Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts

Sunday, January 15, 2023

What To Ask Skeptics?

 During my Bible study lesson the other day, a brief part of the discussion was about why some people don't believe in Divine Creation. I was thinking about how I as a believer often approach skeptics. 

Usually, if I get the chance to possibly witness to someone - or am just talking with them and the subject comes up - I will ask a variation of the question "Do you believe in God?" After that Bible study, I spent a lot of time thinking that my typical approach might be flawed.

Asking someone if they believe in God or a Divine Creation, etc., is too broad, I think. I also think it can come across as confrontational or accusatory. Maybe asking why they do or don't believe is a better way. 

Sometimes, people believe in something even if they don't believe in the God of the Bible. Over the years, I've met many people who believe in the vague "a higher power". Even before I became dedicated to my faith, I thought that was a polite copout. When I started becoming bolder about discussing my faith, I'd ask people to name that higher power. They usually gave even more vague answers by citing morals or good vs evil,  and so on. I have never been bold enough to ask if morals or good vs evil died for them.

By asking people why they do or don't believe (in whatever), I'm opening up a better route for discussion. I genuinely do want to know why. I want to know why believers believe as much as I want to know why skeptics don't believe.

Maybe asking fellow Christians the question is just as important. If someone had asked me this years ago, I would not have been able to give a plausible answer. I probably would have said it was because I was raised to believe (I was), or that I didn't know why but that I just did. That's as bad as not believing at all because it's a believe founded on nothing but nothing.

Anyway, I just wanted to bring this up in a short post. Thinking about how I personally have approached people about their faith (or lack of it), has made me think more deeply about how to have more open and honest discussions with them. I don't want to just preach at someone. First of all, I'm not qualified. All I am qualified to do at this point is share why I believe. I'm going to give others the courtesy of letting them explain their viewpoint.

Peace

--Free

Saturday, September 5, 2020

Consider Job

 I have been sharing this with everyone I talk to so I thought I would also post about it here.

I have started doing a chronological reading of the Bible (and it just took me 3 misspellings to get that word down correctly!) and when I got to Job last week, I expected to find it less engaging than Genesis. Not so.

Job 1-5 were the first chapters on the list and I barely made it past the reading because I found myself in tears. I mean, tears just started pouring when I realized how my sister's story - and my mother's and so many other people out there - mirrored Job's. He lost property, family, and health. Yet - and this is the part that made me think of my sister and mother - he never lost faith in God.



Maybe I am just being hypersensitive but I can't tell you how that realization hit me. I started texting my family and telling them.

This reading and its blessing came at a great time. I have friends and neighbors who are really starting to buckle a bit under this lockdown and the always-horrible news. My best friend and one of my neighbors have been especially hard hit by not being able to attend their churches. My best friend has been sick a lot lately and fellowship with those in her church was always something that gave her strength. The other day she spent a short time in the hospital and when she got home, she was so down and depressed that I didn't know what to say to help. Then I started reading Job.

Here is what I came away with that I have shared with my best friend:

Job was tested not because God didn't love him but because God did love him. God knew that he was someone who could be tested and stand strong. 

Sometimes, we think that we go through things because of our sins or because God is trying to punish us for something we aren't aware of. People lose property and loved ones and their health. Some of us use such a tragedy as an excuse to turn against or blame God. 

What Job taught me is that we have to stand strong. If our faith can be broken by sorrow and tragedy, we never had true faith, in my opinion. If we say that God is faithful and loves us - He is and He does -then we have to trust in Him no matter what life, the world, storms, car accidents, illness, etcetera throws at us. 

Reading Job reminded me that we live in a world run by darkness. We spent a short time here but we will have eternity with the Lord.

So, I thought about my sister who lost loved ones, homes, personal independence, and her health - but never, ever lost her faith in God. There were times when she had to remind me how much God loves me. I remember when she lost her first leg, the hospital arranged for home visits from a chaplain to counsel and encourage her. Listen, my sister ended up being the one encouraging the chaplain! I kid you not.

Once, when I first got diagnosed with sarcoidosis and was warped out of my mind on high doses of prednisone, I got really depressed and mean. My sister would remind me that I was at least living in a time when there are medicines and treatments for my condition. She even made me laugh about how crazy the "predni-devil" pills made me. And all this is while she was a double amputee with kidney failure and a heart problem. Not long after that, she developed Triple Negative Breast Cancer and her nurses and doctors looked forward to seeing her because of her smile and positive attitude. She knew she was going to die but she was not afraid of anything but not being there for the rest of us.

