Reflections from the community: 

A drawing I gifted a friend for their baptism recently

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen!

I want to share my testimony about the Almighty God the Father and His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who appeared to me in a vision given by the Holy Spirit.

My motive to share this deeply personal testimony with others is inspired by the words of the Holy Apostle Paul in 2. Corinthians 1:3,4

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God!"

Acts of the Apostles 2:17

"In the last days, God says: "I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."

Chapter 1: The Vision of the Saviour!

In a vision, I saw myself drowning in endless blue water. But then, as I watched myself drowning, I saw that on my right side appeared the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was effortlessly walking on the water. His walk on the water was so powerful and calm that it was an absolute joy to watch Him. He wore a beautiful white robe and had shoulder-length hair, but His face was not shown to me.

The moment I saw Him, I stretched out my right hand toward Him the best I could, crying out within myself for Him to save me so I would not drown. He immediately took my right hand and effortlessly lifted me out of the water - which represents all our problems and difficulties in life, but the Lord is above them all. This reminded me of the story of the Apostle Peter, who was also drowning when he lost his faith in the Lord, but the merciful Lord saved him as He did me.

While I was standing on the water with the Lord, He extended His right hand to me, which had a nail hole in the center of the palm. I kissed His hand and fell to my knees, bowing my head all the way down to His feet, which also had nail holes. Then I stood up and, I remember, I hugged Jesus tightly, just as He did me. Afterward, we both turned around, He took my left hand, and suddenly we ascended, surrounded by white clouds!

Chapter 2: The Throne of the Almighty God!

In the next moment, I saw myself kneeling on the floor with my head bowed, and before me stood a massive white throne, upon which sat the Almighty and Holy God the Son in His divine glory. He was huge; He wore a beautiful white robe. His face was like the sun, emitting the uncreated divine energies like molten lava. I could feel His supreme authority, justice, glory, infinite power, and immortality, but also His unique and unconditional agape love for all humans.

Colossians 1:15

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."

Matthew 11:27

"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him."

John 10:30

"I and the Father are one."

In John 14: 6,9

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."

Then, God the Son stood up from His throne and approached me. I could no longer see Him.

Chapter 3: The Finger of God!

I saw the Finger of God vertically descending upon my head and gently touching me. This moment is a direct reference to Matthew 12:28 and Luke 11:20, where it is written:

"But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."

The Finger of God is actually another name for the Holy Spirit. Afterward, I saw my guardian angel leading me out through the golden gates of the Kingdom of God.

This entire holy experience was the grace and comfort of God the Holy Spirit, Who encouraged me to persevere in my personal spiritual warfare against sin and demons—a battle that began the very moment I read the New Testament and believed with all my heart and mind in the Almighty God the Father and His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave His sinless life on the cross and shed His most pure blood to wash all His followers from sin and make them perfect in the eyes of God!

There are many testimonies on the internet about Jesus, heaven, and hell. I highly encourage you to watch as many of these testimonies as possible from various people who had near-death experiences, because they serve as living proof that the spiritual world is real.

I would recommend two channels on YouTube: God Encounters with Janie DuVall and God's Voice Daily.

My advice to all Christians is:

Read the New Testament, pray to God sincerely, and keep His commandments. Be part of the Apostolic Church. Wear your cross around your neck, because it is a great protection against demons. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it—as it is written in Proverbs 4:23. Help the helpless, weak, and homeless, for such actions are beautiful in the eyes of God, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 25. Never give up and always fight, because stronger is He Who is in you than he who is in the world! The Lord Jesus Christ is 100% real without any doubt, and He loves us more than anyone in the world!

Thank you for watching, God's peace, love, and blessings be with you all, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen!

dibujo que hice inpirado en otro de pinterest que ví

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God created us and gave us a moral sense to distinguish right from wrong. When many people hear that someone could be sent to hell simply for not believing in God, their moral intuition tells them that this would be unjust or wrong. If God is the one who gave us that moral sense, isn't it strange that it would lead so many people to see this as morally wrong?

