The Tap On The Back

[Neighbor]

4 hours ago, Starise said:

Do you feel making those kinds of requests is sinful, or shows a lack of faith?  

For me, It was more like an affirmation for something I already believed in. The fact that it didn't happen gives me the impression that God wasn't happy with my request.

I think ( feel) making requests of God is proper when  properly motivated and improper when improperly motivated. So what is  improper? Seeking confirmation of a decision already made might be improper. Whereas Seeking God for help is to me not so much a matter of asking  for parlor game stunts from God as it is humbling ones self in total dependence upon God.

That God answers prayer rightly  motivated (asked) seems to me to be not only common  but is the faithfulness of God being played out.

Are there special or magic prayer words that must be recited? No don't think there are. Zola Levitt used to share that when he studied he came to a point where (Of Jesus) he asked "if you are there show me." He was awakened then by the Holy Spirit to awareness of Jesus  His Lord God and savior.

 I came to a point where I had to face God's  existence. A presentation of the gospel of Jesus came to me by way  of a tv preacher plus an angel challenged me.

I was so stuck in my atheism that all I could do when faced with the impossibly of God existing that was before me that  I said "If that is true I want it." I was immediately turned about by God.

And yes I was given a sign a personal one. I had been addicted to cigarettes since I was 11 years old. At the time I faced the reality of God I smoked five packs of cigarettes a day. Yet when I said  "If that is true I want it" I was no longer an addict of cigarettes.

I didn't quit I didn't ask for a sign like Lord if it is true I want to be free from this addiction, no I simply  no longer smoked. Didn't have a cough didn't have withdrawal it was simply for me a personal sign.

Are there other signs that occur? Don't know, but I have been utilized by God  for some very specific tasks over the years where in order to get me moving along to them God has given me visions, which I take to be signs. He never  has given me answers as to what the visions are about though until after I finally do get up and go to the task He is about to reveal for me to be a small cog in accomplishing.

Plus I have found in times of danger for family members I am put on a vague alert and I pray for their safety, not knowing the detail of why or what. Later I have found that  a family member was under real assault yet the attackers up and fled as though they were suddenly scared off.

It is very painful to realize that a friend  or family member may not have ever come to know Jesus as their Lord. A terrible pain where  some sense of guilt gets in there too, like what  could I have done and didn't do?

I have no answer for that pain  or sense of guilt, except to say I do not personally know whether a person  upon their approaching death  did or did not turn to seeing Jesus as their Lord.

My father, a life long atheist, upon his deathbed at a hospital was tapping out a rhythm over and over, seemed to be in some comfort as he did and was looking at me. I asked are you tapping out When The Saints Come Marching In? He blinked an affirmation.  Who knows what that means, I do not. Except; perhaps as he died he was thinking upon what he could recall and had meaning to him.

My own family has lost members to suicides, incredibly painful to suffer loss of family that way. The pain never goes away, plus it affects daily life forever forward. It hardly becomes dulled at all. Pain of that loss is oh so real. This is a hard one to endure, but it is reality too.

All I think anyone can do is be faithful as possible to do as led,  if that includes a sign then by a sign, if not then by hope in the certainty that is the gospel of Jesus without any obvious sign occurring.

I do think each of us works out our faith in the faith of Jesus, doing so individually, regardless of the rules and opinions of men and women as to how God must to it. I try to not be so arrogant as to think I know the limits upon God. I suspect there are none, after all He has reconciled my deficiency and made me acceptable in His sight. Wow pretty cool,  thanks Lord.

 

[Starise]

On 9/4/2023 at 3:05 AM, Neighbor said:

That God answers prayer rightly  motivated (asked) seems to me to be not only common  but is the faithfulness of God being played out.

Most of my prayers come from concern for others. I had to double check to make sure nothing was hindering my prayers, because sometimes they do almost seem hindered . It could just be false impression I have. I'm a results oriented kinda guy and the way God chooses to do things doesn't always show us the results, which then leaves me feeling high and dry.

