Thank God It’s Thursday: Encountering Jesus at the Lords Table As If for the Last Time

Last Supper

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Bargil Pixner [44] claims the original site is located beneath the current structure of the Cenacle on Mount Zion. Thomas Aquinas viewed The Father , Christ, and the Holy Spirit as teachers and masters who provide lessons, at times by example. For Aquinas, the Last Supper and the Cross form the summit of the teaching that wisdom flows from intrinsic grace, rather than external power.

Aquinas stated that based on John Those who are followers of Christ and partake in the Sacrament of the Eucharist become his friends, as those gathered at the table of the Last Supper. John Calvin believed only in the two sacraments of Baptism and the "Lord's Supper" i. Thus, his analysis of the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper was an important part of his entire theology. He who comes to me will never go hungry. The institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper is remembered by Roman Catholics as one of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary , the First Station of a so-called New Way of the Cross and by Christians as the "inauguration of the New Covenant ", mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah , fulfilled at the last supper when Jesus "took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, 'Take; this is my body.

And he said to them, 'This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. These meals evolved into more formal worship services and became codified as the Mass in the Catholic Church, and as the Divine Liturgy in the Eastern Orthodox Church; at these liturgies, Catholics and Eastern Orthodox celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Early Christianity observed a ritual meal known as the " agape feast " [51] These "love feasts" were apparently a full meal, with each participant bringing food, and with the meal eaten in a common room. They were held on Sundays, which became known as the Lord's Day , to recall the resurrection, the appearance of Christ to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the appearance to Thomas and the Pentecost which all took place on Sundays after the Passion. Among Christian denominations, the Eastern Orthodox Church holds that this Eucharistic meal was not the Passover Seder, but a separate meal.

The fifth chapter in Quran, Al-Ma'ida the table contains a reference to a meal Sura 5: However, there is nothing in Sura 5: Thus, although Sura 5: Some Jesus Seminar scholars consider the Lord's supper to have derived not from Jesus' last supper with the disciples but rather from the gentile tradition of memorial dinners for the dead. Prominent New Testament Scholar E.

Sanders states in his book The Historical Figure of Jesus that Jesus having a final meal with his disciples is almost beyond dispute, and belongs to the framework of the narrative of Jesus's life. Luke is the only Gospel in which Jesus tells his disciples to repeat the ritual of bread and wine. Ehrman states that these particular lines do not appear in certain ancient manuscripts and might not be original to the text. P75, Sinaticus, Vaticanus and Ephraemi Rescriptus. However, many early Church Fathers have attested to the belief that at the Last Supper, Christ made the promise to be present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, with attestations dating back to the first century AD.

The Last Supper has been a popular subject in Christian art. Byzantine artists frequently focused on the Apostles receiving Communion, rather than the reclining figures having a meal. By the Renaissance , the Last Supper was a favorite topic in Italian art. There are three major themes in the depictions of the Last Supper: The second is the moment of the institution of the tradition of the Eucharist.

The depictions here are generally solemn and mystical. The third major theme is the farewell of Jesus to his disciples , in which Judas Iscariot is no longer present, having left the supper. The depictions here are generally melancholy, as Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure. Well known examples include Leonardo da Vinci's depiction , which is considered the first work of High Renaissance art due to its high level of harmony, [72] Tintoretto's depiction which is unusual in that it includes secondary characters carrying or taking the dishes from the table [73] and Salvadore Dali's depiction combines the typical Christian themes with modern approaches of Surrealism.

Communion of the Apostles , by Fra Angelico , with donor portrait , — Domenico Ghirlandaio , , depicting Judas separately.

Thank God It's Thursday: Encountering Jesus at the Lord's Table as If for the Last Time

Valentin de Boulogne , — The Last Supper , by Bouveret , 19th century. Last Supper , by Gustave Van de Woestijne , From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For other uses, see The Last Supper disambiguation. Jesus predicts his betrayal. Origin of the Eucharist. Last Supper in Christian art. Last Supper by Jaume Huguet. Last Supper by Tiepolo. The final meal Christ with His Apostles on the night before the Crucifixion.

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church 3rd ed. Retrieved 11 April It was the Jewish Feast of the Passover, and the meal which they had together was the traditional Seder feast, eaten that evening by the Jews everywhere.