This all started because I asked him to take me to see the Odyssey as a date, to which he said he isn’t comfortable with that. He thinks watching any “false gods” or stuff with literally anything that isn’t just people agreeing and being happy all the time is bad. I am at the end of my rope since we literally cannot watch anything. We haven’t sat through a movie in months. Even then, he always makes little comments or quips whenever something negative happens or someone does something remotely immoral. I don’t know how to help him see that fiction and entertainment are not these disgusting, dirty, sin-filled things but it is so hard and I am so angry right now.

One of the most beautiful hymns in the english language.

Sorry for my bad English it’s not my native language ima keep is really simple. I struggle with substance abuse i gave up hard shit but i was still smoking weed. I smoked a bowl got supper anxious my heart was bumping like a racecar and at some point i felt like God made me take a step back sit back and listen. He started talking too me through my own mouth and thoughts he was telling me me to quit this shit for good, that those dreams i have dream life i want too achieve is possible and that he wants me to achieve that life and he said that he made me to be that exact person that i dream of since i was a kid he gave me some „parental talk” to get my shit together. My heart was still pumping out of my chest after a lecture i felt like he just stayed with me for the rest of my high trying to calm me down and my heartbeat tried to relax me in some way i felt weird as if i wasn’t alone some type of warm emotion feeling. I always believed that there is God somewhere but i wasnt going to church or reading bible this is so weird and idk if i was just tweaking off weed or God is just sick of me doing the same mistake over and over again. He also said that i am ment for great things and that i waste my potential but he won’t help me if i keep doing same shit over and over again. Throughout all of thise words were just coming out of my mouth without even thinking for straight hour from God’s point of view Idk what to think honestly it’s not like the weed is strong or laced my tolerance is pretty high and honestly i dont feel much after smoking cuz of my tolerance but when God started talking i was so euphoric and excited. Today i woke up and i feel somhow like he’s giving me a tap on a shoulder and say „ok now get to work im not gonna interrupt you no more” Can you give me your thoughts please? Yall think Jesus would do something like this or im just loosing my shi

I would like to hear about opinions and knowledge from all denominations/branches 😊😊

Recently became a believer of Christ, best decision ever 😌😌 ever since then I’ve been trying to find a branch/denomination that aligns best

Leaning towards Catholicism because of the beautiful churches as well traditional style of worship and liturgy, I also like the idea of the rosary, I think it’s gorgeous

I have ADHD, and I think that the structure of the Mass will help me, as someone with not much structure, I find the structure of Catholicism and Mass is something I would love to be devoted to, and it’s something that I would absolutely be looking forward to if I go with this

However, I’m iffy about Mary and the saints. I’m willing to get behind the doctrine for that, but if you fellow Catholics can explain to me about the veneration and the praying to the saints and why Mary is held to a higher standard. I think I need a pretty good explanation about that, so if you guys could give me some Catholic resources I could study up on that would be nice

I’m not gonna lie I am kind of scared of possible backlash I could get by being Catholic, but I kind of feel a calling, idk. I live in America, a Protestant nation and I would love to hear from my Protestant brothers and sisters as well. Thought about Orthodoxy, but not really my vibe.

I’m open minded to both. Even thought I’m leaning Catholic, I wouldn’t mind learning about Protestantism/being Protestant

Love all my fellow Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ and God Bless 😊✝️

God did not put us here merely to move from birth toward death. We are here to participate in a story of love that God already knows. Through God’s love, demonstrated in Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, we are invited into everlasting life, where we experience the fullness of love. Death is not the final chapter. When death is defeated, we will live fully in communion with God, sharing in His love and reflecting His character forever. Life will be restored and fulfilled, and who we were created to be will finally be revealed. We are sons and daughters of God, for God is love. Created by Him and made in His image, we are called to reflect His character by living in His love and sharing it with others. Through His grace, He transforms us so that we can receive His love, become shaped by His love, and reflect His love to others. God invites us into a relationship with Him—not because He lacks anything, but because love is meant to be shared. His kingdom is the fullness of that relationship, where those who receive His love are fully transformed and forever reflect the love for which they were created by the God who is love.

Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Thank you Jesus. Hallelujah. Glory to God!

Hi hopefully you’re feeling blessed and happy today. I just wanted to share my story here. I became Christian around a year ago. Leaving Islam wasn’t even a hard choice, it was more like getting out of prison. Jesus had given me freedom. I was drawn towards Jesus naturally, no one told me or forced me to do it. Living a life of fear and hate was too much for me. The thing is when you convert from Islam while having the most jihadist family isn’t a wise choice. Thankfully I kept it a secret and moved to a new country where I’d not suffer the heavy consequences and honour killing hungry family. I’m young and quite a loner to be honest and specially trying to live alone and figure out things for the first time hasn’t been easy. Specially when I have spent all my life inside a room and basically no social interactions. It has been a journey and I know it has just begun, and I’m still new to this. I gotta figure my life out and go forward with everything I got. With love of Jesus I have been happy even though I lost my family. I have so much ahead of me, fear still sometimes controls me but I know I’ll eventually overcome it. Keep me in your happy prayers and I’ll be doing the same for you all 😊. God bless.

Trying this again because I think Christian women that don’t know how CN men are dangerous and want your daughters to grow up with few rights that don’t go through a man first.

How pervasive do you think this ideology is in most evangelical churches?

This is my current prayer. "Dear God. I give you my life. Please help me give my life to you. Amen" is there anything anyone would change, or is there any tips people can give me to help give me to help devote myself to God? I don't know if I'm doing it right.

So basically, I’ve had this best friend for almost 10 years, and I always thought we’d stay friends for life. However, over the past year or so, she’s changed in ways that have made me question our friendship.

One example is that while she was dating her boyfriend, she became emotionally involved with other guys. She would hide those friendships from her boyfriend, hang out with those guys in person without him knowing, stay on calls with them until morning, and admitted she liked one of them. After they broke up, she became close with those same guys again.

The bigger issue happened afterward. She became very close with a guy who had a girlfriend that he supposedly wanted to marry. They would hang out one on one constantly, sleep on FaceTime together, say “I love you,” hug for long periods of time (whatever that means, that’s what she told me), and act like they were dating, all while his girlfriend had no idea. My friend knew his girlfriend didn’t know, but she didn’t seem to care. When I asked her how she’d feel if someone did that with her future boyfriend, she basically said it was different because her boyfriend wouldn’t do that.

I know the guy is responsible for betraying his girlfriend, but I also feel like my friend willingly participated in something dishonest. She would even tell me not to tell my boyfriend if I ever hung out with those guys, even though I never did. She wanted me to come with her, and when I refused, she got annoyed. She’d also joke that she wished I wasn’t with my boyfriend. Later, she invited another one of her friends, who had a boyfriend, to hang out with those same guys, and that girl eventually ended up cheating on her boyfriend with one of them. Seeing all of this made me feel like she was comfortable surrounding herself with and encouraging behavior that I’m not okay with.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized I care more about having a few friends with good character than having a lot of friends. I want friends who are honest, loyal, kind, and encourage me to become a better person. I don’t really feel that from her anymore.

This is where I’m conflicted as a Christian. I know we all sin, and I know Jesus spent time with sinners. I don’t want to become self-righteous or act like I’m better than anyone. At the same time, the Bible also talks about choosing wise company and not being influenced by unhealthy relationships.

Am I being too judgmental by distancing myself from her because of the choices she’s making? Or is it okay to recognize that someone’s repeated behavior and values no longer align with the kind of friendships I want?

This also isn’t the only issue we’ve had. Our friendship has been rocky for a while. I still love her and miss her as my best friend, which is why this has been so difficult.

I’d really appreciate hearing a biblical perspective on this.

I have doubts about to what extent a branch or denomination can be considered Christian

Firstly, thanks to those who participated in my [original post](reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/1uyl772/request_suggested_passages_for_atheist_bible_study/). I think for my first crack at this, I'll take a look at a few recommended passages, and in future responses I'll focus and go more in depth on specific ones that catch my interest.

