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My faith can be shaken so easily

J

Jesusfreak1981

New Member
I feel miserable at the moment cause my faith is once again shaken.
My faith can be shaken so easily.For example I just read that water has been found on mars and then I asked myself what effects this discover will have.Does it prove the evolutionary theory or does it support it ?The problem is that all these things shake my faith and make me doubt. Whnever I talk about God with an atheist and he bombards me with all these theories about the big bang and all that stuff then I feel miserable afterwards and my faith is shaken.
It's not that I lose it but it takes a while to get over this. The problem is that I have never really experienced God, while other christians have done that.
Others talk about how God touched them, or others had visions of Jesus. I had none of that. I am sure that as soon as God reveals himself to me all these questions and doubts will be over cause when this happens his existence becomes a fact, but what if it'll never happen ?
And doesn't Jesus say that only a bad generation asks for signs ? What does this say about my faith when I need a sign to truly believe ? This makes me feel really bad, I feel so unworthy cause I am not able to believe without a sign.
Sometimes I'm scared that God might not exist and that all the miracles which happen today during evangelisations are only made up.
Sometimes I doubt everything and even if somebody tells me that God encountered him, then I think to myself that maybe this guy is just nuts and made it up.Am I the only one with these problems ?
 
J

Jesusfreak1981

New Member
And what about the opposite ?
What if somebody believes in God not because of the bible but because of testimonies from other christians ? Is this okay ? And is the existence of the bible reason enough to believe in God or does it take more to make us believe ?
I am not sure, but just because the bible exists doesn't mean it's also true. I think that it takes more to believe in God.
 
J

Johnv

New Member
Originally posted by Jesusfreak1981:
For example I just read that water has been found on mars and then I asked myself what effects this discover will have.
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If proven, it means that water is on Mars. That's it.
Does it prove the evolutionary theory or does it support it ?
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Neither. If proven, it means there's water on Mars. That's it.
The problem is that all these things shake my faith and make me doubt. Whnever I talk about God with an atheist and he bombards me with all these theories about the big bang and all that stuff then I feel miserable afterwards and my faith is shaken.
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Whether the earth was created in six days, or in 6 trillion whatevers, the point is that God created.
What does this say about my faith when I need a sign to truly believe ? This makes me feel really bad, I feel so unworthy cause I am not able to believe without a sign.
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It worked for Moses, and it worked for Thomas. They were pretty faithful.
Sometimes I'm scared that God might not exist and that all the miracles which happen today during evangelisations are only made up.
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I'd rather believe in God and be wrong, that not believe and be right.
Sometimes I doubt everything and even if somebody tells me that God encountered him, then I think to myself that maybe this guy is just nuts and made it up.Am I the only one with these problems ?
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I encounter God every day, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. Usually, I get too caught up in the day's activities to acnowlege it.
 
D

dianetavegia

Guest
God created Mars! God created water! He can do as He wishes! None of this matters one iota!

Jesus Freak.... sounds like the devil is trying to beat you over the head with a big old stick of doubt. Kick him to the curb. Next time he puts those doubts in your head, let Jesus answer for you!

Diane
 
J

Jesusfreak1981

New Member
I'd rather believe in God and be wrong, that not believe and be right.

But this is not real faith. Believing simply to be one the safe side isn't okay in my eyes.
I mean God knows wether you believe or wether you do not believe.

As for God creating the world in 6 days or not.
I think the bible doesn't lie. Why should God create the world in millions of years and then say he did it in 6 days ?
A God who created all of this doesn't need millions of years. When the bible cannot be taken literally then we have a huge problem, cause then we can also start to think about wether Jesus meant everything which he said literally. Then it won't take long and the first people will say that hell doesn't really exist and that it was just a metaphor.
 
