Finding Faith

[InnocentOdion]

I'm not sure if this should be in this area, but I don't know where to put it. Perhaps prayer section would be better, perhaps not.

But, I've been away for so long. Literally almost a year.

And this is my struggle.

I once had faith, I was on fire with zeal for God. But the candle that burns twice as bright lives half as long, and I soon exhausted myself.

The very course to help me study and become a better Christian, destroyed my faith in Christ.


I have been in circles finding God. It's something I've been doing for a while. I've hopped from Paganism w/ Wiccan influences to Atheism to Buddhism to Christianity to Seeker. Now I'm a seeker, and I am seeking.

I struggle with the doctrines of different religions. I struggle to accept things. Some things just do not ring true. Some things are 'not for me'.

By no means I doubt that there is a God, no. I believe, very much, that there is a God. I also accept Jesus as existing as an actual person. Though I don't know what.

My prayer, my struggle, though possibly selfish, is to find truth - whatever religion it's in. Help me. I do not want to be a seeker for long. I have hated being a seeker for almost a year.

Every time I have considered joining a faith, I have been "repelled" from it shortly after.

Help?

Love you all, and happy new year.
IO

 

[ephraimanesti]

I'm not sure if this should be in this area, but I don't know where to put it. Perhaps prayer section would be better, perhaps not.

But, I've been away for so long. Literally almost a year.

And this is my struggle.

I once had faith, I was on fire with zeal for God. But the candle that burns twice as bright lives half as long, and I soon exhausted myself.

The very course to help me study and become a better Christian, destroyed my faith in Christ.

I have been in circles finding God. It's something I've been doing for a while. I've hopped from Paganism w/ Wiccan influences to Atheism to Buddhism to Christianity to Seeker. Now I'm a seeker, and I am seeking.

I struggle with the doctrines of different religions. I struggle to accept things. Some things just do not ring true. Some things are 'not for me'.

By no means I doubt that there is a God, no. I believe, very much, that there is a God. I also accept Jesus as existing as an actual person. Though I don't know what.

My prayer, my struggle, though possibly selfish, is to find truth - whatever religion it's in. Help me. I do not want to be a seeker for long. I have hated being a seeker for almost a year.

Every time I have considered joining a faith, I have been "repelled" from it shortly after.

Help?

Love you all, and happy new year.
IO

HELLO, MY BROTHER, IT HAS INDEED BEEN A LONG TIME!

i'm wondering how i--and we--can help. In your seeking, i'm sure you have found out all the "nuts and bolts" of the various belief systems, and apparently have found none of them to be "a good fit."

What is it that i--we--can add to the mix that would be helpful to you? What is the missing ingredient you are seeking? How can i--we--be of help?

A BOND-SLAVE/FRIEND/BROTHER OF OUR LORD/GOD/SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,
ephraim

 

[drich0150]

The very course to help me study and become a better Christian, destroyed my faith in Christ.

It sounds as if you had faith in religion (or a system of belief.) but in your zealous quest to get to know God, you burned through the "religion" and realized that "religion" and an actual relationship with God, are not always the same thing!

I think every true Christian goes through what you are enduring to one extent or another.. What makes or breaks true faith is where you go from here. This is why true Christianity is sometimes referred to as a journey.. Because even though we all may have the same destination, but depending where we are in life, it will dictate which roads are available for us to take to get there. (not everyone can do x,y,z and find God. Our churches are fill with people who know the x,y,z's of there religious belief system, but know nothing of God.)

So, The one thing you need on any long journey is a compass. Something that will always give you a consistent bearing no matter where you are at or how you may get turned around.. In this journey The love of Jesus and the want and desire to be in a relationship with him provides us with an opportunity to have the Holy Spirit dwell within us. He will guide us through any religious attempt to distract us from who it is we are their to worship.


