TRYING TO UNDERSTAND GOD

Stealph, Thank you for your reply. No I don't intend to incite an argument, only to learn. I have read the Bible several times now. I believe in Jesus and his message but I just keep searching for an external validator. The multiple Christian Orthodox religions all have different takes on His message and it all gets very confusing.

Probably to the majority of people you have given your testimony to it is shocking. But I have heard similar and even more dramtic testimonies believe it or not. People who enter total unbelievers and the worst sinners and leave having had eccstatic, unsolicited episodes of pure joy transforming them into a christ-like ideal. And these people's sheer conviction in their testimony and faith will shake the most ardent atheist at his logical base. Still as profound as I find their stories and as much as I respect them I'm still left thinking why them and not me? What am I missing that they get? He said Seek and ye shall find in Matt 7:7 and I feel that I am. I read and meditate on the Bible and have genuine open minded, humble dialouges with the few practicing Christians I get to know well but I still feel like I'm right on the edge of seeing the truth but no closer. I keep hearing of this personal relationship with God. That is what I seek.

Well I could just keep babbling and I understand you want to drop it here but if you'd like to carry on a private exchange instead I could put my e-mail address here (If thats okay Decius, I haven't seen it done here and am not sure of protocal). My questions are honest and are only meant to further my search for the truth though. Just let me know.

"A wise man knows enough to know he knows nothing"

Well my wife said yesterday the most profound statement I have ever heard. She said, only when you have conviction in your belief do you truly believe. If you are not convicted, then you do not believe it, you just think it.

Many are called but few are chosen.

You have to be patient and wait on God to move in your life. Stick with him and he will stick with you right? Spread his word with conviction and he will honor that. You remind me of the bible verse:

Psa 1:1 Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

P O W E R F U L!

ps. private thingy me your email and such

only when you have conviction in your belief do you truly believe. I always felt bad because I did have the thought that "What if?" there isnt. I dont like thinking that way but, that one sentence helped soo much. Im a believer and dont understand why my mind questions so much.

"Why try so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out!!"

brann22 & XsEyes seem to be bothered because they question their own belief? Why should you not question your belief, in your questioning does not your understanding & faith grow? Is not it writen that GOD shall put your faith to the test? I would worry more about you if you didn't question your belief, growing is the active agent of the living when you stop growing stronger, you begin weaken & die. Jesus didn't start His ministry until He was in His thirties, even He had long period of grow to prepare Him to fulfill (GOD's) His purpose in life.
stealph Is it not written that the the LORD GOD is One, Enoch of the Ancient World walk with GOD which is the same GOD of Abraham and the same Whom Jesus worshiped and served. That those who in truth seek GOD will find HIM but doesn't that mean the LORD GOD knows if you seek HIM rather than some created God of your own devise (Mammon)?
Knowning GOD is more than using HIS Name! Therefore enough though you use a different word for His Name than Enoch or Abraham or Christ Jesus, he knows when you call upon HIM. They all seeked GOD but they each used different tongues and therefore different Names.

"Terrorist or tyrant, few may come to the Truth that both are poor choice."
[  Edited by cturtle at   ]