Growing up in church from a small boy until now (age 37), I was asked to believe
many unbelievable things.
I was taught stories from the Bible. Even as a small boy, I found these stories to
be ‘fairy tale’ type stories: Creation, the great flood/Noah’s ark, parting of the red sea, Shadrach-Meshach-Abednego, water into wine, the small lunch feeding 5,000, the speaking bush, Jesus walking on water, Jesus and His disciples healing the sick and casting out demons, Jesus raising people from the dead, Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus rose up into the sky in front of his friends. Story upon story upon story... these stories were just ‘made up’, right?
You may be a Christian and you are thinking to yourself, well of course these stories are true, it all comes down to having faith and believing. However, if you've never gone to church, and were never taught these Bible stories from a young age... By reading the stories, for the first time, you would undoubtedly think the stories were fiction (not true).
Again, I have grown up in church my entire life, and I've read most of the Bible on my own, and I still have my doubts. That is, unless I just choose to believe. But, why would I choose to believe?
I am a person that has been diagnosed with having OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), and within this ‘disorder’, I analyze, over-analyze, and then re-analyze… But even without OCD, many of you have also searched for the truth, and nothing but the truth, for your entire life (and you still have your doubts).
What has brought me to the point of believing there is God, and His Holy Words to be true? These stories are a bit 'far-fetched' don’t you think?
I didn’t take a Philosophy class until I was 30+ years old. Way before this class, I had already BELIEVED the Bible to be completely true. I believed the Bible to be true WAY before I learned the many ‘reasons’ why theologians, philosophers, and mystics believed there is a God.
I was a Christian that felt God’s presence and seen many miracles, and the many evidences from all of the ‘non-coincidences’, and had concluded ‘deep down’ these events couldn’t have just been coincidence upon coincidence upon coincidence. But with all of these evidences pushed aside, I still wasn’t all that convinced, and my search continued.
It wasn’t until I started breaking down my questions, that I came to an understanding. Here are a list of questions that I asked myself (with answers) to show you what I mean:
Could there be a God? Yes.
If there is a God, could He do miraculous things? Yes.
Could a God create the earth all at once? Possibly.
Could a God be perfect? Yes.
If God could be perfect, then could His love also be perfect? Yes.
Could God love me no matter what, since His love is perfect? Yes.
Even if I refused to love Him ever again? Yes.
Could God make a person? Yes.
Can a person make a mountain? No.
Can something come from nothing? Like the Earth? Probably not.
If God could make the earth, sky, stars, people, animals, water……, then could He put a human being inside of another human without having sex? Yes.
Describe for me what Jesus tells us is the ‘perfect or greatest’ gift that a person can give another. To die for them.
Since God could be perfect, couldn’t He also choose His Only Son Jesus to save the
world by sacrificing Him to die for others? Yes, that would make perfect sense.
Why does that make perfect sense? Well, by me having my own children, that would be the ‘greatest’ sacrifice I could give.
With having your son or daughter sacrificed for others, would that be enough of a sacrifice to cover ALL sins? Yes, and I would NOT want to make that sacrifice.
But what if your love is perfect, then could you make that sacrifice? Yes.
Now that I have shown you how I try to come up with answers with my own mind, please let me finish my point. These questions/answers sound rational, reasonable, logical, and our minds are capable of concluding such answers. But, what about the really, really, really hard questions?
Since I grew up in church and was taught to believe the Bible and to trust God, my mind had somewhat wrapped its mind around the term ‘forever’, time that continues and never ends, because time is moving forward and seems to never end; however, when my 7-year-old daughter asked me “When was God born?”, my mind (although I tried really hard) couldn’t even come up with ½ an answer.
These tough questions ‘when did time begin’ and ‘who or what made God’ were discussed heavily in my Philosophy class, and I heard many different reasonable answers. Even on my own, I concluded that since there could be a forever going forward, there could also be a forever going backwards as well – but for me to understand it all, well... simply put “it beats me”.
Every issue/topic discussed in my Philosophy class could be explained down to a fine line. My Philosophy teacher taught hard to push us over that line into believing there wasn’t a God, but with his amazing mind, articulate tongue, and great knowledge, he couldn’t do so. I thought to myself, wow, God is so amazing that even us ‘believing’ is another wonderful miracle and sign that there is a God. When you get a minute, please read: I Corinthians 1:18-31 to 'understand' it all.
All through the Bible, it explains that it all comes down to what we believe. John
Please take the time to watch this next short video, by clicking on the following link:
http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=32b4bba8b713ed83fc68
Is believing enough? Who are we to say that it is or isn't. I am not your judge, but God is. Jesus says in Luke 13:5 " I tell you no! But unless you REPENT, you too will all perish."
