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---Faith and Belief In God!---
(written by Anita Brown)
Discouragement is our greatest and most effective enemy.
In one sense, our belief dosen't matter because many believe what is NOT true and many don't believe what IS true..
Our beliefs should be based on the best evidence we can find for what we believe, not to just take someones word for it.
There are volumes of evidence to show that God IS.
But God dosen't always show up in the way we think He should. So, we all get discouraged and lose our perspective on faith at times.
First, was for me, the fact that we don't have to rely on just faith to know there is a God.
And, to shorten this note, I will refer you to seek the many books written on apologetics.
Josh McDowell has given us one of the best called THE EVIDENCE DEMANDS A VERDICT.
Next is the fact, that the UNSEEN things in this universe are some of the most powerful (though God is not really unseen because He is felt) Examples of some unseen, but powerful, things are ...gravity, magnetism, air, wind, viruses, tv pictures that pass through the air to an antenna and tv set and so on....
The evidence for these is what they do, not what can be seen. And with the right equipment, they can be felt or seen.
The same with God, the evidence is found in what He does and has done.
This brings us to the age old evolution/creation argument.
Evolution says, Nobody took nothing and made everything out of it, or with the big bang theory; there was nothing and it exploded and made everything.
How much faith does it take to believe that?
Yet many do. So, its really, not, do we have faith, but what do we have faith in?
Again, I refer you to the many excellent books on this subject. And, by the way, most of the creation science books today are being written by evolutionists or EX-evolutionists.
This shows that they have found some evidence that we all should know about.
My last take is why we have troubles and bad stuff in life.
You know God gave us free will and we can choose to do good or evil. This is because God knew that we can't LOVE without free will.
Robots can't love.
Would you believe a robot that said "I love you"? So with "choice" came bad choices.
And the results were a pandoras box of CONSEQUIENCES.
We see them and bear them all today.
Sorrow, losses, genetic defects, evil acts, disloyalty, war, and on and on.
All are a result of wrong choices by human beings. We really must menton the good, too.
We should really make a personal list of two columns. One good column and one negative. Most lists will have a longer GOOD column.
God IS here with Us but there are a few qualifications we must first meet.
Ask the Savior in as your Lord.
Repent of your sins and ask forgivness.
Then follow His Commandments.
Life will still have its downs, but He will see us through and we will be victorious over adversity.
Then comes the peace that passes all understanding. How sweet it is.
We can refer to people who have gone through the most horrendious trials and losses.
Yet they, with a time of grieving, come out to go on in a reasonable fashion, with life.
An eternal pity party will never help anyone.
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..........." is the line we read. WALK THROUGH are the key words here, not bypass.
Read the words to the hymn, IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL" written by a man who lost his whole family on the Titanic.
Read the 91st Psalm...then say, "God, if you are there, show me". And He will.
When I'm discouraged, I read 2 Corinthians 4:8-18. Be an encourager yourself, and give away what you yourself need.
Soon that peace and joy will find you.
Always dwell on postives! Don't major on minors! Take one day at a time, no, one minute at a time, if necessary. Let a good thought or idea come in....make that effort.
God IS real....God s good.
There IS proof, look for it.
Just begin to name 3 good things. Music, laughter, a cuddly animal, a loved one, a cool breeze on a summer day, etc;. Stick positive statements to yor mirrors.
Then, ....wait upon the Lord to renew your strength, and you will mount up with wings of eagles.....and, sorrow lasts for the night but joy comes in the morning.
I have loosely paraphrased hese verses to be brief, but the idea is there.
All this is worth a try because the peace and joy gotten is worth far more that gold.
I hope this is of some help......God Bless. Anita
[This webpage was created by Kenny Mitchell and the text was written by Anita Brown another one of our Featured Members in the Spirit Award Series ®2002 by WebUplifterMinistries]
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