Who Am I??
I think that you need to know who I am so that you feel that this is a blog that is simpatico with your views. Of course, I do welcome alternative views which make me rethink and reflect, but please be respectful. If you cut me, do I not bleed? Yes always.
I have been a Christian since early 1980s, when I learned about Jesus from a dear friend who was an exchange student from San Francisco. What intrigued me about her was that she was joyful amidst teenage angst and didn't gossip about others and displayed an openness that was lovely to behold. When she, Lisa, returned to the US, I missed her terribly and sought out Christians to know more. I then belonged to an Anglican (US equivalent would be Episcopalian), and God put a desire in my heart to read the Bible which I did at every circumstance. While reading the Bible, (during this time,I was sprinkled with water and confirmed in the Anglican faith), I kept on coming on passages about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is not hard but knew at the time that I did not have this and earnestly prayed and sought God for this gift. After a year, I met a Christian at work who said he went to a church that believed in it and all their members received this. I went to one of their mid week meetings and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. The analogy of oil and the Holy Spirit is apt as I felt a coating of the Holy Spirit on me, particularly in my early Christian walk. Being the early 80s the people in my local Anglican Church did not believe it and I left. I didn't leave well. I am not that perfect and very immature but I then joined this Pentecostal Church. I was there for a few years and following a bad relationship with my then fiancé, I left them and backslid for 15 years. I did read the bible and pray, but I didn't like Christians. I got into Magick, both high and low and yoga and rethought many of my worldviews. See, I told you I am imperfect. However, it was a time when I found out about my psych. and early childhood traumas, of which I am not alone. God never forsook me, I forsook God. He sent me to good psychiatrists/psychologists and my healing began.
God in His grace called me back when I lost my temper, which I started to do regularly, when he told me that only He could control my temper. It is true and it hit me profoundly although so, so simple. Since then, I sought Him and rethought exactly what being a Christian is without the filter of denomination.
I am a Christian first and being in a denomination is a way of expressing my Christianity to other Christians. There are good and bad things in all denominations and has been pointed out to me on a regular basis, there are no perfect churches, but churches made up of imperfect people who may be a little or a long way on their journey in Christ. More importantly to me, is expressing my Christianity to people who don't know Christ. What does that look like? Well, a good place to look is in the person of Jesus and His relationships. Relationships with people He met briefly, people He discipled, the religious leaders of the time but of His love for all humanity even those who despised Him. He finally expressed this love in His death, in that He died for all, not just the Christians but the paedophiles, the haters of God, the blasphemers who constantly say Oh My God or OMG, and everyone in between. He did this to seek a relationship with You. We have certainly all been blessed by Jesus and His work in His Disciples through all ages. No matter what time in history or space, Jesus died for your sins, in your place and with all of His love to you.
Getting along on the biography, I have been blessed by God, who found me a life partner with my wife. I have been in 3 denominations since my marriage, but always first and foremost I am a Christian, who has been saved by God through the person of Jesus and infilled with the Holy Spirit to empower me to live a life that seeks His will. I am imperfect, I am a clod, but I'm God's clod!
I hope you will follow this but if not I am expressing thoughts. Feel free to contact me for comment etc but I would beg of your respectfulness when doing this.
Neil S.
I have been a Christian since early 1980s, when I learned about Jesus from a dear friend who was an exchange student from San Francisco. What intrigued me about her was that she was joyful amidst teenage angst and didn't gossip about others and displayed an openness that was lovely to behold. When she, Lisa, returned to the US, I missed her terribly and sought out Christians to know more. I then belonged to an Anglican (US equivalent would be Episcopalian), and God put a desire in my heart to read the Bible which I did at every circumstance. While reading the Bible, (during this time,I was sprinkled with water and confirmed in the Anglican faith), I kept on coming on passages about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is not hard but knew at the time that I did not have this and earnestly prayed and sought God for this gift. After a year, I met a Christian at work who said he went to a church that believed in it and all their members received this. I went to one of their mid week meetings and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. The analogy of oil and the Holy Spirit is apt as I felt a coating of the Holy Spirit on me, particularly in my early Christian walk. Being the early 80s the people in my local Anglican Church did not believe it and I left. I didn't leave well. I am not that perfect and very immature but I then joined this Pentecostal Church. I was there for a few years and following a bad relationship with my then fiancé, I left them and backslid for 15 years. I did read the bible and pray, but I didn't like Christians. I got into Magick, both high and low and yoga and rethought many of my worldviews. See, I told you I am imperfect. However, it was a time when I found out about my psych. and early childhood traumas, of which I am not alone. God never forsook me, I forsook God. He sent me to good psychiatrists/psychologists and my healing began.
God in His grace called me back when I lost my temper, which I started to do regularly, when he told me that only He could control my temper. It is true and it hit me profoundly although so, so simple. Since then, I sought Him and rethought exactly what being a Christian is without the filter of denomination.
I am a Christian first and being in a denomination is a way of expressing my Christianity to other Christians. There are good and bad things in all denominations and has been pointed out to me on a regular basis, there are no perfect churches, but churches made up of imperfect people who may be a little or a long way on their journey in Christ. More importantly to me, is expressing my Christianity to people who don't know Christ. What does that look like? Well, a good place to look is in the person of Jesus and His relationships. Relationships with people He met briefly, people He discipled, the religious leaders of the time but of His love for all humanity even those who despised Him. He finally expressed this love in His death, in that He died for all, not just the Christians but the paedophiles, the haters of God, the blasphemers who constantly say Oh My God or OMG, and everyone in between. He did this to seek a relationship with You. We have certainly all been blessed by Jesus and His work in His Disciples through all ages. No matter what time in history or space, Jesus died for your sins, in your place and with all of His love to you.
Getting along on the biography, I have been blessed by God, who found me a life partner with my wife. I have been in 3 denominations since my marriage, but always first and foremost I am a Christian, who has been saved by God through the person of Jesus and infilled with the Holy Spirit to empower me to live a life that seeks His will. I am imperfect, I am a clod, but I'm God's clod!
I hope you will follow this but if not I am expressing thoughts. Feel free to contact me for comment etc but I would beg of your respectfulness when doing this.
Neil S.
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