Lots O Questions

[LOVE SONGS]

Hi all, new here, obviously. Before I get into this, I'll bore you brefly about why I'm here.

I'm in my early 40s and looking for the answers that have been evading me for quite some time. I've researched, I've spoken to people....I'm not finding what I'm looking for. I've got beliefs in my head and in my heart that I am hoping so hard that someone, somewhere, will tell me I'm wrong and show me in a way that is meaningful and makes sense so that it sinks in and I can get over it and move on to where I need to be. I want so badly to be wrong and to be where part of me really thinks and really wants to be, but there are these blockades that are stopping me.

Please understand that I am not trolling, trying to cause trouble or begin a debate for the sake of arguing. I am genuinely looking for answers.

A few years ago, I began writing things down here and there about my thoughts. It first started out as just jotting down ideas like in an outline format, but then I kept adding to it and as I got older, decided to add additional comments to it so that I would later remember exactly what I meant by what I wrote. Ultimately, it ended up in more of an article form but I let it go because I feel it better clarifies what points I'm trying to make and explain better how I'm feeling/thinking. It has a strongly sarcastic tone, I'm sure, as is my nature. I would prefer we not focus on the way it was written and instead focus on the content of what is written. I know there are a lot of helpful and well-meaning folks out there who will tell me I need to pray, ask for forgivness, ask God this or that, but honestly, until I get my questions answered and make sense of things, I might as well be asking my fridge to bring me a piping hot pizza and set it on my desk. I say that not to be rude, but to emphasize where I am at, spiritually.

That said, here goes.

First of all, I’ll go over what I think I know to be true according to the Bible.

God creates man who is perfect; free of sin. Sin does not exist.

Satan, a fallen angel, convinces Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge – against God’s wishes.

Eve convinces Adam to eat of the fruit and both are in trouble when God shows up.

God creates a perfect man and woman. No sin. They do absolutely nothing wrong in the eyes of God. Then along comes the devil and convinces Eve to eat of the tree of knowledge and now they are in trouble. Ok, here is where my issues start to begin.

Tree of knowledge. Really? And this is there for what reason? Why in the world would this even have been created in the first place? What sense would it make to create stupid people and then put a tree of knowledge in their yard? Even if they weren’t ignorant, why would God even create this tree? And have it be that when they eat from it, they suddenly get smart? This not only sounds like fantasy (kiss the frog, turn into a prince) but it also makes absolutely no sense whatsoever for it being created in the first place.

All-knowing God. There is nothing He doesn’t see or doesn’t know. Did He not realize that they were going to *** mess *** up the master plan and eat from this ridiculous tree that should never have been created in the first place which bears fruit that will immediately raise the IQ level of the person eating it? Did He not give this a passing through?

Satan. And here’s where it all boils down from. Satan is an angel who *** messes *** up and gets tossed from Heaven. Satan then intentionally turns God’s new toys (people) against his wishes by having them break God’s rules. So why did God not kill Satan or simply make him not exist? Or better yet, why bother making him in the first place since God knew what was going to eventually happen? You can’t say he didn’t/couldn’t see into the future because we can see into the future in the Book of Revelations.

So…

• God created an angel who He knew would turn against him. But He did it anyway.
  
• God allowed said angel to live, knowing that he would corrupt the world. But He did it anyway.
  
• God punished said angel but allowed him to have power and influence over people that would turn them against him. But He did it anyway.
  
  Now, I’m supposed to have faith in someone who is either:
  1. A really, really poor decision-maker
     
  2. Someone who isn’t working with a full deck.
     
  3. A manipulator because he knew darn well how things were going to go and decided it was a good plan…make them miserable and have them come begging to Him
     

  So, if manipulator is the case, the plan the entire time was to…

  [*]Create an angel to act as the bad guy

  [*]Kick him out

  [*]Create a couple of perfect, innocent and unthinking people

  [*]Set them up for failure by placing a tree of knowledge which develops fruit on it that will suddenly make the person smart

  [*]Tell the people they aren’t allowed to eat from it

  [*]The bad guy will convince them to break the rules

  [*]Punish the people to live hard lives

  [*]Convince them it’s their own fault

  [*]Guilt them into accepting it

  [*]Let the bad guy corrupt the world

  [*]Have a standing offer to anyone willing to submit to Him that He’d make things better

  [*]Add in the catch that their lives would really get *** worst *** because of *** messing *** with them just to see how badly they want into Heaven. Call them trials and tribulations.

  [*]Promise them eternal life in a place that’s care-free and peachy-keen.

  Faith and prayer. What is faith and how are we supposed to have it? What are we supposed to have faith in? Are we supposed to just blindly accept the rules of a being that only very few have ever seen or spoken with directly which took place over 2,000 years ago and nobody has seen nor heard from since? Does praying actually do anything other than make those praying feel better and giving them a sense of hope?

