and encouraging me to step of on my comfort zone I now highly enjoy speaking and spreading the truth about The Lord in big groups of people. I am so thankful for the many God loving people that have come in my life and helped stretch me. Jesus is my entire life and I am nothing without him.