There is a story Jesus tells on how to obtain the Holy Spirit,

In Luke 11:

5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness[e] he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"



If you truly seek "faith" or the Holy Spirit (which will give you faith) then seek it from God, like the "Friend" who comes at midnight.. Keep asking/knocking until you get what you want!

 

[Truthseeker76]

I'm not sure if this should be in this area, but I don't know where to put it. Perhaps prayer section would be better, perhaps not.

But, I've been away for so long. Literally almost a year.

And this is my struggle.

I once had faith, I was on fire with zeal for God. But the candle that burns twice as bright lives half as long, and I soon exhausted myself.

The very course to help me study and become a better Christian, destroyed my faith in Christ.


I have been in circles finding God. It's something I've been doing for a while. I've hopped from Paganism w/ Wiccan influences to Atheism to Buddhism to Christianity to Seeker. Now I'm a seeker, and I am seeking.

I struggle with the doctrines of different religions. I struggle to accept things. Some things just do not ring true. Some things are 'not for me'.

By no means I doubt that there is a God, no. I believe, very much, that there is a God. I also accept Jesus as existing as an actual person. Though I don't know what.

My prayer, my struggle, though possibly selfish, is to find truth - whatever religion it's in. Help me. I do not want to be a seeker for long. I have hated being a seeker for almost a year.

Every time I have considered joining a faith, I have been "repelled" from it shortly after.

Help?

Love you all, and happy new year.
IO

I am in your same boat, very nice to meet you !

 

[Truthseeker76]

It sounds as if you had faith in religion (or a system of belief.) but in your zealous quest to get to know God, you burned through the "religion" and realized that "religion" and an actual relationship with God, are not always the same thing!

I think every true Christian goes through what you are enduring to one extent or another.. What makes or breaks true faith is where you go from here. This is why true Christianity is sometimes referred to as a journey.. Because even though we all may have the same destination, but depending where we are in life, it will dictate which roads are available for us to take to get there. (not everyone can do x,y,z and find God. Our churches are fill with people who know the x,y,z's of there religious belief system, but know nothing of God.)

So, The one thing you need on any long journey is a compass. Something that will always give you a consistent bearing no matter where you are at or how you may get turned around.. In this journey The love of Jesus and the want and desire to be in a relationship with him provides us with an opportunity to have the Holy Spirit dwell within us. He will guide us through any religious attempt to distract us from who it is we are their to worship.


If you truly seek "faith" or the Holy Spirit (which will give you faith) then seek it from God, like the "Friend" who comes at midnight.. Keep asking/knocking until you get what you want!

It sounds like you have had experience with this subject. How did you come to find that Christianity is true over all other relationships. If a person only ever experiences Christian fundamentalists in their lifetime and is turned off by them not God, will they go to hell? That seems pretty unfair. These fundamentalists who turn people from Christ will they go to heaven, or will they be responsible for pushing others from God? The people pushed from God because of fundamentalists should not be held accountable if that is all they ever knew. this is very confusing. I am at the same place in my life as the poster of this thread. I feel he and I are both seeking the same thing.

 

[InnocentOdion]

I am in your same boat, very nice to meet you !

Why thank you! Pull up a chair, eat some popcorn! If you fancy sharing your experiences sometime, feel free to PM me

 

[salida]

There are many questions to ask, but first I would ask myself a couple of questions. 1) Why does mankind spiritually need a Lord and a Savior? 2) Who has the most compelling and overwhelming evidence?

Number one is answered by going to this video: http://www.livingwaters.com/good/ Are you a good person? Who in mankind has kept 100% of the Ten Commandments all the time? Only one did and his name is Jesus. Other religions except christianity try to work their way to God but God isn't impressed because his standards are light years above us. In christianity we are saved by grace through faith in Christ and the byproducts of true faith is good works.