Retrieved 3 April In the Roman Catholic Church, both terms are used. Most Protestant churches refer to it simply as communion or The Lord's Supper. Communion reenacts the Last Supper that Jesus ate with His disciples before he was arrested and crucified. Oxford University Press, US. The acts of Jesus: Hoover, and the Jesus Seminar. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society. Catholic Truth Society and Ignatius Press. Retrieved 18 April Reconstructing the Final Days of Jesus".

The Journal of Theological Studies. Retrieved 29 April It refers to the idealised or high-level unconditional love rather than lust , friendship , or affection as in parental affection. Though Christians interpret Agape as meaning a divine form of love beyond human forms, in modern Greek the term is used in the sense of "I love you" romantic love. The Historical Figure of Jesus. The authentic gospel of Jesus. Language of Jesus Bibliography Films. Last Supper in art. Visual arts portal Christianity portal. I Was nervous and could not get comfortable, at the end of the service when the preacher opened the Church for membership by letter or experience of Grace.

The church begain to sing and the Lord returned onto me and I took one step towards the ile to join the Church and in that first step the Lord saved my never dying soul. I had the greatest peace I have ever felt. I thought surely I would never have another problem in this world. I was babtised the next weekend. I am 34 now. I have surely had many troubles since then in this world but have never had that fear and trembling I felt that night.

The Lord has blessed me to feel him many times after. Not in an audible voice but with his voice Wich speaks to the soul. He appeared onto me when I was There is no certain age. But he said he would appear on to all men. Your time will come and may be soon.

He said that no one can come onto him unless he draws them. When he draws on your soul u will know. I have also heard of people being saved on their death bed. But I would not recommend that. God bless u to feel what i have. Quintin Thomas October 6, Reply. Fast forward 30 or so minutes, this guy I just met has managed to make me feel comfortable enough to tell him about some of my problems..

Martin December 1, Reply. God communicates with us in many ways. Sometimes it is in something a friend — or, in this case, a stranger — says. Sometimes it is like being visited by an angel. These are moments to take in fully, and let them radiate over our lives, and be thankful for.

Gina October 5, Reply. I am 35 years old and I grew up in a atheist household. I asked God to be part of my life when I was nine years old. I was crying so hard sitting on the sofa I remember saying I feel so alone and have no one to talk to. The voice was so loud and clear it made me jump up.

I was still crying and looking down. The voice told me to look outside.. So I looked outside and I remember it being dark outside because I had let the dog out. I looked out the back window and the sky was lit up a yellow bright almost lime green light! It was so bright like glowing! Something said go outside experience this. I looked at my deck and the wood looked dry it was so bright their was no water on the deck. I sat in the patio chair… the air, clouds everything was glowing yellow… the bumblebee bees were in slow motion while I was watching them I felt how beautiful they were. I looked up and their was a double half rainbow it seemed in perfect position.

I thought about getting up to get my phone and take a picture but I heard God and he told me not to move, he said experience this for it will only last a minute! I stayed I felt him all around around me he was with me. The sky went back to normal I walked back to the house it fell dark and my deck was soaking wet. That just happened yesterday. So my other experience was four years ago I gave birth to my son whom was born with a very rare heart disease..

After his surgery he was in ICU for three months. Their was a baby across from us that was born the day before him. My son and her son had the same middle name and a very similar first name pretty much the same birthday and our boys were both very sick. So both babies caught Ecoli in the hospital.. I remember being angry that I was alone when given the news.

I was devastated … I left the baby at the hospital to go pick up my other son from school. I was in the car waiting for him to come out and I heard a voice.. I still remember that prayer I can still feel it when I think about it.. I was sitting in the seat of the car but felt as if I was on my knees I felt sweat goosebumps and energy coming out of me while I begged for Gods mercy, I made promises to God to let him guide my path. That was the only day I ever prayed like that. It was unexplainable but I was begging with more emotions than I knew I even had. I knew God did that adn he worked all night on my son!

The other baby died.. My son is doing well and has had other open heart surgeries. Thank you for reading my experiences I hope they help you in some way. I now just say God plan smy path and guide me. Your remarkable experiences are full of spiritual lessons. The fact that you turned to God when you were only nine years ago shows an openness of soul.