  So let’s look at faith when someone is in the hospital, either injured or sick. Generally, there are two things that are going to happen: they are either going to get better or die. People say they will pray for the person and all should have faith…..faith in what? That they’ll get better? If they get better, then yay for God for listening and answering prayers. And if the person dies, well, it just wasn’t in God’s will that the person should live.

  So it’s it all falls back to God’s will. So, let’s start back at the beginning with the person in the hospital. God already knows if this person is going to get better or die. So why are we praying and what are we having faith in with this case? Are we praying to God to change his mind in the event that God's will is for this person to die (for the person to live/get better)? Well, it’s His will if the person dies, so changing His mind to letting the sick person live is going to mean changing His plan. And if He knew that He was going to end up changing His plan and letting the guy live, then He wouldn’t have made that initial choice for the person to die to begin with; therefore no change of mind would be needed. So, ultimately, the end result is whatever God had planned from the getgo and the prayers don't influence anything other than giving those who are praying some simblance of hope (which is nothing more than a wishful gamble). As for having faith, I’m not sure what to have faith in for this scenario. Faith that the person is going to get better and live? I’m told that’s wrong to do because it’s God’s will either way, so don’t have faith they will get better/live. So am I just to have faith that God is going to do what God wants? Well, that’s kind of a given, isn’t it? I mean, who’s going to stop Him?

  God used to perform all kinds of epic (seriously epic) stuff like parting the red sea, bushes on fire but not burning, smiting entire cities...VERY epic. But why is He not doing anything anymore? Some argue that He is, but where? When? what? with the modern age of technology where almost everyone has a camera/video recording on their phones and sites like YouTube, surely someone would have captured these events, miracles and workings and posted them for all the world to see....or did God simply just give up on us because we are too rotten? But if so, would He not have known how we would have ended up and wouldn't He have done it differently from the getgo?

  Do I believe in God? I believe I do, although I find myself questioning things more and more often. Regardless, I'm just not happy with the God that I think exists. Not much of it makes sense but I feel as if it should.

  TQ...

  These are some of my thoughts about how God our creator is.

  When God creates anything... it is good.

  God is Love and He is good.

  He Loves all of His creation and He gives them the free will to choose . To serve Him ,or not to serve Him.

  God is wanting His creation to ....

  Love Him,

  to be Obedient to Him,

  to Serve Him,

  to Honor Him ,

  to Thank Him,

  to Praise and Worship Him,

  and to have a relationship with Him .

  He wants a family , so to God ,through Jesus Christ, His son,

  we become His children, and He is a Father to us.

  Look unto God ....and with a sincere heart ... Thank Him for His Love toward you, and God wants to hear the same from you , tell Him

  that you Love Him, too.

  He is giving us life here on earth. and life through Jesus , so we can be with Him in heaven some day.

  Everyone has a set time, by God , how long we live here, on earth.

  God does answer prayers , when someone is sick and maybe on their death bed.

  God , can extend a persons' life here , through prayer. ...or He can do anything He chooses. His will be done.

  God wants His creation to be obedient to Him...he created all Angels but, Lucifer and 1/3 of the other angels,

  did not obey God, they wanted to become higher than God, or equal to God. So, God cast them out of heaven.

  Satan and 1/3 of the angels went into the darkness . God punished satan and the other angels.

  God created man and woman, and God supplied all their needs for them in the garden of Eden.

  God gave Adam and Eve the free will to choose, and to do as they wish in the garden.

  God gave them one instruction for them to follow.

  God told them not to eat of, the tree of knowledge of good and evil,... and specificly told them, why, they should not eat from it.

  That,if they did.... they would surely die.

  Their disobedience , through satan, caused man and woman to suffer here on earth, and also, to die.

  Seek God first...

  Thank God daily ...for everything you have... for all belongs to Him.

  Tell God that, you Love Him, and the things , that you need does not matter. He Does.

  That means you are putting God , first.

  Thats what he wants to hear... and to have a relationship with ....each and everyone of us.

  When His child does these simple things .. ...

  to do good , be obedient, to Love, serve ,honor, worship and praise , Him.

  God helps us ,and rewards us when we do the good.. " He is ,a rewarder of those who seek Him diligently."

  God does not want to hear us say all the time... give me ...give me... give me....

  He wants to hear , I Love you Father God, with a sincere heart.

  I may not have .....answers to all of your questions , but...

  Keep with God....stay under His protection....His covering.

  God Bless you !

[LOVE SONGS]

God can add years to someones' life... even through prayer . Isaiah 38 : 1-5

1- In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death.

And Isaiah the prophet , the son of Amoz, went to him and said to

him, " Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order , for you shall

die and not live."

2- Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord,

3- and said, Remember now , O Lord I pray , how I have walked before You

in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight."

And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4- And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying,

5- " Go and tell Hezekiah, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of David

your father : "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears ;

surely I will add to your days fifteen years.