I am reminded of the old saying, "prayer changes things" 

Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Mark 11:24 - Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Romans 8:26 - Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Matthew 6:6 - But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Matthew 26:41 - Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Colossians 4:2 - Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

[Starise]

On 9/4/2023 at 3:05 AM, Neighbor said:

I came to a point where I had to face God's  existence. A presentation of the gospel of Jesus came to me by way  of a tv preacher plus an angel challenged me.

I was so stuck in my atheism that all I could do when faced with the impossibly of God existing that was before me that  I said "If that is true I want it." I was immediately turned about by God.

Amen!

On 9/4/2023 at 3:05 AM, Neighbor said:

And yes I was given a sign a personal one. I had been addicted to cigarettes since I was 11 years old. At the time I faced the reality of God I smoked five packs of cigarettes a day. Yet when I said  "If that is true I want it" I was no longer an addict of cigarettes.

I didn't quit I didn't ask for a sign like Lord if it is true I want to be free from this addiction, no I simply  no longer smoked. Didn't have a cough didn't have withdrawal it was simply for me a personal sign.

Are there other signs that occur? Don't know, but I have been utilized by God  for some very specific tasks over the years where in order to get me moving along to them God has given me visions, which I take to be signs. He never  has given me answers as to what the visions are about though until after I finally do get up and go to the task He is about to reveal for me to be a small cog in accomplishing.

That's great! I don't make a habit of asking for signs. Once or twice I felt I needed some kind of a confirmation, but apparently God didn't think so.

On 9/4/2023 at 3:05 AM, Neighbor said:

Plus I have found in times of danger for family members I am put on a vague alert and I pray for their safety, not knowing the detail of why or what. Later I have found that  a family member was under real assault yet the attackers up and fled as though they were suddenly scared off.

It is very painful to realize that a friend  or family member may not have ever come to know Jesus as their Lord. A terrible pain where  some sense of guilt gets in there too, like what  could I have done and didn't do?

Oh yes, I can relate to this, all except the family member being attacked part. As long as they are above the grass I can pray for them, that is if I'm still above the grass too.

On 9/4/2023 at 3:05 AM, Neighbor said:

My father, a life long atheist, upon his deathbed at a hospital was tapping out a rhythm over and over, seemed to be in some comfort as he did and was looking at me. I asked are you tapping out When The Saints Come Marching In? He blinked an affirmation.  Who knows what that means, I do not. Except; perhaps as he died he was thinking upon what he could recall and had meaning to him.

You don't think he might have made a last minute decision?

On 9/4/2023 at 3:05 AM, Neighbor said:

My own family has lost members to suicides, incredibly painful to suffer loss of family that way. The pain never goes away, plus it affects daily life forever forward. It hardly becomes dulled at all. Pain of that loss is oh so real. This is a hard one to endure, but it is reality too.

All I think anyone can do is be faithful as possible to do as led,  if that includes a sign then by a sign, if not then by hope in the certainty that is the gospel of Jesus without any obvious sign occurring.

I do think each of us works out our faith in the faith of Jesus, doing so individually, regardless of the rules and opinions of men and women as to how God must to it. I try to not be so arrogant as to think I know the limits upon God. I suspect there are none, after all He has reconciled my deficiency and made me acceptable in His sight. Wow pretty cool,  thanks Lord.

Had a suicide in my family too.Sad, very sad.

I can't explain my assurance in prayer except to say I feel God is there, even if the things I wanted Him to do didn't happen.

[Neighbor]

11 hours ago, Starise said:

You don't think he might have made a last minute decision?

Had a suicide in my family too.Sad, very sad.

I can't explain my assurance in prayer except to say I feel God is there, even if the things I wanted Him to do didn't happen.

1, He certainly could have and was trying to communicate that to me. 

2, Suicide changed the course of my own life. It so affected family that I had to alter my own comfortable life, move 2800 miles, and  add to my immediate household another child, a teenager. Yet even this horror that is suicide was used of God to set up my own time of being turned about to seeing Jesus is God.

Another suicide in the family  now affects two generations in the family younger than me. It just does not go away it alters those left in it's aftermath perhaps forever while  in this body. Terrible thing suicide.

3, I too  am assured God is there, fact God the Holy Spirit even articulates what I may not be able to put into words.