Secondly, what about the evidence? I'm going to give you some info - which is just the tip of the iceberg and suggest you read a couple books out of several. The Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell (it would stand up in court without a shadow of a doubt) and The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel(a former athiest). The Bible is the only book period that has hundreds of detailed prophesies that has been fulfilled and more will be fulfilled - this is just one characteristic out of many that only God could have written it by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

How to keep the candle very bright and going the rest of your life? Pray, read the Bible daily and ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit daily. This will cause an intimacy with God which is very important because you will know His voice and He can therefore direct your path for your life. Also, going to church with alike christians helps; you don't have to do with to be saved but the scripture that iron sharpens iron - christians inspire and sharpen themselves helps- Proverbs 27:17.

Biblical Evidence – This is a very small amount of information
out of large amounts of information out there.

Internal Evidences-Prophesies that are confirmed with Bible;

mentioning only a few – but there are hundreds.

Life of Christ
The Tribe of Judah, Gen. 49:10, Luke 3:23-28
(Genesis was written 4004 BC to 1689 BC)
(Luke’s time period is 60-70 AD)

Royal Line of David, Jer 23:5, Matt 1:1
(Jeremiah 760 to 698 BC)/(Matthew 60-70 AD)

Born of a Virgin, Isaiah 7:14/Matt 1:18-23
(Isaiah 760 to 698 BC)/(60-70 AD)

Rise of Empires
In the book of Daniel, Chapter 2 – four kingdoms are described in the interpretation
of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greek – Daniel 8:21, 10:20/ and a fourth great kingdom to follow which was part iron and clay – which is the
Roman Empire – during this empire, Christ came and the church was established – Daniel 2:44.

Historical Accuracy

The Bible is loaded with historical statements concerning events of hundreds of years ago, yet
none of them has been proven to be incorrect.
(Bible compared to other ancient documents)
New Testament – starts at 25 years – between the original and surviving copies
Homer- starts at 500 years/Demosthenes – at 1400 years/Plato – at 1200 years/
Caesar – at 1000 years

Number of Manuscript Copies

New Testament – 5,686/Homer – 643/Demosthenes – 200/Plato – 7/Caesar – 10

Consistency – Written by 40 men over a period of time exceeding 1400 years, and has no
Internal inconsistencies.

Claim of Inspiration- It claims to be spoken by God, 2 Tim 3:16-17). No other religious book makes such claims.

External Evidences

(Prophesies Outside the Bible)
These cities were prophesied to be destroyed and never to be built again- and they haven’t.
Niveveh – Nahum 1:10, 3:7, 15, Zephaniah 2:13-14
Babylon – Isaiah 13:1-22
Tyre -Ezekiel 26:1-28

Bible before Science

He hangs the earth on nothing – Job 26:7
(Job was written at least 1000 years ago – some scholars think it could have been even 3000
years ago)
Note: Man only knew the above for 350 years.
Earth is a sphere – Isaiah 40:22/Air has weight – Job 28:25/
Gravity – Job 26:7, Job 38: 31-33/Winds blow in cyclones, Eccl 1:6

Documents that Prove Bible is True

Gilgamesh Epic, The Sumerian King List, Mari Tablets, Babylonian Chronicles

Archealogical Evidence (Still adding to this list today- it hasn’t stopped)
Excavations of Ur, Location of Zoar, Ziggurats and the foundation of Tower of Babel

 

[ephraimanesti]

The very course to help me study and become a better Christian, destroyed my faith in Christ.

Help?

MY DEAR BROTHER--The ONLY thing which will provide you with REAL faith in Jesus Christ is a relationship with Him and a personal experiencing of His Love for you.

The very best "study courses" can do is perhaps point you in the right direction. But, in the end, it is Jesus' beauty and overwhelming Love for you which will provide you with what you are seeking and provide the foundation of your Faith.

May i suggest that you try reading "HE LOVES ME" by Wayne Jacobsen. i have the 2nd Edition but the 1st Edition is available as a free download and i don't think there is much difference between the editions--at least for our purposes. The download as a PDF file is available at: http://lifestream.org/helovesme/index.html

i hope you will continue Posting--your presence was missed over the last year or so. Hope all is well!

