You either believe God created everything or you don't(you say). Creating does not automatically attached responsibility. . God created man with free will (the right to choose) but it is not (truly) free will if there's only one choice. Therefore the necessity of both Good and evil. Remington manufactures guns, if someone takes a Remington' product and uses it to kill someone, instead of using it for self-defense or provision is Remington responsible? Is that murder an act of Remington?
An act of God? (John 10:10) "I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly, the enemy comes to steal kill and destroy" the theme of this threat is "PRAY FOR FLORIDA" what would be the point of praying (to God) for Florida, if God is the one causing the destruction?
."SO YOU CAN'T ARTICULATE ONE THING THAT IS REMOTELY VERIFIABLE FROM YOUR OWN LIFE" (you say) My my my, this is almost beyond belief. How many times in my last comment is the word personal used? Everything I shared with you is what I PERSONALLY DID AND EXPERIENCED and was encouraging you to at least try, for yourself (personally) there's that word again. VERIFIABLE? VERIFIABLE!!!! Tell me a single thing someone could say to you that would prove to you without a shadow of doubt that there is a God? You have convinced me, that if God himself came down, SO THAT THE EARTH SHOOK AND LIGHTNING FLASHED, AND THE LIGHT FROM HIM, WAS as BRIGHT as the sun in all its Glory, yet you are not blinded, and could see, and This magnificent light that was warm and soft and filled you with peace, introduced himself, with a voice that you did not hear in your ears but inside you, saying "I AM" God, you would say, "PROVE YOU ARE GOD". And God BEING PATIENT AND LOVING as He is, would command your body to rise up and hover above the clouds, and as soon as God gave the command you began to rise until you were above the clouds, and looking around at the world below you, you would say INCREDIBLE how strong the wind is today.
Good and reasonable questions. 1) "Okay what promises" The scriptures are filled with the promises of God for us Psalms 103 calls them our benefits, in other places they are called God's provisions, and covenant. FOOTNOTE: we were reminded IN PSALMS 103:2 not to forget OUR BENEFITS, because they don't come on an individual automatically(in other words God will not force you to be blessed) every promise and every benefit from God must be received individually by faith, EVEN SALVATION GOD'S GREATEST GIFT does not come to someone unless they ask and receive it. God has said "EVERY PLACE YOU SET YOUR FOOT I WILL GIVE YOU" if you want to know what promises apply to you, read the New testament first, starting with the book of John. FOOTNOTE: you would do this in the comfort of your own home, and after studying the New testament, you make up your own mind whether to accept it or reject it, which is no more or less then what you do in everyday life., so much for the theory that people are using the Bible to control others, I'm not saying people do not manipulate the Bible, and I'm not saying some people are not controlled by people who manipulate, I'm saying you can read the Bible for yourself and decide for yourself and no one can manipulate you, not only can no one manipulate you, God won't. God created us with a free wil, and God will not violate your free will. This for instance is one of God's promises concerning free will "Behold I stand at the door (your heart) and knock, If (ANY MAN OPEN) I will come in and sup with him, and he with me. Can you see it? God says if (ANY MAN OPENS) which tells us God will not kick the door in, God waits to be invited in. (which may explain why you have not found God YET because you have not gone looking for him sincerely) With that in mind there is no risk in meditating in the scriptures, then putting the promises you find that apply to you into practice for a while, to find out if they're true or not. 2) "HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY KNOW IT'S NOT THE POWER OF YOUR OWN MIND" I think we could both agree, if there is a God, he would be able to show you in a way that you would have no doubt it was not your mind. That does not mean you would ever be able to explain it to another person and them understand, but you, (YOURSELF) would be SATISFIED WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT IT CAN ONLY BE FROM GOD. 3) "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOUR RELIGION IS ANY DIFFERENT THAN ANYONE ELSE'S" Because I am not involved in a RELIGION I have a RELATIONSHIP with God, through Jesus Christ, God is my Father and I am his son. God does not offer religion to man. MAN OFFERS RELIGION TO MAN. GOD OFFERS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF and as a matter of fact Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of his time, and called them hypocrites vipers, because (as you said) they used religion for their benefit and to control people. Religion is man-made rules, and traditions. Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, "BY YOUR TRADITIONS YOU NULLIFY THE WORD OF GOD AND MAKE IT OF NO EFFECT". God offers a relationship between one individual and their creator. As high as the heavens are above the Earth, so is the difference between religion, and what God offers and wants for us which is a relationship with him. Every human being is God's creation, but not every human being is God's son or daughter (relationship). That is what God offers. That you must desire, and open the door and receive. 4)"THEY WILL ALL SAY THE SAME THING GOD ENDED THE DROUGHT OR HEALED THEIR SICKNESS ETC". True! Someone was sharing about the great miracle of God parting the Red Sea, and a man spoke up and said that was no great miracle, because at that time of the year, the Red Sea was only a couple feet deep. To which the other person replied isn't that something, Pharaoh's whole Army drowned in ankle deep water. The lesson is, anyone can explain away any miracle if you try hard enough. So this brings us back full circle, to Christianity is a personal relationship with God, it has nothing to do with what anyone else says or thinks. That's why Jesus said, "WHO DO YOU SAY I AM" Who do you(personally) say. When God does a miracle in your life you will know it's God, you may not be able to prove it to anyone else and no one else may believe it, but you will know without a doubt, to the point you can't be moved. This is the difference between relationship with God and religion. "If (YOU) seek me with all (YOUR) heart (YOU) will find me" Call upon me and I will answer (YOU) and show (YOU) (not someone else) Great and mighty things you know not"🙏
Seriously? I mean seriously! What's more important who wrote the book OR is what they wrote true? No wonder Jesus said,"Ye blind guides which strain at a knat and swallow a camel" MAJORING ON THE MINOR. There are 66 bookings in the Bible, 27 in the New testament, debated for centuries on who wrote them and even if I could prove (who even one book was written by) you would dispute it. DO YOU THINK THIS QUESTION OR ANY OTHER QUESTION WILL BE DECIDED DEFINITIVELY BY INTELLECTUALS? OUR SO-CALLED INTELLECTUALS CANNOT EVEN AGREE ON WHO IS A MAN AND WHO IS A WOMAN. Here is the most important question you will ever be asked, and the answer sought. Jesus asked "Who do (YOU) say I am" when everything is boiled down it is only thing that really matters. What (you) say. When I say matters, I mean matters, as far as it concerns you. Not my decision for you, and not your decision for me. Here is what's written in that regards "I call Heaven and Earth to record against (YOU) that I have set before (YOU), life and death, blessings and cursings (YOU) choose. In Jeremiah 33: 3 is found this challenge to you "Call upon me (God) and I will answer (YOU) and show (YOU) Great and mighty things (YOU) know not" It is also written " If (YOU) seek me (God) with all (YOUR) heart (YOU) will find me" I have shared with you, that since 1983, when I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ I have stood on and claimed God's promises, found in the book that no one seems to know who wrote,and I do testify that not one of them has ever failed me. I would think that my experience with God would be more beneficial to you than proving who wrote or didn't write anything. No one, who (SINCERELY) wants to know if God exists or not, and cries out, reveal yourself to me if you exist God,show me in a way that (I) will know for sure you exist, and (I) will follow you, will ever fail to find God. "For I know in whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep (WHAT YOU COMMIT) to Him unto that day"
Are you sure it's me that's lost his ability to think? Notice: You said "That's pretty wild, you just believe that WITHOUT LEARNING about it ever" I answered, and told you in effect, that I HAVE LEARNED by TESTING the promises of God, and since when I put God's promises to the test(applied them to my life) every last one of God's promises, came to pass in my life, I would say that's irrefutable proof (maybe not to you), but to me, since I have personally EXPERIENCED God's promises come to pass in my life. To that you answer, you've lost your ability to think? HELLO Are you sure it's not the other way around, that you are unable to comprehend even the simplest of answers, the very thing you accuse others of. Aren't you the one that told me you VALUE EXPERIENCE OVER FAITH! But when I give you my experience you dismiss it as an inability to think, so I guess it's only your experiences that count, and that's fair enough I guess, but you would think if you REALLY BELIEVED that experience was Paramount, you would grant me my experiences.
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Not one of all the good promises God has given me has failed, every promise has been fulfilled. Your promises have been thoroughly tested and your servant loves them!