There are many Christians that also believe that one can lose their salvation (read Luke 12:4-5 to find out why - God gets to decide - not you), and I'm not going to debate what Jesus says (EVER), but I choose to believe that ‘what happened on the cross’ was enough to pay the price for ALL sins, thus once He truly adopts you as His child, then He will NEVER stop carrying you, BUT AGAIN, if you turn from God and you mock Him over and and over and over again, then... well... God gets to decide your FATE!!! But, there's nothing else beside YOU that can keep you from God, once you're 'saved' Romans 8:37-39, and John 10:25-30
Now, with the above said, I would like to tell you that you may NOT find joy, peace, rest... by just believing. Believing may be enough to save you from Hell, but the Bible says to TRUST in the Lord to be blessed - Jeremiah 17:7, and many more verses such as these... please read the entire Bible. Also - you best tell God that you are sorry for your sins (repent), and tell Him that you're sorry that His ONLY son Jesus had to die on the cross for YOUR sins!!!!
I John 1:9 "If you confess your since, He is faithful enough to forgive you of your sins, and cleanse you from ALL unrighteousness."
The Apostle Paul tells us that he found true JOY by leading others to Jesus Christ.
If I had my own son die for sins, and I told you that it was enough to just ‘believe’, then that would be enough – more than enough. No matter what my son/daughter ever did to others or to me again, would I walk away from ‘my’ child. If I were a perfect and loving God... If a human (which I created) asked me to love them (without conditions) and to take save them as my child (and believed the message of the cross), and they asked me to save them by my Amazing Grace... When God chooses to adopt you as His child, then how could a father with (perfect love) ever walk away? Now, remember we are talking about perfect love and not human love. With that said, if you don't desire Jesus as your Lord and Savior and you want to go worship another God, then... please read Matthew 24:9-13!!!
BEFORE YOU DECIDE IF GOD IS REAL, PLEASE READ THE REST OF THIS INSPIRATION AND WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW!!!
Now I am treading on thin ice, because I know that I am stepping on some toes. However, I have learned some wonderful Scriptures about believing, and it is this: It all boils down to what we believe (faith) and not what our minds know and understand.
Most Christians have heard of ‘The Great Commission’, but few choose to believe these words from Jesus Mark
Folks, everything is debatable. I know because my mind never stops debating. As in my Philosophy class, it all comes down to what you choose to believe, and it takes faith to believe the unbelievable.
Today, I choose to believe the Bible is entirely true, and I have seen (with my own eyes) the miracles that come from this belief.
Oh yah, scientists have finally proven that the earth had to be formed all at once. And many years ago, scientists proved that it wasn’t flat.
Another coincidence? I believe not. Luke 12:4-5 (Jesus said) "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into Hell..."
So what should you believe:
1. Believe that you are a sinner: Romans 3:23
2. Believe that God Amighty sent His only son Jesus to die for you: John 3:16
3. Believe that Jesus' blood is enough to save you: Romans 3:24-25
4. Believe that Jesus is the ONLY way to God & Heaven.
5. Believe that you should read the entire Bible, so that you are not led astray!!!
John 14:6
(Jesus said) " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
5. Pray & Believe
Mark 11:24
(Jesus said) "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
6. Proclaim Jesus Christ as YOUR LORD & SAVIOR, & BELIEVE that Jesus was raised from the dead:
Romans 10:9 "That if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." NIV
7. Repent!!! "2 Corinthians 7:10"
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to SALVATION and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." NIV
8. Believe that you are only saved by God's Amazing Grace through faith:
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourself, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.
9. Believe that you can should NOT mock God over and over again...
10. Believe the GOOD NEWS:
John 6:37- 40 (Jesus said) "...whoever comes to me I will never drive away...this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose NONE of you that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son (Jesus) and BELIEVES in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
God Bless!
In His Hands (because I believe!),
Love, Glen
After you watch the (2) videos below, PLEASE click HERE for the follow-up inspiration 'Choose to Confess', just to make sure you believe the way God wants you to believe!!!
There is a sin that God WILL NOT forgive. If you REFUSE God's FREE gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ, you will go to Hell when you die. Please call 1-800-633-3446 (24 hours/day) to speak to a staff member (K-Love Radio Station). You must confess Jesus Christ from your MOUTH, so call 1-800-633-3446, and let these word come out of my mouth: 'I want Jesus Christ to be my Lord & Savior', they will talk you through the rest!!!