Wisconsin Forums

[Joshua]

I liked the way that Solomon summed it up
Ecc 12:13-14 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Solomon did show how our attempts in life matter little as far as us controlling how things go. It states in James 4: that our life is but a vapor; it is shown in Matthew and Proverbs and Ecc. (Not to mentions our own experiences them selves) that worrying about life’s situations matter very little, cause we have no control over things that are not in our hands.

Romans 1:16-22 states it in this manner..."For I am not ashamed of the gospel salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, " the just shall live by faith"
18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in the, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are with out excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22: Professing to be wise, they became fools...

I know this not because I was raised in church, because I wasn't, but because I saw the effects of God's transforming power with my own eyes and life, when I gave my self over to the teaching of God's word. Now you’re thinking that because I made some sound decisions and stuck to it, that I got what I went after. But that wasn't it, because you can't change what happens on the inside. You just can't start to Love something you've never seen or never experienced first hand. You can stop doing things and you can start doing things *that deal with the hands and actions*, but our emotions and character and demeanor is something completely different. It's who you are and that's what God touches and makes His home for those that have let Him have rein in their lives.
I'm sorry that you never got connected with God. I know that I don't always hear from God, nor do I always feel His presence in prayer. But I know that He hears me. But if I was looking for a sign or for God to have to prove His existence every time I got into prayer I wouldn't be living by faith, I would be living by sight. Jesus told Thomas "blessed are those who believe without seeing"...the Apostle Paul even said that it is impossible to please God without faith.

We live in a world that wants everything handed to them...I see that you took the time to at least seek and study to find an answer...I commend you, most "Christian's" don't go that far which is a shame. But why is it (and this I witness this first hand on a outreach) one young man raised in church and gave himself to church activities and stuff until 17 and then joined the Air force now confesses to be agnostic (sp?), and another young man living just one floor below him. Never raised in church, never subjected to Christian life, and lived a life as a thug in south central L.A. but knows that there is a God and has proof of what God did in his life just before joining the air force and during his life on the streets. He wasn't religious, as in fake (believe me I'm living in the south there is a difference between religion and relationship, I see it daily). I really feel that it deals with the condition of the heart and the motive of our heart, as to if God reveals Him self to us. Jesus said "many will seek but not to obtain" In Timothy Paul said "people will be ever learning and never able to come to the truth".

I don't know you from Adam but I would encourage you to seek diligently for the truth with a whole heart. Acknowledge you’re self as a sinner and pray that God would save you and make Himself real in your life. Then pray that God will show you a church to attend, not to join the heard of religious folks but to find some real born again Christian's and listen to there testimonies of the Living God. I promise, if you come before God in desperation you'll find Him. If you don't, you'll make the bed that you'll lie in.

May peace find you.