Hi from new memeber in Australia

[studricho]

Hi, my name is Paul and I have joined this forum after finding linked to another forum I often visit.

I was looking through your forum and I think this will be a great place for me to learn more about scripture.

To be honest, I'm struggling in my walk with Christ so I hope i can be received by fellow members.

I do have an amazing salvation story, but not sure if this right section to share it.

I attend a church called South Coast City Church in thirroul, but sadly I haven't been involved in ministry for many years now.

I did visit a bapist church for the first time a few months ago as I have been working away.

I was amazed at welcoming they were and how modern the church was.

I was also hoping to learn more about Muslim religion as my friend is one and I often we have discussion about our religions, but my knowledge is not that good on the Muslim faith.

Feel free to ask any questions...

[James Hutchins]

Re: Hi from new memeber in Australia

Son, nice to meet you. Get yourself a KJV1611 Bible and read it cover to cover.

I'll tell you about mooslimes. Strap a bomb to your chest, walk into the mall and set the bomb off. You'll be rewarded with virgins and honey. I'll be sitting right here. Think about it.

[Cranky Old Man]

Re: Hi from new memeber in Australia

Welcome to our friendly forum!

I do have an amazing salvation story, but not sure if this right section to share it.

Please share it with us, don't hold back!

[studricho]

Re: Hi from new memeber in Australia

Okay here I go (I'll try and keep it short)

I was raised up as a Catholic, but we only went to Church for a hatch, match or dispatched (Christianize, marriage or funeral).

I was also taught to fear God and my misguided view was of an old man sitting up there on the throne with a big stick ready ti punish me for my sins.

I began searching for who I was and what life was about in my early teens. My father wasn't a very good role model as he struggle to relate to me.

As misguided teens do, I started to look to my peers from school for guidance and what life was all about.

I thought it was about being popular, having girls like you and a cool car.

I eventually achieve all those things, but each one left me more empty than the last one. I become sexually activated at around 17 and also starting drinking and smoking pot (marijuana).

I even joined a local gang and we beated people up for no reason. I was eventually arrested and just missed out going to jail. I did get heaps of community service.

I quickly become addicted to pot and I wold have to have it at least 3-4 times a week.

I treated women very badly and just used them as objects to obtain. Sadly this only attracted more and more females.

Even though according to my peers I had achieved what was considered to be the ultimate life I was very happy internally. I knew that there had to be more in life.

Every bloke that I knew wanted to be me and women wanted to be with me. I hated myself.

Please note that the below is an indication of how evil I was and not a present state of mind!!

Along come this girl that wasn't willing to give herself to me, so I seduced her over a period until she feel deeply in love with me and would do anything for me.

To give an idea how bad I was I would go to parties with this girl, pick up other women and then go back to her at the end of the night.

Eventually this girl allowed me to sleep with her. I had no feelings for her what soever.

I slept with her a few times and eventually just dumped her like the rest.

She came back to tell me that she was pregnant and was keeping the baby.

I begged her to destroy the baby out of my own selfish reasons.

This was the downfall of me, but also enough to bring me to my knees and ask God for help.

I had no one to turn to as the same peers that encourage me to sleep with this girl now were calling me a jerk.

I hit the drugs harder than ever before. I wanted to die.

I would overdose on pot at least once a week. You basically keep vomiting until vile comes up and you can't stop.

God sees the hurt and answers prays

Out of blue comes along my old mate Cotter from school. Basically he was the red haired kid that everyone made fun off and picked on. His self esteem was so low at school that he would often try too hard to be accepted.

Now he is super confident and there's something strange about him. You see Cotter found Christ and he had heard about my situation.

In fact a few of the old school mates that I have forgotten about because I was so cool now started going to church.

This group of guys would get together and pray for me and others.

The question i couldn't answered

Cotter asked me the most amazing question. He knew that I believe in God (or of him) and that I did have some church back ground growing up.

Here it is!

Tell me what in the world is worth burning in hell for eternity?

My first though was the swimming pool that we were facing to be filled with pot, but I then realized that I would be eventually empty and not worth it.

I told him that nothing is worth that. He told me not to just believe everything he just said, but to go and pray to ask God to show me his love.

So I went home that night, got on my knees and very nervous (felt pretty stupid too) asked God to show me.

What I felt can't be explain. It was like electricity on the inside of my veins running through my whole body.

This was it. This is what I've been searching for my whole life. God's love. It dawned on me like a car is made to take people, we are made for God's love.

Everything else i had been achieving throughout life was fake. It never satisfied.

I called Cotter the next day and asked him if I could come to church with him.

Their was silence on the phone....Hello Cotter?...Can you here me?

Could it be that Cotter with the gift of the gab was speechless?

Finally he answered as he was such in a state of shock that I would come.

You see Cotter had been praying for my salvation for months and the other people never believed that I would come as I seem that have everything i ever needed.

First time in Church

Well off I go to church for my first of my own accord. It was a pentecostal Church and I was taken back at why people are so nice to why.

You see people in my life up till then only treated you nice if they wanted something.

The Pastor asked me for my name and welcomed me in front of the service.

The music was nice and soothing. Once the pastor started to speak it was like he had written that sermon just for me..

My heart was pounding like never before, I felt my body burn in the chest area.

Once he finished preaching he asked me if I would like to come to the front to invite Jesus into my heart.

Before I knew it I was at the front. I was face to face with the pastor in front of the church of around 250 people.

This voice in my head wanted to me to hit the pastor. It keep saying hit him in the head, smack him...

I knew that this was real and the voice in my head had to be Satan trying to stop me from crossing the line.

I said the sinners pray and accepted Jesus as my lord and savor.

That was in 1994 around May.

I will continue this true tale of my salvation after lunch..