J

Johnv

New Member
Originally posted by Jesusfreak1981:
But this is not real faith.
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Faith is believing, not knowing for a fact. I don't need to know for a fact that God exists in order to believe in Him.
As for God creating the world in 6 days or not. I think the bible doesn't lie. Why should God create the world in millions of years and then say he did it in 6 days ?
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That's a topic better suited for another forum. Some Christians believe Genesis is literal, some believe it is nonliteral. Neither view believes that God "lied". Both believe the Bible, and both believe God created. If it could be proven tomorrow that God created the earth over millions of years, I'd still believe in Him. Likewise, if it was proven that God created the earth n, say, 12 days, I'd still believe in Him.
A God who created all of this doesn't need millions of years.
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God doesn't even need six days. He could do it in a moment, or in a billion years. Time to God is nothing. How God created doesn't change the fact that He created. If God created the world in six days, He's the creator. If God created the world in millions of years, He's the creator.
When the bible cannot be taken literally then we have a huge problem, cause then we can also start to think about wether Jesus meant everything which he said literally. Then it won't take long and the first people will say that hell doesn't really exist and that it was just a metaphor.
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The Bible is 100% truth. It was not intended to be 100% fact. Jesus' parables are not factual, but the messages in them are true. Some of Revelation is symbolic, yet the message of revelation is true.

Confusing truth and fact is, imo, Satan trying to be divisive, to get people to disbelieve in God. If Satan came to me tomorrow, and proved to me that "this or that isn't literal, therefore the Bible isn't fact", it wouldn't change by belief that the Bible is 100% true.
 
J

Jesusfreak1981

New Member
Originally posted by Johnv:

Faith is believing, not knowing for a fact. I don't need to know for a fact that God exists in order to believe in Him.
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Yes, but the problem is that I will always be vulnerable to doubts and arguments against God as long as it's not absolutely sure that God exists.This is the problem. Whenever I have to face theories about evolution or other stuff it confuses me and drags me down.
Whenever I have doubts I freak out and become frantic. Once I thought that I had found a controversy which could impossibly be explained and I already felt like my faith is over and that God doesn't exist and it was terrible.
It left me being exhausted all the time. Whenever I have doubts it affects my whole life. I cannot be happy as long as these doubts and questions have not been answered.
But I cannot answer all these questions. I cannot answer most questions. This is why I always have to ask somebody, but what if I don't find somebody to answer them ?
I am always depending on people to help me out, but one day I maybe won't have people to answer my questions and then I'm lost cause as soon as a question arrives which I cannot answer I'll not be able to defend my faith.
I have to defend my faith against doubts all the time, this is really hard and it takes all my strength. I wish this would finally end and the only way to end this would be to encounter God.
I also want to know that God loves me and that he accepts me. You will now say that I already know it cause the bible says so, but hearing it from God is still different.I just want to feel loved and know that he loves me and that he knows my problems, this would so fantastic.
 
W

Watchman

New Member
Hello Jf. Well, it sounds like you are human!
I note in your profile that you are a student, and since it did not specify saminary, I take it that you go to a secular university. In such a setting you will certainly hear all kinds of voices (fellow students and faculty), where most all of the rhetoric has a liberal bent.
A former Pastor's wife, at a church I went to said, "You have to have a made up mind." How true. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Don't neglect your studies, but find time to spend in God's word to hear from Him, as well as on your knees to speak to Him. He cares about you. The death of Jesus on the cross is one of the most provable events in human history. It proves God's love for us. And, "Cast all of your cares upon Him, for He cares for you."
As for evolution, it is perhaps the greatest hoax ever devised my man. It is there to explain our existance without God. By what I have seen, the master of the Creation point of view on this board (If I may drop a name) is Helen. I believe that she and her husband have an excellent web sight that shoots evolution full of holes. (Actually, evolution is already full of holes, they merely point them out!)
Praying that you will grow in faith and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
NaasPreacher (C4K)

NaasPreacher (C4K)

Well-Known Member
Hey JF,

I sure understand where you are coming from. I am saved almost 30 years and Satan still tries to plant seeds of doubt.

Are you in a good church where the Bible is faithfully taught? Do you have occasion for godly fellowship with strong Christians? Are you able to spend time alone with God on a regular basis? This won't solve the problem of doubts, but may give you stregth during those times.

As to water on Mars - if God put it there He put it there, He also put rocks and a weak atmosphere there.

Hey, keep plugging away. God is good and He wants to help you through the struggles!
 