From /u/kyloren1217 , Genesis 32:24-32. I'm reading from the NIV and NRSVUE (thanks /u/Snoo_17338) via BibleGateway.

I think this is a tough one for me to start with, but I'm fine with that. It's interesting to me that the concept of "wrestling with God" is taken so literally here; that Jacob is said to have seen God "face to face" and that he walks away from the confrontation with a limp due to a physical injury suffered in the struggle. But these days, nobody would believe such a physical encounter with the divine to be a possibility. Obviously then, the only way I can interpret it from personal experience is as a metaphor. I can say that throughout my late high school and college years, I "wrestled" with faith, belief, the concept of God (specifically the Christian God) etc. and never suffered any physical injury as a result. I never received a new name, I never saw any reason to believe in the existence of any God, and it felt at most as if I was wrestling with my own shadow. As for your input:

at some point in a persons life, especially when one is raised Christian, they will have the choice, will the God of their parents actually become their God too, or will God simply remain the God of their parents.

I think this shows a clear difference of interpretation, and perhaps why it's hard for me to find profound meaning here but easier for others. For me, faith isn't a choice. I'm either presented with convincing reasons to accept something or I'm not. If I'm not convinced there's good reason to believe in God, I can't just choose to believe anyway. It would be an act of self-deception, which I'd of course see right through.

From /u/StudioExpensive8919 , 1 Kings 22 (with a shout-out to /u/Puzzleheaded-You8889)

What I find intriguing here is how this passage humanizes God. Before I elaborate, let me say that I'm a film grad, so I sometimes interpret things through that lens. What God seems to do in this passage can just as easily fit into the playbook of a Tony Soprano or Vito Colreone. Ahab is stirring up some wicked shit and causing all kinds of problems for God, worshipping Baal and generally being evil. God sends one of his own (the lying spirit) to spur on what will be a disastrous conflict, but even then, only after Ahab digs his own grave by not listening to the one guy (Micaiah) who gave it to him straight. God could've just smote Ahab with a word, as Soprano or Corleone might have done with a bullet. But God wanted to send a message, not just achieve his desired outcome.

What's more, Ahab's son seemingly follows in his father's footsteps, which is totally understandable by the same analogy and is why blood feuds seem so prevalent in organized crime (at least within cinematic universes). Yes, Ahab had repeatedly defied God who had given him out after out, but Ahab's ego couldn't allow him to follow God. Neither God nor Micaiah in this passage actively deceived Ahab (except perhaps when Micaiah first told Ahab what he wanted to hear), but it shows God's willingness to let people trip over their own ego if they try hard enough.

I'd relate this to two concepts: do the ends justify the means? I think almost universally in the case of the Bible, the lesson is that God's ends inherently justify any means. I'll admit that's something I can't personally agree with, but that's just a heathen's take I guess! The other thing is that 400 pretty lies mean nothing in the case of one ugly truth, and that's something I can get on board with.

From /u/first_last_last_firs , Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

This passage is very relatable on so many levels. The oppressed, the poor, the sick, the meek; their plight is undeniable and gut-wrenching for anyone with a beating heart. But people often forget the oppressors, who are often even more damaged individuals in need of grace just as much as any of them. Yet there is little if any sympathy between the two groups despite their common condition: the human condition. In verses 2 and 3 especially, I'm reminded of a quote attributed to Santayana, "Only the dead have seen the end of war". War is hell; always has been, always will be. For those who live in that constant struggle, it sucks. For those who have lived through it, have died, and now only have to look back at their experience, at least they can rest in relative peace. The unborn, the souls who haven't yet had to fight through suffering into truth, they're the lucky ones who haven't had their innocence tainted by corruption and suffering. Dark stuff, but very relatable.

Thanks again to those who have participated so far, and I hope we can all learn something about each other through these interactions. I welcome comments below as well as suggestions for future passages to look into and offer my insight and interpretation.