LOVE IN CHRIST,
ephraim

 

[drich0150]

It sounds like you have had experience with this subject. How did you come to find that Christianity is true over all other relationships. If a person only ever experiences Christian fundamentalists in their lifetime and is turned off by them not God, will they go to hell? That seems pretty unfair. These fundamentalists who turn people from Christ will they go to heaven, or will they be responsible for pushing others from God? The people pushed from God because of fundamentalists should not be held accountable if that is all they ever knew. this is very confusing. I am at the same place in my life as the poster of this thread. I feel he and I are both seeking the same thing.

I think I've written to you before and said that "Salvation" isn't about going to heaven, because you fear or dislike the idea of hell..
Even those who aren't disappointed by the religious efforts of men, and are completely content in there various form of worship as a means of just escaping hell are in danger of being the very christians (by name title only) people that Jesus speaks of in Mt7: 21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

What is the will of the Father? It's not "Good works or religious acts." Look at some of the good works or religious acts that Jesus listed. then like now if people were to display this type of Spiritual power we would assume that they carry much favor with God, when in fact Jesus condemns these men as evil doers.. So again that leaves the question What is the will of the Father?

The Greatest command is Love the Lord your God with all of your Heart, Mind, Strength, and Spirit. Basically with all of your being. The second command is Love your neighbor as yourself. with these two simple commands all other aspects of the "law" fall. "Salvation" is not about avoiding Hell. Simply put Salvation is more like a way for two people who love each other that were separated by something to finally to be together.. To take such a beautiful gift/sacrifice (like the one that Jesus Made) so we could come home to the one that loves us, and turn an opportunity to love the one who loves us, into away of avoiding something you fear or something you don't like.. Is not love. Without love true Love, we are lost. (I never knew you.)

How would you like it if you met someone that was going to be deported back to their country, and because you had feelings for them you went through a very costly process to bring them back over here so you could be together, just to find out that they don't really feel the same about you, they just really hate the Idea of the only other option available to them.. This "Feeling" is what is meant we are created in the image of God.. We would both Share this sense of betrayal.

This is why I say that "Religion" without a total love for God is worthless.. Kinda back to the foolish man, wise man and the houses they built. If you want to love God like your supposed to then just ask him to show you how to. It is as simple as that. Once you have the desire then move toward obtaining the Holy Spirit again simply by asking.. He (The Holy Spirit) will give you a whole lot of tools and Spiritual Gifts, to find your way through religion to finally get to God.

This is how I did it despite a very legalistic religiously heavy church.. You just ask, seek and knock until you get what you want. Just know if your heart is hard then you will go through "trials" in order to soften you up. Also know Anything taken from you in this period will be returned ten fold.

 

[Chesterton]

Ha, ha, that’s my goal for the new year, to finally become an ex-jerk.

I’d be embarrassed to tell you how many years I considered Christianity before a decision came; pretty much my whole adult life. I had doubts before my decision, and I’ve had them after my decision. But a faith which never doubts is a weak, superficial faith. Periods of doubt are necessary plateaus to overcome, because when you’ve overcome them, you are that much higher and farther on. And you are spiritually stronger and surer. All the great Saints had their doubts, thorns and troubles. Like everything else, God allows them for a reason.

The principles involved in finding faith are the same ones involved in practicing faith. God does not hold our hands all the time; we’d be worse off if He did. How does a student grow wiser? By repetition of simple problems he already knows? No, by new challenges which are difficult. How do muscles grow stronger? By resistance.

Jesus is the Truth, the Way and the Life. Because Christ is Truth, whatever is true and good in other religions is present in Christ, but more abundantly, because he is the fullness of Truth.

Above all, pray; seek counsel from the Wonderful Counselor. He lives, he loves, he is patient and faithful. We don’t always know his timing or his plan, but we know he is always faithful, and whoever comes to him he will not turn away.