Literally just prayed, to God, for the first time in years. And it was a prayer to show us the way and the light through this dark time. And to give our POTUS strength and courage to stand against what I believe to be the most evil force on this planet.
Man.....this man and this forum, who supports what he’s doing and the reasons why, has changed my life and I love it here.
Love you guys
Okay, here is the first step. Say a very simple prayer along these lines. But you must be sincere, no mockery. "God, I never believed you existed, but if you do, I want to know the truth. Please reveal yourself to me." That is all it takes. Then, get a bible and start looking for a bible believing church. I know that sounds strange, but a lot of churches have moved very far to the left, having homosexual preachers, etc. So look online for a church in your community and their web page should state their doctrinal beliefs. Fundamental to those these:
They believe in the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
They believe in the infallibility of the Bible
They believe in the Virgin birth of Jesus
They believe Jesus willingly died for our sins and was resurrected and now sits at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.
Those are the very most basic things the church should believe. If they are wishy washy or don't expressly state those beliefs, keep looking. I would also highly recommend Kenneth Wuest's Expanded Translation of the New Testament. He uses all the English words necessary to convey the meaning of Scripture (New Testament was written in Greek, Old Testament mostly in Hebrew with a bit of Assyrian.) This New Testament is excellent because it more fully conveys the message. For instance, in Hebrews 13:5b God assures us "I will never leave you, I will never forsake you." That is how most bible translations will render that verse. But Wuest shows us that God goes even further by REPEATING Himself. Wuest's translation says, "I will not, I will not cease to sustain you. I will not, I will not, I will not let you down." The other translations basically get the point across, that God will never leave a believer. But Wuest's more accurate translation really hits the point home with the repetitiveness. I find that amazingly comforting that God repeated Himself. In the meantime, while you try to find a local church with which to fellowship, you can watch sermons on line. There are many good local churches from all over the country that post their sermons. Search around until you find a pastor whose style you like. And I can also recommend Joseph Prince. He has a 'mega church' in Singapore and has a real gift, imo, for teaching the uplifting love of God. Best wishes, fren. Feel free to dm me if you have questions.
smaller most important first step is to admit you are a sinner and need a savior and put your trust in Jesus as Lord and savior.
An addendum: We are called to worship in spirit and in truth. Many churches emphasize one and neglect the other.
Binge the Bible. Read Unseen Realm or Supernatural by Michael Heiser (Same book; the former is the more academic version [citations etc] the latter is the more casual)
C.S. Lewis also good, especially "The Screwtape Letters". Short, easy read and very profound.
Be bold.. be Catholic!
Wonderful sincerity to help all seeking God who is Our Father and LOVES us, His children more than we could ever fathom.
Seek Him and he will find you.
Happy to hear almost all anons here have had their lives enriched by this journey. Blessings to all!
We are here for a reason. ?
Absolutely. Prayer is how we speak to God, the scriptures are how He speaks to us.
You are a good man Charlie Brown.