Faith

Faith is wonderful. I know that even though people disagree with me there is One who will stand beside me. I know that God will protect me as he protected HIS people throughout history. The love of God is eternal and he promises eternal life. But he also promises to protect us here on earth as well, that is why he is a personable God and not a god that is distant from his people. He is active in our lives and loves all his people.
Free will is something he gives us to challange us. Sin may tempt me but it DOES NOT touch me. I am covered by the grace and love of God through the crucifiction of Jesus Christ who bears all my sin and shame. And the work of God is done in me through the Holy Spirit that keeps me moving on.
I believe in the Holy Trinity that is God and forever will be God. I may suffer from persecution but I know that I am better off by believing in God than I am if I were the persecutor. Christ DIED for ME!!! How great is that. My God is AWESOME and creates in me two lives that I am grateful and thankful for. There is no one that can tell me I'm silly for believing God will provide because God already HAS provided. I prayed for a baby and God exceded my expectations and gave me the BLESSING of two. I prayed for a way to survive my last year in college and God created the way for me to escape the depression, anxiety, and fear I had. I prayed for a caring, loving husband and God gave me Seth (who kisses my belly twice every morning because he loves these two lives even though he's never met them). God gave me a job in lansing and provided an opportunity and paved the way for Seth and I to return to Grand Rapids. God gave me loving parents and three wonderful sisters who encourage me and help me along this journey of life. God has protected my family from so much and has provided so many ways where we never thought possible, and prayer was our only hope.

THANK YOU GOD! Your love and joy runs through me and provides more than I can ask for. You have created me and given me life anew every morning. You Lord, have given me a gift, and I boast in it. Lord protect my families and my friends. You are creator and protector of all. Create a new flame in the unbelievers and give them the light they do not know. Lord, create in me a way to show that light more; at home, at work and wherever you allow my feet to step, or my hands to touch. THANK YOU LORD. AMEN

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to ut their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything...Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." 1 Timothy 6:17-18

Jesus prays this for US:
"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. The are not of the world..." John 17: 15-16.

"For the Mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is his name." Luke 1:49

Comments

Adam said…
Well put. I'm glad you have found something that helps give you strength. My agnostic veiws clearly have made me forget how much credit people give God for everyday events.
I'd love to sit down with you and Seth sometime and discuss yours and my veiw on God, Jesus, the world, and religion. I personally find the whole topic fasinating. This topic more than any other has shaped the world as we know it.
Sarah I am very happy for you, and Seth. God gave you great husband. He also gave you two babies instead of one. I know that you can handle it. I love you and seth very much. remember on thing when Ashley get's older she can babysit for you. Also remember that God doesn't more than we can handle. Look at me and how far I have come in the last six year's of my life. God gave a beautiful gift but isn't giving me more than I can handle. I love you guy's and your babies.
Adam said…
God talk is annoying.
Adam said…
An amusing link about the bible:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8463073960287313294&q=bullshit
Adam said…
Go to this link, it is by far the best! I mostly think this because I came to the exact same conclusion resently. That is shunning profanity is arbitrary, useless, and childless; that the point should be the context and not the words.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4379389423057119861&q=bullshit
Adam said…
Of course they took things out of context, they aren't trying to be unbiased. The truth is that much, much of what they say is true, people have to bend backwards to interpret the bible the way they want to see things. This dispite the fact 1. the bible contradicts itself 2. the bible is a collection of books put together by a group of people in the 1st century. 3. The most pure copy of any book of the new testement that we have is something like the 64th copy(ie. copy of a copy of a copy) and that most biblical scholars agree that it is inacurate. 4. The idea of a God occupying a body in the form of a christ is rediculous if you think about it. If you had never heard of it before, with the knowledge you have now, you would simply throw it out as folklore, mythology, or misguided people. If you don't beleive me about this fact. Ask yourself this? What do you think about the mormon idea of John Smith? Islam? Dianetics(Tom Cruises faith)? Jehova's witnesses. Do you think they are rational? What is the difference between your beleifs and theirs? Certainly not any facts or science- just a hunch, tradition, faith??? 5. Well...I could go on and on but won't because I am not going to convince anyone of anything. The fact is that I understand how ya'll see things because I used to use the same glasses but after much thought, struggle, research, and debate have come to the conclusion that it is all bullshit! The most accurate statement on that video said, -smart people are very good at rationalizing things they came to beleive for non-smart reasons! I've rationalized too; that is until I just came to the point that I could no longer ignore the blizzard of irrationality that accompianied such beliefs.

Another part I especially liked was the part about another christ (Apalonious) during the same time period. Once again, none of this stuff in new to me, but I like it because it entertainingly portrays many of my veiws.

Another good episode is the one on creationism. Just type bullshit into google video to find it. Personally, I think you have to have your head stuck up your ass to actually beleive in creationalism. Christianity I can understand because you can't actively PROVE it wrong. The facts refuting creationalism are however overwhelming!
Lori said…
Adam said, "God talk is annoying."
- Wow - that is a sad statement. My heart breaks for you, Adam. There is a spiritual warfare going on out there and Satan is at work to steal and destroy, and I'm sorry you are caught up in the lies Satan feeds us.

As far as all of those other religions go, did they have a man who was beaten and mocked and nailed to a cross? Did they have a man who bled and DIED for them and for their sins? And better yet, if they did have a man who died for them, I bet he didn't rise from the dead like God did! God conquered death; He rose again; He lives today.

Bottom line is - God did win the battle, and He has the final say come judgement day. The options are Heaven or Hell. Like it or not - that's IT. I pray that you will know where you are going.
Adam said…
Lori writes -"As far as all of those other religions go, did they have a man who was beaten and mocked and nailed to a cross? Did they have a man who bled and DIED for them and for their sins? And better yet, if they did have a man who died for them, I bet he didn't rise from the dead like God did!"

Yes his name was Apalonious.

This however is beside the point; you're simply pointing out things that you think are unique about your brand of religion and calling that special. All of these religions have their own special flavorings too. Should I point out their flavorings and as you if Christianity has that? Pick your poison.

Heaven or Hell. What a perfect social construct. No wonder modern Christianity is so appealing. Its a bunch of scare tactics.

Using your own book as evidence...
Jesus said, “I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:47). Hell is against the Chritian God's character. Why would a loving, merciful God put peole in Hell?

If you critically follow the history of the church and biblical writings, the whole idea of hell is very suspect! I could explain but this website does a much better job- http://www.tentmaker.org/ifhellisreal.htm

Start thinking critically instead of regurgitating what others have told you!

I repeat- smart people are very good at rationalizing things they came to beleive for non-smart reasons!

The bible refers multiple times analogously of God's people being sheep. Stop taking that analogy so literally and blindly following the proverbial flock. Baaaah, baaaaah.