TQ... though prayer God can heal someone from their sickness and on their death bed and extend years

to their life.

God still does miracles today. Go to the video section of the Forums. Watch the video of Brett Castleberry.

God put new bones in the boys' hand , and healed his arm.

[JTC]

Hey TQ are you still here? If you are please make a post, even a 1 word one. We really do want to help you, but I for one am not going to write long answers if you're not coming back. So let us know?

About a sick person and God's will, and prayer. God has several forms of will. He does have a perfect or absolute will, and no one can change that. We do too. If you have kids or any family or good friends, there are things they can change your mind on, but there are other things you won't budge on even if all your family asks you to. God is like this too. Some of His will is absolute and won't change. Some of it will change. But we can't know when it is changeable. Therefore, if a loved one is sick we should always pray for them to get well, because even if it seemed to be God's will for them to die, He may be amenable to change in this situation. We just don't know, and can never know. But life's experiences teaches us that if we pray for a sick person there are times the person will get well. So we should always do it.

About God Himself, I believe One Light said this too. We can never fully understand God. The one we call God the Father, is some kind of spiritual being we can't even conceive of. The closest we can come to understanding what He is would be a Loving Father. But what He really is, goes beyond human understanding. You need to realize this. There are many mysteries about God, and we will never have the answers to many of them. But if each one of us truly seeks God, in our hearts, souls, minds, and with our full essence of what we are, God will reveal Himself to each of us. I was once like you, with many of the same questions. But I maintained my faith. You asked faith in what? I tell you faith in that God is real, and that He's out there some where, and that He will answer me. That's what you need faith in.

God did answer me, and He still does. But when I had the questions you have it took over 10 years to get the answers to some of them. I still have questions, but I no longer doubt God. I know He's real. I know I will never understand what He is. My mind is not like His mind, He tells us this in the Bible. And I know He has also revealed Himself to many others, and He will to you too. But you have to seek Him earnestly, and in truth.

Now please respond if you're still here reading our answers.

[Denise37]

Sounds like u need a 1 on 1 with God, have u considered it? I know He can answer u, but it's completely up to YOU!

He's a gentleman, so loving & kind.. U juss gotta take the time to get to know Him, like a person u juss meet!

God bless & ur answers, are juss a conversation away!

[xero]

Romans 9:14 "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

19Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"

[JohnD]

Daniel 9: (KJV)

24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

This was the ultimate goal since before there was an earth.

Revelation 13: (KJV)

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Eden, and the entire created physical universe were created to set the stage to deal with sin and evil in all realms forever.

The big picture answers all questions solves all riddles.

[gdemoss]

TQWorld, Greetings from a formerly frustrated with God individual who identifies with all you have posted. In the event that you might show up, though you said you were out of here, I will post the following to get you started in the right direction.

To begin to understand one needs to truly understand what happened in Eden with that tree that seems obviously unneeded as there doesn't appear to be any benefit to it what so ever at first glance. But what really happened when they ate from that tree? Prior to eating from the tree they were not like God. They were not fully created in his image. They were not forced to make moral judgments as they lacked the ability to do so. The eyes of their understanding were closed. They were naked but they had no comprehension of what naked was much less if it was good or evil to be naked. But then they ate the fruit and all that changed. The final touches were made and they were now in the image of God. The were like God in this one last area that they previously were not. Unfortunately they did not have knowledge of good and evil in the sense of what is good and what is evil and therefore made inadequate decisions to deal with the moral decision they found they had to make. It was the beginning of a long journey for man to be conformed to the full image of God that would unfold over 6000 years.

Now you are probably having many thoughts about what I just wrote up above. Many of those thoughts being thoughts of judgment about how foolish it was or why wasn't it done differently etc. I say this to prove the point. You are doing what eating the fruit made man capable of and that is judgement. We can even judge God as immoral and all are for the most part guilty of doing so. Forming and building a relationship with God is a journey of discovering the mind of God and being conformed to that image. All of us who are Christians are in some part of that journey, some farther than others.

Absolutely none of it made sense to me in the beginning. I had to grow in understanding over time. I had lots of questions like "Why did you tell men to go and kill pregnant women and babies by the edge of the sword?". I wasn't very happy about that when I read about it. In my mind God had some explaining to do if he wanted me to see him as righteous and just. But like anyone who lacks understanding, when I gained wisdom, knowledge and understanding I came to a place where I could accept what took place in those days.

So the question is, now that you are like God in ability to sit in the judgment seat are you willing to seek him in earnest to understand why he would do such things? By coming here and posting what you did, I believe you might be. I would be more than willing to speak with you about Gods righteous judgment, especially the parts about 'Why create a being you know will fall?' or 'Why allow so much pain and misery?'. The truth is it is righteous to do so and God is good in all that he has done.

In Jesus Name,

Gary