You were told not to move. The divine presence is not there to be documented but for you to take in, and let the moment be sufficient unto itself. You need to remember that moment and let it inform the rest of your life. One of the mysteries of life is suffering. It never quite makes sense when a child is lethally afflicted. It comes out of the blue with no rhyme or reason. You were angry that you were alone when given the news — but, in fact, you were not alone. None of us is ever really alone. When you received the guidance to pray, you did it. You did it with all your heart. God does not always grant what we pray for though He always listens with love , but you did what God asked and this time he did save your son.

Living in partnership with God is an adventure. Shaquoiah September 11, Reply. My first experience with God was an unexpected one. My questioning of God really came when I was in high school. So one day I decided to pray to God.. On Thursdays we usually have chapel time therefore I figured it was the perfect opportunity. So as my Reverend spoke about Jesus I instead prayed in my head.

After that I somewhat forgot about it throughout the rest of the week. Until the coming Saturday my experience reminded me. On this day I had gone out with my friend and brother to the city for the day. After a long day we decided to call a cab and head home. Just before we called a cab this man walks up to us. He then smiled again, asked for my name before he offered to pray for me. I said yes so he said a little prayer for me before giving us each a small book of The Gospel of Mark.

Till this day I still have the book as it reminds me of my small experience with God. Jerry L Martin September 24, Reply. What is great about your comment is that it illustrates something important about our relationship with God. Divine communications are not always dramatic or vivid or explicit. They can even come by way of what someone else says to you. The important thing is how you take it in, recognizing the divine message and taking it into your life. It was, in fact, an answer to your prayer. Eden August 6, Reply. I was taught very little about the Bible or God, so I did not have much knowledge on Christianity as a whole.

However, I started to know God mainly through his presence at first. I would feel him throughout random times in my life, even the times when I was younger. I felt him calling out to me, wanting me to talk to him and to develop a relationship with him. The words were hard to hear then, and I could convince myself to think about something else. I did not hear him a lot of times, but each time I remember knowing with certainty it was God who was speaking.

One day, I asked God to prove to me that he did exist. It was then that I felt a calling to go outside. I sat down on the grass, and I just waited for him. I was listening to music at the time, and a random song came on that I had only heard once before but never really listened to. The title of the song happened to be my name. The song was about starting over and being saved. At that moment, I felt God. This time was different than the last few times.

His presence then was very powerful. I felt his presence not only inside me but apart of the world around me. I saw him and his love in everything. It was a beautiful reminder that he was with me and had always wanted to be. He has spoken to me and given me warnings about involving myself with certain people or just some people in general who have bad intentions. As I have started to study the Bible more, I have learned more about Christianity.

In doing so, it has made me more at peace. However, there are many ways that he speaks to us and makes his presence known. It is up to us to try to further develop a relationship with God so that we may recognize when he is speaking. Jerry L Martin August 27, Reply. God is making Himself very available to you, and you are doing a wonderful job of being open and ready to respond. One key to the spiritual life is simply to have an open soul. You let God in and you trust His presence in whatever ways it shows itself. That it itself a lot of what God wants of us.

Please keep me posted on the course of your spiritual life. Marguerite Okaingni September 25, Reply. How can I know the Holy spirit more? Because He is my precious and I want to know Him more. I face some challenges and I feel like He is away from me…. Still wondering plssssss I need help just tell me the ways to meet Him for I wanna be in His presence everyday.

Ev-a Eva August 3, Reply. I had a desire to help people, not knowing the Five-fold Ministry. This Church had a Bible College. I went to an orientation with a mind to enroll, but during the orientation, I thought I was not intelligent enough to attend. It was never a fearfu,l or "spooky" experience. I would weep because I felt something was happening, not knowing what to pray for.

During Bible Class I stood up and explained to classmates the heavy burden I was experiencing, and while praying to God, I asked God to take it from me… It was too heavy for me. A seasoned Christian woman of God, stood up and said, "don't ask God to take this from you, God is calling you as an "Intercessor," to stand in the gap for others.

