lypse Posted September 4, 2006 Group: Nonbeliever Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 111 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/19/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted September 4, 2006 Grace to you, lypse, What about those who had faith that they'd receive the spirit, yet felt nothing after a period of time? Is that person supposed to just stick with it and continue to have faith? Joh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthitjah Posted September 4, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.27 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted September 4, 2006 Grace to you, Lypse, The Bible says this my friend; Ro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billie Posted September 4, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 51 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 2,849 Content Per Day: 0.44 Reputation: 14 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/17/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/17/1979 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Are those who don't even feel the spirit blessed as well ? Yes, Christianity isn't about feelings. It's about believing, and asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lypse Posted September 4, 2006 Group: Nonbeliever Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 111 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/19/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted September 4, 2006 Are those who don't even feel the spirit blessed as well ? Yes, Christianity isn't about feelings. It's about believing, and asking. Well, ye, but it's difficult to believe in something that I don't see or feel (at least in my case) and besides, my faith was most likely not as strong as yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondeve Posted September 4, 2006 Group: Nonbeliever Followers: 1 Topic Count: 117 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,276 Content Per Day: 0.19 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/02/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/21/1986 Author Share Posted September 4, 2006 Eve, I know that you havent the foggiest idea of who I am but I beg of you to listen and believe me. I have felt God's presence with me, it brought me to tears. It was almost like I could reach out and touch Him. It was the most peaceful and calming feeling I ever had. I was alone in my thoughts and praying when I opened my eyes and KNEW He was there. This probably means nothing to you, but I have NO doubt in my mind or heart or soul that Jesus exists as our Savior. Can't you just take my word for it and Believe in Him for yourself? It wont cost you anything, it doesnt require you to DO anything but believe. Your world will change and you will be blessed. Giaour, I'm glad you have such strong faith, but more importantly that it makes you happy. I do believe that most people have a strange experience or two during their lives and, according to what they already believe, attribute it to different things. I don't say this to try and downplay what you experienced, only to explain why I'm not a believer. I believe that strange, powerful things do happen - if there is a reason, I can accept that I don't know what it is and that nobody else does, either, because neither the world nor the universe came into being with human comprehension in mind. When I was about fifteen, I had this truly bizzare thing happen. I got lost in my own room. I woke up at something like 2 A.M, got up to turn on the light and get a drink, but couldn't find the doorway. I walked in a square around my room, touching the walls, but didn't find the door, which was always open. I didn't even find a handle to indicate it was closed. I couldn't find the lightswitch. At one point, in a room with furniture against every wall, I was able to touch my knees to the wall in the spot where, I was absolutely certain, my bed should've been. It was fifteen minutes of groping in the dark before I found my way back into bed, during which time it felt like I'd been somewhere else. For all I know, it could've been a vivid dream, or half-dream; I might've just misremembered it later, or something genuinely weird might've happened. The point being that I don't know, and wouldn't claim to understand - because human perception, like human reason, is often flawed when we encounter the unfamiliar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthitjah Posted September 4, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.27 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted September 4, 2006 Grace to you, Eve, There is something C.S. Lewis described as the numinous. Or this mysteious awe of the supernatural. Something that we encounter and know that it is far beyond our own realm of reality. It leaves us in awe. There is a huge difference between that and the unfamiliar. Peace, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthitjah Posted September 5, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.27 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted September 5, 2006 Grace to you, lypse, Well, ye, but it's difficult to believe in something that I don't see or feel (at least in my case) and besides, my faith was most likely not as strong as yours. It is my strong opinion that God gives to each man a measure of faith. First the ordinary Faith neccesary to believe. To even hear the Word. Then the measure of Faith to be usefull in the body and according to ones need. As the need grows so grows the measure. Kinda like hunger and the resulting need for food. We are admonished in Scripture that each one of us needs to walk out (or work out) his individual measure of faith. His very own salvation in conjunction with God; Php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldgirl Posted September 5, 2006 Group: Nonbeliever Followers: 1 Topic Count: 10 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 179 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/07/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/08/1971 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Hi, Dave. Wow. That took me a while to read. It left me with too many points to remember. But here's one: When you were an in-name-only Christian, you still thought you were a Christian, right? Like, if a reporter came up to you and said, "What is your religion?", you would have said "Christian". Or if he asked, "Are you a Christian?", you would have said, "Yes." Am I characterizing it right? Because I spent my whole life (until recently) answering Yes to that question. As I went along, it meant more things to me in later years than it meant in earlier years, which always left me wondering what I really "was" before when I thought I really was a Christian. If there were such a thing as a Christ-o-meter, when I was a "2" the Christ-o-meter, I thought I was a "10" - as much a Christian as the next guy. But then when I had had more experienced, I moved up to an 6, then an 8, but always thinking I definately was a Christian. So, then that made me wonder what I "was" when I was a 2 thinking I was a 10. (Are you following any of this?) But anyway, I think if I'm anywhere on that meter now, I'm at a .5. You're more gracious about my identity as a sister than I would be. (Thanks for that, it was kind anyway.) I think overall my experience has been the opposite. I have tested and found it not to be true. It would be nice if it was, but....nah, I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lypse Posted September 5, 2006 Group: Nonbeliever Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 111 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/19/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted September 5, 2006 It is my strong opinion that God gives to each man a measure of faith. First the ordinary Faith neccesary to believe. Anyone can have 'ordinary' faith, but one would need alot more then 'ordinary' faith in order to truly believe in what they believe in. My faith was never strong enough to believe that God exists or that Jesus died at the cross for my sins. If one believed out of 'ordinary' faith alone, it is my strong opinion that they are believing out of blind faith. Then the measure of Faith to be usefull in the body and according to ones need What is this need exactly?? Is it when something devastating happens, beyond your control, and you need God to be there with you so you can cope with the situation?? If thats the case, you'll only think your faith is growing, because you'll develop that 'God is always there for me when I need him' way of thinking. Your gift may not have been great faith. It may just be the ordinary kind of faith that brings hearing. Even so we shouldn't call it ordinary nor your Salvation of none effect. Like I said, it will take a lot more then 'ordinary' faith for me to believe or except the word of God. 'Ordinary' faith will only get you so far. For surely all of our Salvation cost the very precious Blood of our Savior and Lord. This was a sure measure of Love in Saving you. Whether you felt it or not is another matter. I'm not even convinced that Jesus lived at all or died at the cross, so there is no 'clear measure of love'. Could you show me evidence that Jesus existed and died at the cross from a non-biblical source?? quick question, do you understand why myself and others do not believe?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovedya Posted September 5, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 375 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 11,400 Content Per Day: 1.44 Reputation: 125 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/14/1971 Share Posted September 5, 2006 I don't believe that Ceasar Nero existed. There are no pictures of him. There are no witnesses to his existence. There are no reliable writings about him. And there are no verifyable writings by him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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