Yes! "For my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness so that's Christ's power May rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, and persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak then I am (made) strong" (2Corinthians 12:9-10)
For posterity? What do you think the Bible is? Let me ask you,Who would have had to written for posterity in order for you to believe it? Those who wrote, the Gospels were eyewitness of what Jesus did and said, every one of them died, a horrific martyr's death because of their testimony about Christ, except for John, who died ad a prisoner for his faith in Christ on the Island pathamus. All they would have had to do, to escape crucifixion, thrown to the Lions, and burnt alive would have been to deny that what they testified about Christ was a lie, but they didn't. If that is not proof, nothing is.
Ever notice, whenever someone swears, they never say f****** Buddha, or effing Muhammad, it's always effing Jesus Christ, you're super intelligent why is that? Why did you cry out the name of Jesus Christ in anger, and not any other religious figure or God? I have heard too many times to count people cry out when they're angry or scared Jesus Christ, but never have I heard someone cry out Buddha or Muhammad, or tooth fairy. That alone should tell you something, but I doubt if it will, I'm guessing it would be too obtuse for you. Sad.
"There is a Creator because you can see man with programmed by his creator" Now the situation is reversed and you have misunderstood. If we were programmed we would do what he program us to do. That is not what I would use for proof that there is a creator. I would use you as proof of a creator "since you did not create yourself, someone or something did" Therefore a creator.
"Why are all the religious guys who engage me consistently obtuse (you ask) could the answer be,you're on such a higher plane intellectually,everyone else seems obtuse? Be interesting to hear your thoughts on the teachings of Christ. Jesus Christ was called by the intellectuals of his day a babbler, who can understand him? I'm in good company, not so sure if you are.Talking with you,about what you consider religion,doesn't make me religious, I mean I could say (for instance) you are a religious person, and your religion is experienced, would I be right? Can you see it. Or is that too obtuse.
"Condition to do so by people who want to control us"(you say) Who conditioned the people that you say are trying to conditioning you? Now follow that far enough back, and you can throw out your theory, and see that the first man was programmed (by his creator) TO BELIEVE, but the purpose is not to control, since man can choose what to believe or what not to believe. You say, "To me experience seems Superior to belief in the quest to know reality" It is true experience is a teacher, but it is a poor teacher, by the time you're experience tells you not to do something it's too late you already did it. Whereas the word of God will teach you, what not to do, without ever experiencing the ill effect of of doing it. PSALMS 119: 97-104 "Oh how I love all you've revealed I reverently ponder it all day long YOUR COMMANDMENTS GIVE ME AN EDGE ON MY ENEMIES, they never become obsolete, I HAVE BECOME WISER THAN MY TEACHERS since I pondered and absorbed your counsel I I HAVE BECOME WISER THAN THE WISE OLD SAGE (EXPERIENCE) simply by doing what you tell me. I watch my step avoiding the ditches, and ruts of evil so I can spend all my time keeping your word. "With your instruction I understand life that's why I hate false propaganda"
Respectfully, we were created to believe, there is no such thing as not believing, unbelief is not none belief. You believe you don't believe, that's still believing, you believe you don't believe and it's your choice, it's the freedom God gave to all,to believe in him or to not believe in him, but believing you are.
Pray over everything, giving thanks, asking God the bless it to your body for health and strength. "Worry about nothing, pray about everything, and the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and your minds in the knowledge and in the love of God" (Philippians 4:16)
The look when someone (Zielinski) who thinks he's the boss, meets the boss,Trump. God's arm to humble the proud, the arrogant, the merciless.. A tiny taste, example, picture of the return of Christ, where the high will be brought low, those who shook their fists at the heavens and laughed ,terror will grip them,they will shake uncontrollably,their knees will bend, their tongues will confess, that Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Our joy will know no bounds as Christ set's up his kingdom on this Earth and all (who have been purchased,washed,cleansed,by the saving blood of the Lamb of God) shall rule and reign with Christ a thousand years. Death shall be swallowed up, OH DEATH,where is your sting?
Your story reminds me of this story: Two men walking towards each other on a beach, covered with thousands of star fish. As they get closer to each other, the one man notices that the other man,every once in a while would bend down and pick up a star fish and throw it back into the water, so when they get within talking distance of one another,the one man says to the other,"WHAT'S THE POINT" there are tens of thousands of starfish washed up, "WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE" The other man reaches down and picks up another starfish and throws it back into the water and replies "All the difference in the world to that starfish"
Trust the plan? Plans fail! God doesn't. Trust God!