Intelligent Design all round us proves the existence of God. carbon dioxide oxygen exchange between man and plants is a grand example.

The way animals are designed for their environments - there is no fluke or chance regarding that.

Sadly there is always going to be some smart alec who mocks God and mocks his existence who has not had a personal experience of the God of the universe Adonai. The truth is everyone will die and have to face God and for those who have excepted Yeshua/Jesus and repented of their sins will receive eternal life and be with the Lord - the choice is yours - that is free will.

Ardvark71,

Enjoyed your testimony.

greencedar

Studies have shown that atheist and believers brains use different pathways to process religious thought, typically with believers it is either pathways that regulate fear or are used for language, whereas for atheists and agnostics it tends to be with pathways associated with visual processing.

Would an all powerful loving God cast me into hell simply because my brain is *literally* wired differently than yours?

Both of those links state that it is God's responsibility for convincing non-believers.

If I am reading this correctly, would it be right for me to stand on judgement day in front of God and ask God why he didn't convince me?

It is hard to argue with:

"that God will convict her of her self-righteousness and her need for Christ"

and

"You can’t convince people to enter into that relationship. That is God’s responsibility."

Am I missing something?

Hello Aaron,

Thanks for the quick reply.

My wife, who is in charge of banking (and other personal things) and it has been like that since we were married 1969 at my behest. And that is another story!

As far as the email Jan has no problems leaving the above noted email as is, she is pretty savvy with the computer on that side of things and if anything amiss comes along she can deal with it, so please don't worry about that, Thank you for your idea and concern.

Many regards

Tom and Jan

Hello Aaron,

It has been a blessing for me to communicate this way with a fellow believer and pray you remain strong in him under any circumstance and situation.

I think I should retreat a little from your blog if that is alright with you. You will want to hear from others. I looked over how we have blessed the Lord in our experiences which he has set up and we could go on for quire a long time more. I am thoroughly blessed and I do praise God for a 'kindred spirit' in the things we have discussed, and how our Father in Heaven leads us on, taking us as we are/were and working so very close to us within. It still excites me to think of our potential glorious life to come and even to taste of it during our Christian walk now.

Of course I have chosen as a testimony some of the highlights of my Christian walk, there have been times which were not so sweet as we experience life here on earth. I don't mean my relationship with God, in forty two years of following him, The Lord Jesus Christ, I have never wanted to backslide or feel sorry for being put on this walk. The work of God in 1974 was such that I have never thought of going back into the 'world'. But people can be vicious and mocking when they find that your are a Christian. Even in ones own family one is not totally accepted any-more and tend to make one feel as though you are the black sheep of the family.

However, when a person has truly tasted and seen that the Lord is good that becomes like a balming oil or the oil of Gilead,for me, both meaning solace and comfort. Even 'fellow so-Christians' who barely read the word of God tend to misunderstand what a true Christian wants and what he or she is willing to do for God.

Well Aaron you could connect with me by this email tjmcbor@yahoo.com. I put it on a blog because it is only a backup for our lively email and if any-one scams it, we can delete it with no problem at all. From that email I would respond to our normal email. Sorry to be a little concerned like this but it is for our security reasons only.

I really thank you for your invitation to take part on your blog, and if you ever come to Fl let us know and we will meet up with you here.

God bless

Tom and Jan

Hello Aaron,
We are but pilgrims in this world, someone said! We still have to go about our business in earning a living, supporting a wife and family etc. but our thoughts are regularly upon the Kingdom of God, for example Colossians 3:1,2,3, particularly vs 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. I did check our your references and we are saying the same thing. A true Christian life is not a stagnant life. We are exhorted and encouraged in all types of things like putting off the old man, which seems to be a perpetual and daily routine and put the new man. Put on the whole armor of God, pray that we be found worthy when the Lord comes back , and I could go on. Even to adding to our faith, like virtue, knowledge (of the word), temperance and more found in 2Peter 1:5 onward. We do not attempt to work our way into heaven but we do need to prepare because we are going to heaven.

On The Holy Spirit, an experience! When my wife and I arrived at the Bible College and lessons began, a middle aged man, a Pastor and I would call him a man of God challenged the whole class as follows: I know, he said, that you are here to learn about God and you all say you are Christians. I would like you all to check that out by asking yourself if you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, he challenged. I thought wow, and told myself that indeed the Holy Spirit is dwelling in me because of the evidence of a dramatic change of life that occurred. there was no way that I could have picked myself up with my own bootstraps. Just ask my wife how my ambitions and objects of life and desires were all turned around. Anyway we went back to our room that night and I knelt down and went into prayer. Something like: Lord, I know the Holy Spirit is dwelling within me. But I believe you sent us here for edification and knowledge of your word. Therefore I have put myself subservient to these godly instructors. This instructor has asked us to check out the presence of your Holy Spirit in us. I ask this for me, not of doubt but of obedience. Please Lord show me that he does dwell within me. The answer came very rapidly. I'll try to explain it like this: When a person has experienced the love of God within, when you know you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and there is much evidence in a dramatic life changing experience, and you have joy and happiness and know that in Christ we have eternal life, and deep within there is a peace, a deep peace and even an anticipation of the life to come, can you imagine what that must feel like? (excuse the word 'feel' because this was more than feeling) and in an instant it is all taken away.