B

blackbird

Active Member
JesusFreak---you want an encounter with God, you say??? You want a vision of Jesus?? You want God to touch you?? Its simplier than you think!Here's how--with a quote from me to my church "sheep"---

"Get your nose in the book!!"

Scripture is an inspired, infallable, inerrant way to have what you desperately desire!!!

Signs?? They have to be tested---'cause they may be coming from "Above" or from "Below"---they may be coming "through Moses" or coming "through Jannas and Jambres"

Get into the word---and ask the Holy Spirit to "guide you" into all truth!!

Blackbird
 
J

Jesusfreak1981

New Member
@ Christ4Kildare

No, I don't have christian friends at all, in my town there is not much going on and in my church there are only old people.

@ blackbird

But only focusing on the bible also isn't good in my opinion. I mean many people only read the bible and that's it. The bible has become their god, they don't even try to communicate with God or don't have expectations.
If God exists then he can also communicate with me without using the bible.
It cannot be the solution that you have doubts now and then, this is simply sick. I want a real relationship with God.If I call him father and talk to him and the other day I doubt that he even exist, how do you think does he feel ? This cannot be the solution.
But it's impossible not to have doubts from time to time especially when you are confronted with all these theories. It's also scary that all the other christians experience God but I don't experience him. Why can't I speak in tongues or do other things ? When nothing works, then it's normal that you get doubts.

@ Watchman

Actually I think that the evolutionary theory is silly, but even though I don't believe in it it's still able to make me doubt and this is the problem. Since my faith can be shaken so easily I cannot even talk to other people about it, cause it could really harm my faith. How can I ever be of use for God when I cannot handle this ?
Others told me that they also used to be like me and that they also got doubts until they encountered God and from this day on everything was clear and nothing could shake their faith anymore. This is what I'd like to have.

Imagine scientists find a sceleton of a man who was crucified and say that this sceleton belongs to Jesus cause everything fits, the age, the holes in the hands and feets etc...
Then I would maybe fall off my faith, while other christians which have really experienced Jesus would simply think that it's another trick from the devil. This is the huge difference. As soon as you've really experienced God nothing can harm you any longer. I am vulnerable, while others cannot be harmed in any way.

Imagine men like Billy Graham or other famous men of God, do you think they also doubt God from time to time ? I don't think so. God has revealed himself to them and they don't doubt at all, nothing can harm their faith.
 
D

dianetavegia

Guest
Mark 9:17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." 19 He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." 20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 21 So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But IF You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." 23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
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Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." *NOTICE! THOMAS WAS TOLD TO CHOOSE TO BELIEVE* 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. NOTICE! GOD TELLS US THAT THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN SO THAT WE COULD READ AND BELIEVE!
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JesusFreak... You were BORN in 1981?? Are you 23? How long have you been saved?

Diane
 
J

Jesusfreak1981

New Member
I'm still 22.
I have been a christian for 2 years and 9 month.
Since I don't know any christians in real life I didn't make such a huge progress ar first. I had to find answers to a lot of questions on my own.
I also choose to believe but like I said I am vulnerable. I fear that maybe one day I'm confronted with questions which I cannot answer and then I might lose my faith. I cannot defend my faith against every question.
 
J

Jesusfreak1981

New Member
Dan,
I know many of the arguments of creationists.
Actually what I really desire is simply having a real relationship with God. Why isn't this possible ? Why can't I feel God's love and feel his presence and why can't I ask him things and he replies ? I don't think that my expectations are too high cause I know that other christians have such a relatonship with God. I also want that. I listen to a lot of tapes from evangelists and they often talk about how God lets us feel his love and how his love changes us and enables us to love others. When I listen to that I cannot relate to it, cause I don't feel this love. Others say that hearing God's voice is soooo easy and quote from the bible where Jesus says that his sheep hear his voice. But I hear nothing ! No real voice and also no still small voice and this scares me.
When it works with all the others then why not with me ?
 
NaasPreacher (C4K)

NaasPreacher (C4K)

Well-Known Member
JF,

As metioned a couple of times - get into the Word of God, immerse yourself in it. Find a good, sound, Bible preaching church where the Word of God is central. God speaks though His written Word. Dig in JF!
 
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