From that time to now ; 30 years now I daily interceed for other, nations, relatives; etc. I never took classes that intercession, God has been my teacher. Since that time I have heard some say, Intercessory is a gift. Holy Spirit teaches us how to pray. I never went to class , I had an experience with God and I learned God's call, as I continued to obey. I pray I am explaining this post whereby you understand my experience with God. Intercession standing in the gap for others, nations, families, regions territories, third world countries, government, etc…….

I learned something from you remarkable experience, Eva. I had never heard of an Intercessor. We all have a daily call, but for some it is not noticed, since it is to be a good mother or husband or neighbor. Ev'a Eva September 7, Reply. Hello Jerry Martin, Thanks for your reply. I was just browsing, and came upon your page, the comments and questions. Thank you for the reference, but in God: An Autobiography, I am told that we can relate to God directly as well as through Jesus.

That way God can also relate to those of other traditions or of no religious affiliation. Still, your experience was a divine blessing! Kalle Antero July 29, Reply. I never had a connection with god when i was young. My parents did not believe nor they had any experienced with God. I alienated from happiness and love when i was around teenage. I felt a lot of rejection from every direction possible. I had troubles with law and with mental health, in a sense i had problems with life itself; and I thought life had problems with me. When i got older I got involved with more unhappiness in form of violence, drugs and a criminal way of life.

You know the feeling, when you are surrounded by fog. I had that feeling except it was in my head, all the time.

What Is Your Experience with God? -

I even thought about suicide. When i was at my lowest point I prayed. That was the first contact with God. I felt surreal happiness and feeling of comfort. From that point on I started to change my life. Few years later I am at this point, writing this. I cried because of happiness. God is that happiness. My heart goes out to you, Kalle, for your suffering and joins in joy to hear that God has connected with you. You did the right thing: But that is human nature, I guess. An Autobiography, because I think God has a message for you personally somewhere in those pages.

Bernadette May 29, Reply. My husband and I are going through a difficult time at the moment. We went through the physical and emotional difficulties of a miscarriage, I was nearly admitted as I was bleeding so heavily. Three days later, the baby was still there on a scan confusing ourselves and the midwife. We are awaiting a scan in two weeks to see if the baby is still there. Today, I set up an alter of spiritual items I had gathered and prayed a lot.

I asked for a sign that my everything would be okay for us. You may not believe me, but my small bible fell off the table and into my lap. It was inexplicable how it happened. I believe that this was a sign. Jerry L Martin July 14, Reply. One always have to balance the skepticism that keeps us from being superstitious on the one hand and an openness to divine signals on the other.

Your experience was dramatic. It might mean that the baby is fine, or it might be that, whatever you are about to go through, God will be with you and by your side and on your side in the experience. Jerry L Martin July 19, Reply. And what a dramatic experience — a small bible falling right into your lap after you asked for a sign! I dearly hope that everything did work out well. But it is hard to interpret signs. It might mean that the baby would be fine, or it might just be a divine reminder that God will be by your side and on your side through the struggle or that, in some larger sense, everything will be well.

You are living in a divinely-oriented, open-hearted way. God is your partner in that! There was a time in my life were I was not happy. But one morning I experienced the most beautiful moment of my life. The day was 15th may and on my Bible app that is on my Phone it said: When I woke up I had read that and I was still laying in my bed. On the app there is a reading plan that helps u through life with tasks and scriptures to read.

So the first task was ASK- God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down, inviting God to be present. I was a little lazy to get up, so I kept laying in bed put my Phone away and hesitated to speak out loud. Instead I started thinking about life, and my struggles, and God. Yesterday, I was on my way to church and I decided to go back home not telling anyone why.. It rained the whole day when I got home..

Like God was sad for me skipping church or something.. So I thought about me being lonely as well. I started to cry silently. I cried silently with no sound.. He was sleeping in the living room on the couch. I wanted to stop crying but all of a sudden I started crying with Sound! Like something took over.. I was surprised, a little scared, relieved..

The most beautiful thing happened when I cried uncontrollably.. My bed is faced towards the Windows in my room and my windows were closed. But I knew it was God. I have never felt or experienced something like this.. When I stopped crying I felt joy and I was slowly laughing through my tears and I could hear the weather changing back to normal again..

And now I totally understand why. After that happened I said: I love you God. I knew he was with me all the time, but to actually have the privilege to experience his Goodness is so wonderful! He knows u better then u know yourself. I feel a lot better and this was like crying my troubles away. Martin May 20, Reply. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. It is chock full of spiritual lessons you discerned.

