Looking for God

[w.l.a]

Just keep questioning an looking with an open mind/heart. The rest will follow. If I was to recommend a book in the Bible to start with it would be Ecclesiastes. There I think you will find that the Bible also asks questions and knows the human spirit.

If you knock it will be opened to you. If you ask you will receive. Keep asking, keep seeking, ask Jesus to come into your heart and you will know He has been here the whole time. The Lord comes as a thief in the night. Your on a quest. Dont give up, you are on the right path. Keep searching. God is calling you, He loves you, knows your struggles, knows what you need. Go to church, (I suggest Calvary) and listen with an open heart and mind. Look around, the other people of the church are reading the same thing as you. Some of them are further along and have gone through the same things as you. Ask your paster or the elders of the church for prayer, take a leap of faith, thats what they are there for.

18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE."20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?… 1 Corinthians 18-20

 

[dcalling]

non-denominational is an oxymoron, every church has a set of beliefs that tends to lean towards some denomination.
Saying "i am non denominational" is suppose to be like some sort of badge of non judgmentalism or something.

Denominations simply help others identify what you belief. If you dig far enough into the history of whatever church you attend you can probably find somewhere down the line where there was a split off of some major denomination and simply the dropping of the denominational name.

It is both right and not right. In my life in US I meet many different group of Christians, and they might have differences in understanding of the Bible (i.e. how they understand revelation), but as long as I can feel the love in them, I know they are Christians, and the attempt to understand some hard to understand concept is really a none-issue.

Once I had a conversion with a Muslim on this site, and he/she told me that many Muslims can recite Quran even if all Quran are burned. I told him/her that if all Bible are burned, I can recite it with one verse, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Luke 10:27)

 

[Hawkins]

Thanks for your reply Hawkins.

I thought I didn't have anyone in my life that was a Christian, however, just yesterday for no apparent reason it popped up in my head that I should re-connect with an old friend I hadn't seen since high school. I looked him up and added him on Facebook. He actually messaged me a day later and asked how I was and we exchanged numbers. Come to find out he found Christ maybe 3 years ago or so judging my his Facebook posts. We are going to get together in a couple days and catch up. Maybe that would be a good time to ask him about the faith.

It seems to be a good start there. I will pray for you and your friend. Amen.

 

[Jordan Kurecki]

It is both right and not right. In my life in US I meet many different group of Christians, and they might have differences in understanding of the Bible (i.e. how they understand revelation), but as long as I can feel the love in them, I know they are Christians, and the attempt to understand some hard to understand concept is really a none-issue.

Once I had a conversion with a Muslim on this site, and he/she told me that many Muslims can recite Quran even if all Quran are burned. I told him/her that if all Bible are burned, I can recite it with one verse, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Luke 10:27)

Just because someone has loving qualities does not mean they are Christian.

There are some very "loving" people who can put up an outward show.

also there are some "loving" people who simply do not believe the right doctrines.

and BTW, You need to know the rest of the scriptures to really know how to love God and your neighbor as yourself because the scripture says our hearts are desperately wicked and deceitful above all things.

I once was going door to door evangelizing, and I met a woman who was a Catholic who went to a Protestant Seminary, she didn't believe Genesis 1 was literal and she didn't believe Paul's writings were inspired. She told me that as long she loves God with all her heart, and her neighbors that she will be fine and will make it to heaven. I then proceed to ask her if she had ever gossiped about her neighbors or ever lied to them, and she said she did and then made excuses to justify it.

My point is that if she knew the scriptures she would have known that gossip and false witness is not loving, because God says it's a sin.

 

[dcalling]

Just because someone has loving qualities does not mean they are Christian.

There are some very "loving" people who can put up an outward show.

also there are some "loving" people who simply do not believe the right doctrines.

and BTW, You need to know the rest of the scriptures to really know how to love God and your neighbor as yourself because the scripture says our hearts are desperately wicked and deceitful above all things.

I once was going door to door evangelizing, and I met a woman who was a Catholic who went to a Protestant Seminary, she didn't believe Genesis 1 was literal and she didn't believe Paul's writings were inspired. She told me that as long she loves God with all her heart, and her neighbors that she will be fine and will make it to heaven. I then proceed to ask her if she had ever gossiped about her neighbors or ever lied to them, and she said she did and then made excuses to justify it.

My point is that if she knew the scriptures she would have known that gossip and false witness is not loving, because God says it's a sin.

What you said is true, but you will never meet any group that shows the Love from God as consistently as Christians. You can have Muslims/Atheists etc do that but it will not be consistent across so many denoms/locations. If the Love is not from God it is not pure, and people will sense it.

 

[LostNotFound]

Hello all!

WOW! It’s been just over 4 years since I posted on this site looking for guidance. Again, THANK YOU to all that took the time to reply to me, and took the time to working with me through direct message. Greatly appreciated! Just an update since years ago, although I haven’t exactly found my path - I have been listening to Bible studies by Chris Christensen on my podcast app. I like the pace and have been learning much. I STILL do not consider myself a follower of Christ, but I still am exploring and trying. I have been thinking a lot about everyone who has contributed to me on this forum and really wanted to reach out and say thank you again. I have not forgotten! I still cherish all of the replies on this thread, and as I said earlier, all of the direct messages I received. I STILL have not been able to really pray ... yet. That’s on my to do list once I get the courage to. I’m taking it slow. I guess the purpose of this post is to let you all know I have not forgotten about the welcoming and warmness I received here, and, that I am still trying. Much love! And I hope you all are well.

 

[LostNotFound]

I hate to bump such an old thread - but - I am still alive and still searching! Instead of post a whole new topic, I hope this works. Where has the time gone my friends? I hope everyone is well. Since my last post in 2019, I kind of fell off.... But I just bought my first bible which is an ESV 'readers' bible which I enjoy.

I started with the New Testament right from Matthew. I am at Matthew 10..... and quite frankly I am absolutely heart broken... crestfallen... I reignite the spark and come across ........

"5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

... I am so insanely sad right now.... It sounds like Jesus is not for me as a Gentile. The more I look into this and other passages about Jesus and his outlook on Gentiles I feel so isolated ........

Can someone please point me in the right direction in the bible to help me dig myself out of this slump? Does Jesus say anything about being here for Gentiles as well? In all honestly and I mean no disrespect ... I feel abandoned. I closed my bible when I read that and haven't opened it since. I have found other parts of the bible that may lead to non-Jews being accepted... but not if the words came from Jesus' mouth himself?

Here is another disheartening piece of scripture, that now as i type this post I am looking up online -

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”

 

[Radagast]

Can someone please point me in the right direction in the bible to help me dig myself out of this slump? Does Jesus say anything about being here for Gentiles as well?

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)

When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:18)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

 

[David Lamb]

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)

When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:18)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

I agree. Also Revelation talks about those in heaven like this:

“And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,” (Re 5:9 NKJV)