So, consider God's servant, Job. Amen? Absolutely. When you get discouraged and depressed and sick and put to grief - consider Job and remember his faithfulness. Remember that God loves us just as He loved Job.

I just wanted to share that with you all.

Peace

--Free


P.S.: This is a song that I love to listen to when I feel the news and the lockdown getting to me



Monday, July 13, 2020

Blacks Don't Lives Matter

That title was meant to get your attention and I am sure it did.

I'm not here to focus on the BLM movement - or any of the other current social chaos - but to explain why I don't want to focus solely on any current event. That's my point. None of this is special or new.




Not plagues, not the unrest and turmoil between citizens, genders, races, or sexual orientation. What all this is is just another episode in the story of the war Lucifer is waging on mankind and against God. This started with Lucifer's rebellion. And don't forget the four lies Satan told in the Garden. Those lies are the foundation he has built his agenda upon.

Look at this helpful outline of Satan's rebellious agenda from Reasons For Hope Jesus:

The Five “I Wills” of Satan

In Isaiah 14:13-14 are five phrases expressing the sinful desires of Lucifer.  Each begins with “I will” and reveals Satan’s self-sufficiency and his self-worship. 
Isaiah 14:13-14  For you [Lucifer] have said in your heart:
  1. I will ascend into heaven, 
  2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; 
  3. I will also sit on the mount of the congregation In the sides of the north;
  4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, 
  5. I will be like the Most High.
This passage is often referred to as The Five ˜I wills” of Satan. The statements reveal Satan’s sinful nature, his rebellion, his disobedience, his self-sufficiency, his pride, his self-exaltation, and his all-encompassing pride and arrogance.
For Satan, it’s all about him, and nothing about God.
This will end with the battle that is already won, praise Jesus.



I have to remind myself of this because I tend to get caught up in this moment in time. I get caught up in the time I live in and forget that this rebellion of Satan and those who follow his agenda has been going on way before me and, depending on God's timeline, will continue long after me.

If Satan wants to distract me by keeping my focus on him and his society, all he needs do is make me think of something or someone that isn't going to matter in the end of the already-won battle. If I hear someone praising Trump, I start to get distracted by my dislike of the man. If someone calls me "nigger", I get distracted by my own anger and the history behind that word. If I sin, I get distracted by remorse and shame. If I notice someone else's sin, I get distracted by self-righteousness, pride, or jealousy.

Go watch the video at this church site
(caveat: I have not yet watched)


No matter how many times I remind myself not to, I get caught up in current hatred and ignorance and racism, etcetera, and let it get to me. Then I will shake myself and remember the God that I serve and that he is not a God of confusion or ignorance or fear. Because of the Lord, I don't have to get too worked up by the moment I live in. I need to remain calm and steady and keep spreading the message of the Gospel.

So, do black lives matter? Of course. What we ought to be most mindful of - now and as long as we live - is that this moment in time is just another moment in this war. Don't get so distracted by the current struggles that we take out eyes off of eternity and off of our Lord.

So, my brothers and sisters, anger is okay and natural. BUT when you find yourself getting angry or stressed about all this current turmoil, stop and think first about what it means in the finished and already-won battle we are in.

Peace
--Free

Friday, June 28, 2019

Resources for the Learning Christian

Here are some suggested resources for anyone interested in Bible study and apologetics. I am not personally endorsing sites in particular; I provide these links as springboards to information focused on the Christian faith. I've worked on this off an on for a while and will be updating it as often as I can. Please, share and enjoy.


Apologetics & Tough Questions 



For Nerds (Sci & Tech & Gaming interests)

(By the way, the Wikipedia listing of Christians in the science arena is rather incomplete)

Social Media People, Accounts, and Stuff

Bibles and Bible Study Tools

     **Bibles & Translations**
     **Online Bibles**
     **Bibles for your phone & tablet
Blue Letter Bible


Communities and forums

Miscellaneous and random
You can also search out podcasts that deal with Christian issues. I have the iTunes app on my computer but use the Podcast Addict app on my phone. Most of the above-listed resources have phone apps. Just search the Android or iPhone apps stores. 

I have provided these links for you to peruse but you're responsible for what you do with them. I will warn you to scan everything before downloading files and programs. 


Peace
--Free


** Jewish and Orthodox Jewish Bibles (OJB) are called "Messianic" Bibles and sometimes labeled as Hebrew Names Versions (HNV).



 NOTE that I can not personally endorse all information provided in these links. It's best to check sources to see if they fit your own statement of faith. As always, be prayerful and Spirit-led when ingesting ideas and information from any source.)