You responded with a full and generous heart: But what we most want, what we most need, is to not be alone. You now know you are not alone, that God is with you, that God is present to your life, and it is a loving presence. You are right to share your story with others, and to post it here. We can learn, for example, from your final thought: Now that God has got your attention, there may be something he wants you to do.

It may be some dramatic assignment — to feed the hungry in Africa — or it might be something as simple as being nicer to your parents or your friends or as studying harder or playing more fairly. Acts of kindness, fairness, duty, and self-care are the main stuff of a life in synch with God. Cat Park December 19, Reply. But I am excited and I am at peace. I want to share what happened to me. My name is Cat Park. I was open that there was a God out there. I come from a rough life. Recently I found myself thinking about how I needed a constant, and I was thinking I really truly needed to seek God out.

Last night I had a dream. It was so weird. But today I was going through a particularly rough day and I was crying in my room. And I decided to try something from my dream last night. And right next to my fan there was His answer. But God is there. But he finally gave me what I needed and that was a clear answer. It may be hard to believe but I hope God sends you a clear message or feeling someday to you too. Joanne Nitkowski December 29, Reply. Cat, thank you for writing about your experiene with God. I just wanted you to know that people are listening! May I share my experience?

I am finding that when my heart is honest, and I am seeking, I find Him in all that is good, and right, and true. For He is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. And He is life, and no lie is of the truth. And this is my knowledge of God that is beginning to become real in my life, because it is changing me on the inside and helping me to become the kind of person who loves what is good.

And God is good! Martin January 8, Reply. Thank you, Joanne, for supporting Cat and sharing your own experience of God. When, though a lifelong nonbeliever, I had my own encounter with God, I found three striking traits — God was undeniably real, benign, and authoritative. I have found God to be that way ever since the events recorded in God: Yes, God is the great Constant, the ever-present, loving Witness of your life, the Companion who knows your suffering and your loneliness and shares your burdens and cares.

It is great that you looked to God for an answer, and wonderful that God responded in so vivid a way. Be well, and bless you! Carter Colson February 17, Reply. I grew up as a popular kid who had sex at an early age and started sinning young. Thankfully, my brother had shown me God and that He is real through his examples in life.

My brother is only 4 years older than me and we are nothing alike physically. He has always been a computer geek and got bullied growing up. From him, I gained sympathy and compassion for all people. About a year ago I had broken up with my girlfriend who I had been dating for about a year before that. Throughout the relationship, I was leading her on and making her love me, when all I was thinking about was sexual sin. I turned my back on God by creating a mindset for myself that this relationship was going to be temporary. I knew what I had done was not right and that the lust I had for this girl was tearing me apart.

The pain of turning my back on God was too much for me so I broke up with her. I was devastated and at the lowest point of my life I had ever been. The night I broke up with her, my brother and my mom both went on their first dates with the love of their lives. Today, they are still dating these people and my mom got moved out of her crummy house into her boyfriends beautiful house who is a Godly man.

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My brother, on the other hand, continued to date his girlfriend until 5 months into the relationship where she was sentenced to jail for past mistakes. Within those 5 months, I witnessed my brother and my mother fall in love the correct way. This made me pray and pray that I may too experience love the way they did. My brothers girlfriend has been in jail for 8 months now and he still calls her everyday.

God has displayed love for me through the holy spirit of my brother and my mom. My senior year began in august, 2 months after my brothers girlfriend has been in jail, and that was when I began speaking to God and being in his presence day by day. Every day, I began getting closer to the one I love. Finally, God gave me the perfect girl who I feel no jealousy, anger, shame, worry, or doubt with her. So far, I have been preaching about God and Jesus to the rest of my school for I feel I need to express His love to everyone: I am here to tell you that God is more real than he has ever been, He is here!

Now that I am spiritually prepared to be with the girl I love because of the love displayed from my brother and my mom, God is allowing me to fall in love and never experience jealousy, worry, doubt, hatred, shame, or lust again. Martin May 13, Reply. Regardless of wrongs, you showed great spiritual openness in correctly observing, and taking to heart, the meaning of the examples set by your brother and your mother.

