michele

Wip says: They do WIP...Everytime they try to interprete the Bible without the help of the Holy Spirit they create God in their own image. WIP says: They were WIP....In fact God even calls them worse than the heathen! God has always used man's enemies to come against him as a form of chastisment and judgement. He also says when a man's ways please him that he will even cause his enemies to be at peace in the land with him. WIP ... It's hard to let God be God. He can do with his creation as he sees fit. We live the consequences of our own actions.

no1important says: He does say Hi and you are important. He doesn't make mistakes. He wants you to "search for him with your whole heart" and then you'll find him. "He's a rewarder of those who deligently seek him". I just post this picture for fun but nature declares God's glory. http://www.butterflyalphabet.com/images/BA2.jpg You'll have to follow the link because this forum won't let me post a picture.

I can't address all the issues because there's too much but l'll pick over them. Here's one thing l know for sure...belief is generic. You believe period...that this isn't it. That there's intelligence beyond what we see with our natural eyes. I see through creation that God is. It's the most basic of all evidence. I think many people believe this but what they have a hard time with is that God is a personal God...and we are created in his image. WIP said: This is correct WIP.. And generally it doesn't come through a contrived man made religious practice. God opens our eyes and ears..... and he closes them. scary.. As far as prophecy and the end being near...Israel is the key end-times sign. There are many other things but this is the most evident. WIP said: I'm not afraid to talk about the Amalekites WIP...And it was God that told Saul through Samuel. Why? Who were they and what were they doing? And remember when answering that "this isn't it". Do you think little children are in hell? Or do you think God took them away from their ugly parents and back to himself? And what about the days of Noah...and Sodom..what were people doing? Nobody fears God..They tempt him.

WIP says: It's hard to address these points if you can't believe that God provided the Bible as an inspired inerrant message to the world. But just for arguments sake l will address this statement in part. The Old Testament teaches us about God's character.. In Micah 3:1-12 it teaches that; The Lord will not answer those who practice evil, nor guide those who proclaim falsehood and he won't protect those who promote injustice. He will even hide his face when they cry out... He's done this with Israel...our example. ALL have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. We are saved by grace through faith and not by works least any man should boast.

Hi WIP I didn't think anybody would answer me... What does it mean to know Jesus? Everything! In the context you and l are refering to here... as a subjective experience...Oh yeah....very subjective. It has happened in main stages with me. Initially when l was 8 years old. (No l didn't come from a Christian home) Something happened in my life that made me cry out and God heard. I just didn't know he heard. I'll spare you the details of my life and fast forward to the time l was forced to take prayer seriously. That was it...that was the key. Broken humility. And here's the secret WIP...He wants us to pray so he can answer us... and reveal himself. But there's no sense trying to trick him...after all he is God..(hears all, knows all. sees all). I've often wondered why it's subjective myself...I guess because he isn't interested in proving himself. He's interested in faith...believing...Us first...or..me first. Do l believe? Forget about proving it to others. Do you need them to pat you on the back? It will never happen you know. Here's what l like about him revealing himself. Are you a mathematician? He's got a special revelation for you. Are you a gardener like myself? He used my greenhouse to teach me. I'd be sitting there digging in the dirt and all of a sudden l would get something. This was huge for me in understanding how God speaks...through our everyday experience. The amazing thing l've come to realize is that it's on going. But he's the eye and ear opener. I like the concrete word. The Bible. It's tangible. I can test what l think he's saying to 'me' against what's in that book. I was an astrologer for years before l turned around. I liked astrology because it was tangible. Something l could touch...not just somebodies word..but something l could prove with numbers...However it led down a darkening road and something was lurking in the shadows l wasn't interested in. l'd read many books but not the Bible. I chucked my ephemeris and in 1979 l began a truly eye opening journey... You're right about Christianity being divided up into all kinds of segments. I don't know how to answer you. It's true and it's awful. It's distressing for me. But because l have personal assurance and an understanding of grace and an understanding of how he treats people that are truly seeking him l can rest in that assurance. I can't prove it to you. But l've got good stories..And anyway..my stories are my stories. Each man or women needs their own. God's made provision for mankind. He came to earth as a man so we could understand his nature. He's coming back. Don't you see the signs everywhere? The Bible tells us that in the last days the earth would be worn out like and old garment...Much evidence there huh? The next would be Israel, the biggest sign.. (more proof) Fulfilled prophecy is probably the best evidence for a thinking mind. But each one still needs their own personal experience... subjective though it may be. Then the outward things like fulfilled prophecy are icing on the cake. You know l could go on and on with this but l'll leave it alone. As far as God wiping out mankind..yeah...wow huh. That's a whole story. I'll talk about it if you want but it wouldn't matter if you don't believe. He told Saul to kill all the Amalikites. For good reason (but this is historical research). Saul didn't do it...that race survived and is still with us in fragments today. Jew haters...Haman the descendent of Agag the King of the Amalikites. But this is a tangent..enough said. You said something about the Privileged Planet topic...I have thoughts but l don't have time now..later maybe.

Hi Kuzadd, I think l'm what you call a fundamentalist born again Christian...but l'm really not sure what all that means but l'm willing to take a stab at your list to see if l fall under your interpretation.. Now here you score. There are a lot of people that know more than l about the above mentioned things...but l know Jesus..Does that count? I'm not trying to be sarcastic...just honest. One of the things l like about Jesus is that as the Son of God he came for simple folks like me. You know...farmers and fisherman...but hey! He didn't leave out the tax collectors either. The biggest answer to prayer l've had is that the Lord revealed himself to me. I think all of the sciences are confirming creation..This comes with the computer. Have you seen the THE PRIVILEGED PLANET? http://www.illustramedia.com/tppinfo.htm We are saved by grace through faith. Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness. It's believing in the one God...creator of heaven and earth and the fact that he is constantly calling your name. Abraham believed and through his blood line Christ was birthed as a revelation to mankind of his absolute love. You can reject this free gift offering and spend eternity without it. Carbon dating is flawed. Genesis 6 1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. I don't know what a polytheist is but believe in the triune God. 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. Sorry..but l have to sorta laugh at how you think l'm outraged.. In fact l do believe in lesser gods and also in I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. Why risk a good thing?