While some say God always answers prayer yes no or not now , which to me makes Him a kind of 8 ball toy, I think God does answer in the affirmative that which is rightly asked ( Right motivation). I do sense that God, not being limited in time, does not necessarily enact the answer in my own  limited time. I believe that because He so directly showed me why he was turning me about was answer to prayer from those that had loved me as a child that had been dead for a long time. I received conformation not once but a few times over about five years, step after step after step. Now here I am late in life assured my own prayers are to be responded to whether I ever "see" them answered or not. 

[Ray12614]

Good topic, good responses. I thoroughly enjoyed reading what some of you had to say about your coming to faith in Jesus. It soooooo beats listening to nit-picking about various flavors of doctrines prescribed by people . . . . 

Testimonies are awesome!

[Starise]

2 hours ago, Neighbor said:

1, He certainly could have and was trying to communicate that to me. 

2, Suicide changed the course of my own life. It so affected family that I had to alter my own comfortable life, move 2800 miles, and  add to my immediate household another child, a teenager. Yet even this horror that is suicide was used of God to set up my own time of being turned about to seeing Jesus is God.

Another suicide in the family  now affects two generations in the family younger than me. It just does not go away it alters those left in it's aftermath perhaps forever while  in this body. Terrible thing suicide.

3, I too  am assured God is there, fact God the Holy Spirit even articulates what I may not be able to put into words.

While some say God always answers prayer yes no or not now , which to me makes Him a kind of 8 ball toy, I think God does answer in the affirmative that which is rightly asked ( Right motivation). I do sense that God, not being limited in time, does not necessarily enact the answer in my own  limited time. I believe that because He so directly showed me why he was turning me about was answer to prayer from those that had loved me as a child that had been dead for a long time. I received conformation not once but a few times over about five years, step after step after step. Now here I am late in life assured my own prayers are to be responded to whether I ever "see" them answered or not. 

I know a person who works in  funeral parlor and she tells me they have quite a few suicides. Back when I listened to police and emergency responders on a scanner, I remember there being plenty of calls for suicides. They didn't use that word over the air, they had a code for it. A little more difficult to scan now with the  digital encryption they use. 

I won't go into the details, , there have been a few incidents that happened where I work, usually involving heights and drugs or alchohol.

One person in my close family, who left a daughter, who became my sister for awhile. It can displace families as you mentioned. Another was a person I seen in church, who was successful from all outward appearances and professed Christianity. I could go on as there was at least one more, but you get the point.

On prayer- " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much"

Yet who is righteous? None of us, so I come through the blood of Christ boldly to the throne. 

And when in doubt-

Romans 8:16 

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

[Know Jah]

Following Christ must be personal. We can't get credit from God from others must accept Christ on our own. The word say that God is drawing people to himself. John 6:44.

[Starise]

15 minutes ago, Know Jah said:

Following Christ must be personal. We can't get credit from God from others must accept Christ on our own. The word say that God is drawing people to himself. John 6:44.

Yes I totally agree. How did God draw you to Himself? What was your "tap on the back"?

[Neighbor]

On 8/29/2023 at 11:28 AM, Starise said:

Many of us have stories about how we came to Christ, or rather, how Christ came to us. It wasn't as if when we were all old enough to think about these kinds of things, we all just up and decided to follow Jesus. In fact in many minds He is more like Casper the Friendly Ghost, or a figment of someone's imagination.

But at some point we got that " Tap On The Back" and maybe it wasn't necessarily happening like, " Hey It's Me, Jesus, I just wanted to stop by for a little chat." Yet at some point we thought about God and went even further.

How would you describe your experience?

 

Just reviewing the original question as it might be helpful to all to be able to read of more individuals experiences.

[Mozart's Starling]

My whole thing wasn't a tap at all but a dizzying experience lol. I had a mental breakdown (turns out I had underlying mental health problems triggered by vivanse I was prescribed). My friends knew I hadn't been saved and we prayed in a circle to save my soul. Felt a fire enter me at that exact moment. I've been reeling from the implications of it ever since. But they did lead me to salvation. I just need to start acting like it and make serious adjustments. lol I have changed in a lot of ways mind you but still have some serious mountains to climb.

Edited September 6, 2023 by Mozart's Starling