Divine love and human love are intertwined. Our love for one another orients our souls toward God. That is true even of sexual love, when it is really love, not just lust. These are truths you have been learning from your own experience. You will have a long future, and many surprised, ahead of you. Meeting the right girl is the greatest gift God could give you! But do not expect to glide to a perfect life.

Do not be surprised, or thrown off, by ups and down. God will be by your side in bad days as well as the good. Your task is meet whatever challenges come your way and stay on course. Those will be lessons God sends you way. Lukman Clark November 1, Reply. In the late summer of I was given a vision of the simultaneity of lives, past, present, future. It took me a few years to find the vocabulary to begin to describe this. The following poem gives an idea of it. To the howsoever blinder eye My peripatetic Patti Doe Travels in a greater company Of hidden intervals, revolving Vertices, braces, trusses Of time lines intersecting.

The curve of time arcs unseen, Horizons misinforming, Overreaching the anxious mind. What seems a dark ending edge Is only gentle bending. Not big bangs, not great crushes, To use measures different, The ways of time demarcate. Biting of the luminous apple, Fruit of the knowledge of time, We experience the shortest time Between times out of time lies. An Autobiography, but I am told repeatedly that time is not what we think of it as being, and it came to me that it was like a simultaneity of times. In some sense hard to grasp, all times — past, present, and future — are always present, always real.

Thank you for sharing these insights, expressed so poetically, with me and with my readers. Jacqui Brooks August 8, Reply. My moment with God came to me after the death of my then only child Gregory. We had lived alone together and I was a single mother. I moved to walk toward my kitchen and as I did, I felt a source of love only way I can describe it being poured into my entire body from the top of my head.

I had no faith before this experience and in my grief and misery,I was in hell. God and his mercy gave me this experience to remember for the rest of my life. I continued to have some profound experiences around this time and I was given a vision of my son after he had passed. These experiences have long passed but I still think of them every day.

Jerry L Martin August 29, Reply. Thank you for sharing this moving experience. And you took it to heart. And, thanks to your sharing it, the glimmer of your experience now warms and enlightens all of us. May God continue to shine on you. My first experience with the Holy Spirit was when I was baptised at night in a lake at the age of around 10 years old. I recall being enveloped by a bright light and the feeling of sheer joy it brought me to tears. Though it felt like a goodbye rather than a hello.

It was intense and it is a memory which will stay with me for the rest of this life experience. I remember when I was in my early 20s I was at the train station drunk with friends and I stupidly stood on the rail line and was electrocuted. It was a scary experience. I remember feeling the electricity surge through my entire body and seeing the train coming towards me. I then had to endure the death of my nan, then I had to watch my father die in front of my two children and then my special friend Rosey died in my arms.

This all happened within the space of six months. My faith was tested but then during my darkest time of utter despair was when I found you and I confess you are the best thing I have experienced. Eye found true love and I will never let you go lol. Jerry L Martin May 23, Reply. I hope it is the latter, which would mean that, in spite of all your suffering, you have been able to open your heart to faith and a great blessing has come into your life.

If the former, you have been disrespectful and moved farther away than ever. Either way, I hope and pray for the best for you. Alyssa April 19, Reply. An amazing, real, experience just happened to me but I must share!! To start off I am 14 years old. When I was younger, my parents had never taught me about God. My dad believed, but he never taught me about it.

Lots of pain and suffering happened to me in my life. My parents were divorced, I was emotionally and physically abused by my mother and brother. I was manipulated and a very confused girl. I have a very low self esteem. I lost many many friends because how depressed I have been becoming. I was even recently a victim of a sexual crime. I committed a lot of wrong too. This included doing drugs, hanging with the wrong people, and getting into trouble at school. Everyone around me was depressed. But still, things were terrible.

My dad is broke with barely any money. Well today was a bad day for me. I felt overwhelming depressed and sad. I was getting suicidal. I looked at my phone to find my dad texted me that I needed to pray right now. I broke into tears and prayed to God. I asked him to protect me and my dad. I asked him to bring me love and joy and to forgive me and let me spread happiness. But I had doubt and I cried and cried. As I went to bed that night, I laid in my bed. My mind was racing so I had an urge to write in my journal. I began writing about how depressing my day was, but then a sudden burst of positivity went through out my body.

