Welcome to church! Open Church is a weekly post that aims to be a place where Christians on Hive can hang out, encourage and build up one another, and reflect the love of Christ. The church is not a building, but is made up of people who have been transformed by God’s grace.
Each week I will be putting up a new post with a new topic or theme for discussion. But feel free to come here just to fellowship and be a blessing to one another. Whatever denominational background your from, or if you’re just curious about the Christian faith, everyone is welcome.
So feel free to share a link to your favourite worship song, share a word of encouragement, a prayer request, or introduce yourself.
Today’s topic is: How has Jesus transformed you?
When the demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes asked to follow Jesus;
Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19)
Our testimonies of what Jesus has done for us are powerful. Each one of us has a story, a story of how our story intersected with God’s grand story.
My life before Jesus came into my life was dull, lacked purpose, had no joy, and I was afraid to reveal to others my struggles, weaknesses and who I really was. But Jesus changed all this. You can read my entire story in the pinned post. In short, Jesus has set me free, and now I live with purpose, hope and joy. He has completely transformed me.
How about you? I would like to read about what Jesus has done in your lives too. To Him be the glory.
Blessings
Jimmy
Hello (:
I'll start the ball rolling. Before I believed, I felt that was no meaning to life (just study, work, sleep, eat, repeat). Like the book of Ecclesiastes says, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. I was on the brink of being suicidal.
Knowing Jesus and the truth about the world had given me meaning and purpose in life. 🙂 And the experience of being fully known and fully loved.
Can't wait to hear all your testimonies! (:
Praise God. Thank you for sharing Joey.
How wonderful is that right? It is so liberating.
Indeed it is good to know God and have an encounter with Him.
Praise God!
That's great to hear.
I became a Christian at the age of four so I can't compare myself now with myself before. However, I think the transformation of believers is not a one time event but a gradual process. I can see that I am not the same person I was even a year ago. I thank God for constantly revealing my sins and weaknesses to me at a rate that I can address them.
Thanks for the post and God bless.
God bless you for this testimony. It is indeed encouraging.
Couldn’t agree more. God is transforming us more and more each day into His likeness when we trust and obey. Praise God for His grace in your life to be continually renewed and transformed by Him.
Thanks for sharing yours. It encourages others and gives us the boldness to do it also.
I can't forget my life experiences before I came to know Christ but like @thecruciformlife said, it is indeed a gradual process.
My life before I knew God had no meaning. In most of my post I think I have shared my life experiences before I knew God. I was always empty like I had a vacuum yet to be filled by what I don't know.
I knew I wanted to become something but I didn't know the purpose of mu existence. I could not tell anyone but everyday I was drowning in my own thought. Everyday I became depressed was smiling but felt sad and empty inside of me. I knew I was living a purposely life.
I had anger issues and could not control myself when I become angry was ready to tear down the things and bruise people around just pacify my anger but it destroyed me even more.
I became a shadow of myself and a living corpse. I wallowed in my own pain. If I want to continue, I won't stop but when I had an encounter I believe we know having an encounter isn't been baptized in the water. When I first encountered Him, I saw a meaning to my life and I could boldly tell someone this is who I want to be and will be.
It was a hard time living for myself but I still won't forget to appreciate God for those times because I have something to tell the world and my children the differences.
That’s wonderful. Praise God for all that He has done in your life! What grace and mercy.
Thank you Sir.
Oh wow....What a great question!
The list goes on and on...I mean really thinking about it...What hasn't He done for my life...It's truly life changing, this walk with Christ!
Wow, praise God! What a list. That’s wonderful to read of all that God has done in your life thus far.
PS. Well done on almost graduating from the online Bible course. I’ve been doing my Bible course on and off for more than 6 years now and only on the virge of graduating hopefully by the end of the year. :)
LOL It's been a journey for sure...This course is offline at a campus, where students bang through it in 3 months.
I'm going on my 16th month of doing this online LOL
Hola, aquí les dejo mi testimonio... https://hive.blog/hive-114345/@sughey/como-te-ha-transformado-jesus
My lifestyle before Christ was a total mess. There is nothing I look back about me that I can ever admire.
In a summary, my life before I encountered Christ was so dark. I was a hell material.
The goodnews is that when Christ came into my life in 2013, he changed everything about me. Washed and purify me from all those worthless and disastrous things.
I now walk in peace, freedom, love of God. If I managed to change from my former lifesyle then Jesus Christ indeed reigns and he can transform any one.
I am now a preacher, blessing lots of people in my country with the gospel. I believe I am going far in God as I continue focusing more onto his will.
Surelly, there is power in the name of Jesus.
Thanks so much @nextgen66 for sharing your testimony. I have been moved to open up and glorify the Lord's name for the transformation.
Hi everyone
I was one of the lucky ones it found Jesus Christ at the age of 12 years.
So there was no radical transformation but like some of you said it was more like a gradual growing up in Christ.
My early relationship with Jesus kept me from the bad in high school and I was never involved with drugs, smoking or drinking which which I was thankful for.
I experienced backsliding when i first got married and again six months before my late husband of 24 years died.
But God never forsake or left me. The Holy Spirit was in me although I have grieved the spirit with my sin He was constantly reminding me and calling me back to Jesus.
Every time the father was there waiting for me with open arms and forgiveness.
I cling to the verse in Philippians 1 verse 6
"I being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"
Philippians 1:6 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/php.1.6.NKJV
Since I've got married to my second hubby we are serving the Lord together and growing together in the Lord which is a great privilege to have someone serving the Lord with you.
Great to hear from you again Hope! Hope you and Scotty have been well. It’s been a long time. Thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you I was also glad to see you are on this platform continuing the good work.
Yes Scotty and I are well, going through challenging times with the lockdown but God is making a way.
Hope you and yours are also well.🙂
ever since i came onboard my life is not the same again
OH WHAT A WONDERFUL SAVIOR,I WILL ALWAYS DO HIS WILL
I experienced divine healing from God almighty. He healed me of typhoid that I battle with for seven years. Just like that man in Mark 5:19 I can boldly tell you that Jesus will heal you of any sickness in your body that you are believing God for. He is the same yesterday, today and forever more. Just keep your faith alive.
That’s wonderful. Praise God! Thanks for sharing.