Hello Everbody, God Bless!

[Wayfaring Stranger]

Hello all,

To say this isn't my first go 'round with "religion" would be an understatement.  My username is "Wayfaring Stranger," because I love that song but also because I've been wayfaring around spirituality and religion for quite some time now.  I was born into a nominally Baptist family and was full of faith and fire for the Lord.  I sincerely believed, at least I thought I did. 

Yet I found that my faith was like the seed that thrown amongst the thorny ground, for it sprouted up and held for sometime but eventually "the thorns did come up and choke (it)" Mat. 13:7.  Questions crept in and I bolted.  I found Catholicism because well it's so big and so full of "answers" that I clung to it.  I was attracted the pomp and circumstance of Catholicism, and of the traditions.  I laid aside the commandments of God and I held" the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do." Mark 7:8

I then fell out of Catholicism, but I didn't give up searching.  I felt I was missing something...that there was something I was missing.  The truth was out there and I was going to find it.  I explored everything I could find, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, paganism, even Mormonism.  Periodically I would go back to the fold of Catholicism but it never lasted.  I tried everything I went crazy looking for the truth.  One day I just go so frustrated I said to heck with it all and I just left religion altogether.  I left all spirituality and I became an atheist.  I decided that if the answers and truth were out there I would never find them so I just became an atheist.

But looking back now I realize I hated God and I cursed him.  I professed I didn't believe in him but I suspect deep down I always did to an extent.  I thought if there is a God then he's responsible for this mess down here on earth and I was upset.  I was mad at the illusions and false promises of organized religion and the concept of hell bothered me greatly.  I told people that if Christians were right and God does send people to hell then I don't want to worship that God and if that meant I was going to hell then so be it.

I had been an atheist for about two years now and was pretty set on staying one.  I watched preachers lining their pockets with holy dollars and priests molesting little kids and thought I had made the right decision.  Well about a week ago I believe God sent me a message.

Now I'm not one who ever reads into my dreams or thinks much about them but a little over a week ago I had a dream that I was on the run from demons.  I was with a group of people who in my dream I knew and we had been running for what seemed like a long time.  We stumbled upon this house and made our way in, they followed us.  We ran down the stairs, they followed us.  We in desperation locked ourselves in this cramped bathroom and they were beating on the doors.  This was the end of the line.  I knew that if they got to me they would get to my family.  I was lost and scared.  I did something I hadn't done in a long time, I called out to God.  I cried out to him and asked that he deliver me from my predicament and that if He did I would follow Him. 

Well I woke up, scared and sweating.  My pulse was pounding and I felt like I had ran a marathon.  Now it could be nothing, and I thought it was at first but I can't shake this feeling that it was something more than just a dream.  I felt like I was being...called out.  Maybe it was just a dream but I believe that God used that dream for His purpose and it's a feeling I just can't ignore...I don't think it would be wise for me to ignore it.

Two nights ago I had another dream where I was being chased.  This time by the authorities for reasons unknown.  I kept trying to escape them and it kept failing.  It was exhausting.  They finally caught me and threw me in prison where I felt compelled to escape...I HAD to escape.  I wasn't sure why but I knew I had to escape or something bad would happen.  Well in this dream I didn't cry out to God and guess what?  I didn't escape and I woke up feeling helpless and lost.

I've come here to learn more about Universalism and more about Christ.  I had stumbled across this website off and on over the years and I always thought, "man that would be nice.  It would be nice but unfortunately it's heresy."  I was blinded by the lies of Christendom.  I come here to learn more and hopefully grow into a man of God.  I don't know where my journey will end but I believe strongly that God reached out to me in some meaningful way and it would behoove me to listen to Him.

-The Wayfaring Stranger

[redhotmagma]

Welcome stranger. Awesome just awesome. Those authorities were the principalities aka religious authorities I believe. He has called you out.

[Lazarus Short]

Welcome!  :friendstu: I used to be an atheist too, but always paid attention, as it seems you do.  God got my attention in time also.

[rosered]

   Welcome Wayfaring stranger ,
may you find your true  peace and identity in Him !  :HeartThrob:

[Eduard]

Welcome and thanks for sharing.  :URWelcome:

[Wayfaring Stranger]

Thank you everybody for your kind responses and welcomes.

[jbertonbounds]

Welcome.
I was rescued by God from the heresies of Christendom.
I also had dreams - about haunted churches at night, and I would flee the church buildings scared.
I have prophetic dreams, and believe me, yours seem prophetic.
Universal Salvation is the real deal.
It is the truth of the gospel.
God loves all.
Jesus saves all.
You are called.
Follow Jesus and believe his gospel of universal reconcilation.
This one is for keepers!
John from Alabama

We have seen a great light! :dsunny:

[eaglesway]

Man that would be nice but unfortunately that's a heresy :o)  What a pleasant surprise to find it is the sparkling nugget at the center of the gospel of Jesus Christ :o)


If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me"

Behold I am making all things NEW!


Welcome!

[lomarah]

Awesome testimony! God is good.  :cloud9: So glad to have you.

I recently had similar dreams about the authorities. They are the principalities of evil. And like redhotmagma said, they have taken over Christendom/religion. Interestingly I ended up in a restroom as well. Sheila told me it speaks of resting in Christ. I find it interesting that you ended up in the restroom the time you cried out to God, and the time you didn't you were in a prison. He sets the captives free.  :HeartThrob:

[jbertonbounds]

Man that would be nice but unfortunately that's a heresy :o)  What a pleasant surprise to find it is the sparkling nugget at the center of the gospel of Jesus Christ :o)


If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me"

Behold I am making all things NEW!



Welcome!

What are you referring to as a heresy?

[eaglesway]

I was quoting from wayfaring strangers post that opened this thread, and responding about the joy of discovering that what we once knew as a beautiful heresy is actually the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ :o)