God was speaking to me through my writing in the journal. I was writing about positivity and steps into a new chapter of my life. I will get protection and good will come to me.

HOLY COMMUNION: THE BODY AND BLOOD OF THE LORD JESUS

I am shocked and have never felt such a powerful love from God. I wanted to cry in tears of joy. I grabbed a bible my dad had given to me. I spoke to God and told him to open onto a page where he can talk to me and tell me what I need to hear. Chills ran through my body and I carefully held my fingers through the pages.

Then I felt a crease. I opened to the page Psalm 3, which is protection. It acceptance of job also, which good things started to happen once God accepted hints. The psalm talked about protection. Very powerful to what had just happened to me. Remember I am 14, raised not to believe in God, and I was spoken to. I truly know God is real and he is bringing positivity. I am connected to the Holy Spirit. Love and protection is coming. I have to share this amazing experience. I have gained full faith, and feel as a new person. Lots of love x. Jerry L Martin April 20, Reply.

You have taught us all several important lessons, Alyssa. God can speak to any person, regardless of age or past belief. God can speak to us when we are at the very pit of life, as well as when we are on top. And that can also be a way God answers. I have received divine guidance by a line in a novel suddenly seizing my attention. Your story is a blessing to all of us.

Maxine Doles April 8, Reply. This has been a fascinating experience, reading all the comments from these wonderful people that have had various walks with our Lord and life itself. It never ceases to amaze me that we serve a God that is always every day, day in and day out, allowing us to see His glory and His desire for us to accept Him, the creator that made us and who knows us better than anybody on this earth. He knows the beginning to the end and everything in between; trying to guide us, talking to us, providing us with various situations to accept Him, never giving up, in order to deepen our faith and better help us understand His never ending love, His grace and mercy.

We, of course, have many trials and tribulations through this life; we are in a world of sin with satan nipping at our heels each day. Who is going to win? It is our decision and only our decision. It is so very important to God, the most important decision we will ever make. It is the decision of life eternal with God and our loved ones OR eternal darkness.

Yes, I have seen God do His wondrous works and He still working with me, forgiving me each day. I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of I knew God at the time, I was a believer. I experienced His presence on two occasions during this challenging time. While I was lying in bed in the hospital and had already gone through three surgeries… I was in a private room, it was early in the morning around 2 a.

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I truly believe when God speaks to you, you somehow know it is from Him. I had another experience while I was rehabbing at home… again I felt his His presence in the room, giving me a feeling of peace and comfort. I never questioned it, it was very clear to me. I am now 73 years old and so many situations have come and gone and my faith has been strengthened with each one. I have lost a child, I have had many deaths in my family, my husband has recently had open heart surgery, I have been rich and I have been poor.

I am a normal person; living, loving and praying until my life is over on this earth. I have full and complete assurance that when I die that my next life will be made perfect, without sickness, without tears or death…why? Jerry L Martin April 18, Reply. Thank you for your moving testimonial. It is uncanny that, when God speaks to us or is palpably present, we somehow know that it is God. As a philosopher, trained to doubt everything, I find this an extraordinary fact. I would not have believed it, if it had not happened to me personally.

Maxine, as a cancer survivor and as a parent who has lost a child, you have come through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. God has been by your side even, perhaps especially, in the suffering. And you have had the wisdom not to turn away from the divine presence.

Be well, my friend. Brandon Lee January 10, Reply. The time between my prior lover and current was short, maybe a month. I personally did not consider her a rebound, the connection with her started from a core value: From the onset the relationship seemed justified and correct, we fell in love and time progressed.

I cut off all connections — with the persuasion of my new lover and a few mistakes of my own — with my ex and she was not to hear from me for years. Onto the present; my ex messaged me a couple weeks before I was planning on proposing to my current lover interesting timing…. This message contained a plea to me calling out for forgiveness of her actions toward me during our relationship and asking me to let her know that I do not hold poison towards her so she could move on spiritually.

I knew in my heart that I had forgiven her and let it go, but as far as she could see I had written her off long ago and never wanted anything to do with her. At first, I wanted to reply, but I spoke with my current lover first and she did not want me to and I convened my ex stated I did not have to respond, but in reality humans usually always want responses. Time passed and I began to forget about the message from the excitement of being engaged, but then through social media I saw memories pop up with her and suddenly a weight started to hit my heart… I felt the urge to respond.

For almost two weeks my conscious was reminding me of memories of her, and I began to feel pain within my soul and anguish in the heart. I needed to respond…. So I did, through a social media, expecting a response the next day or so but it never happened. I was a bit distraught thinking maybe she did not want to respond, but then, this is where I believe God kicked in. So my mother calls me before work and tells me this then my mind goes crazy thinking that maybe there is a way to get connected and wala it came to me — my mother could message her through social media and ask for her email.

So I reiterated what I sent through social media and sent it to her email knowing that now she will see it. Her response did not come until two days later, but it lifted the burden that my heart had been holding onto and made my heart warm. I feel like God was calling us to put the last chapter between us behind so she and I can both move forward in our spiritual lives. Jerry L Martin January 21, Reply. Brandon, you have to balance what you feel God wants with your own best judgment and sense of responsibility toward the people involved.

Why balance what God wants? Because maybe it is not what God wants. It is hard to be sure. In anything that engages a mix of strong feelings, it is hard for us to separate divine prompts that are real from other pulls and pushes. I hope your resolution of the situation is right for all concerned, God included. Sandra July 3, Reply. I feel He finds me a very difficult person.

On the flip side of the coin, He knows who I am He knew it right from the beginning. My experience with God is this, the help and persistence and stamina that He sent to me when dealing with Bank of America over almost losing our home due to their error was phenomenal. I kept getting messages about David slaying Goliath. So this Italian woman got stronger and stronger, I was led to a great attorney, last name of Abdullah, meaning in Arabic servant of God.

Funny huh,not a christian, he helped me with the language of law, and how to present things he helped me on an as needed basis and the fees were not expensive. God helped me get right into the office of Brian Moynihan CEO of BofA I emailed his office with a letter basically telling him of what his bank has done, I was not nice, and reminded him of how BofA actually started, I sent the same letter over and over and bombed up his email, 3 days later I got a call from his office.

From then on the situation here with my home was getting taken care of. I won this battle, Goliath was taken down with an apology, a better rate, and a new modification contract that my lawyer Mr. Abdullah said was great, because before I signed anything he needed to see it. That is how God worked with me, I still think he needs to go out for a smoke break once in awhile in his dealings with me, LOL, I do get really angry at Him still at times, but I know I do bring up some very valid points.

Again, he knows I am difficult. Jerry L Martin July 13, Reply. We are all difficult, Sandra, lol. But that need not stop us from working with God as best we can, just as you did here. And, at the end of it all, it was Goliath, not you, who was flat on the ground. Reubensis November 30, Reply. A chronic sinner though I am, is it possible for me to experience God? To surrender my whole being to Him, I want to be a blazing fire for God. Sir, how can I achieve this, please assist me less I wallow away in sin but one thing that gives me strongest of heart is that my soul was not created by Satan and can never get to him.

Jerry L Martin December 23, Reply. To your first question, the answer is definitely Yes. To feel the Divine Presence may be simpler than you think. You do not need a superhuman leap into pure holiness. The key is to focus on what God wants for you in particular. How do you do that? The first step is to stop worrying about being a sinner.

Look forward, not backward. Just relax and put your self-concerns am I too big a sinner? Just try to still your mind and heart. Take one small step. When you pray, still your feelings, pray quietly, and ask yourself, if God had something to tell me today, what would it be? Trust that, once you get the clutter out of the way, God will be able to lead your thoughts in a fruitful direction. You will be standing in the divine light, whether you know it or not. Eventually, you will be able to sense His Presence, perhaps only faintly and uncertainly, but He is there. I have experienced an encounter with Jesus just as I have experienced encounters with demons and satan himself.

This morning I had a dream and it was satan laughing at me. I woke up from this dream to realize God has a plan for me. He has given me a gift. In my dreams are when spirits and the devil try to attack, but here I am able to speak about it. God woke me up this morning and I know he wants me to spread his word. I want to give my all to the Lord and it is truly the greatest feeling. I hope someone reads this and asks about this gift, there is so much more to tell. Jerry L Martin August 16, Reply.

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