I really don't think I have the vocabulary to explain how I felt, despair, fear, loneliness, a darkness you could almost feel, abandoned, to me it was fearfully terrible. Boy did I cry out to the Lord and ask his forgiveness and restore me back again. Shortly, these horrible senses and feelings went away and the previous mode of Joy, happiness all came back. I would not recommend any one to do that! The next day I testified in class what had happened.

I will not go there again. I have no need to because I know my life has been taken care of under my Father since 1974. On hindsight, on the things that I got up to before I was saved, I am sure the Lord was guiding me home even then. I continue to praise God for what he has done for me and my wife over the years. We have had a very interesting life in the secular and in the spiritual side of things under God.
Yes God exists, Yes the Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, Yes my Lord sent to me, the Comforter.

Blessings to you
Tom and Jan

Hello Aaron,

I have waited till now to see if Arne would respond. Therefore I would like to respond to his first quote by saying one word: Testimony.

When a person has truly become a Christian, that person will surely have something to say regarding his/her change of life. A true spiritual change begins from the depths of the human being, it transforms the mind, heart and spirit. And since the Lord Jesus Christ stated that He is the author and finisher of our faith, then we can have confidence that what he has changed us into here on earth, will be fully glorified in Heaven. So if we keep emphasizing the differences as we grow in the Lord, and fight the good fight, that is the spirit against the flesh, we will approach the likeness of Christ. We will become One with Christ as he is One with the Father, and we will be One with other, true Born Again Christians. a true Christian knows exactly what he will be like in the Kingdom of God, he will be like the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen


If you start finding common traits and issues you will find friends!

I will put a Christian approach to that quote as follows: Heb. 10:25 Let us not forsake the fellowship that we have amongst ourselves, as the manner of some is....Tyndale. This has to be coupled with 1John 1:3 That which we have seen and declare we unto you that you may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. However even this may not work too well unless: Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is NONE OF HIS.Av

So in practice I look for finding common traits and issues with you Aaron, peculiarly focused on the word of God and find we have a common foundation, that of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in him we can have true fellowship one with another and with Almighty God through the Lord Jesus Christ in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Hope this helps you Arne but a little,

Regards
Thomas

Dear friend:

If you keep emphazising the differences you will end up being different from what you thought you are.

If you start finding common traits and issues you will find friends!

Arne Matthias Krüger, Germany

Hello Aaron,

Beautiful! Our God is a great and loving God. I was just reading John 17:20-23 when I read your experience. Truly, Almighty God was in the Lord Jesus Christ and they were one, and that spiritual oneness has been passed into those who love the Father and the the Son. And when the opportunity to witness to whomsoever, that Heavenly oneness is passed on to others like as the lady you just referred to. Praise Almighty God for his wonders he performs daily upon the likes of you and I.

When my wife and I were in Italy and shortly after out conversion I was to go to one of our military sites for a phone call. In Italy, apparently one is not supposed to stop and pick people up from the highway. Well, less than a quarter of a mile away from where we lived (Licola, just outside and North of Naples) a young married couple (she was Dutch and he was Italian, were thumbing a ride on the highway. They were called John and Aletha Squillacotti, I was specifically instructed to stop and pick this couple up. I fought with it for a few moments but finally relented and stopped for them. I proceeded to tell them that I was only going to a certain junction, at which I would have to let them out so I could go on my way to the site. We had general conversion, I knowing I had only about 5 minutes with them. Well, the junction came, I did not stop, and asked exactly where they were going, they told me about another 5 mile or so. Then my tongue was loosed to bear witness of our God. When we got to their destination, their home, they asked me to enter into their home for an Italian Anti-Pasta: I replied, 'Only if you will permit me to you talk to you about the Lord Jesus Christ'. I could not believe I was being so bold, not really like me, I tend to be more laid back! They responded, 'Yes certainly'. Anyway to cut a longer story short, a few weeks later, at new year, as they were laying in bed, so they said, they both accepted the Lord in the privacy of their home. Shortly after, they left the the area and I tried to stay in touch with them but that eventually faded out. Of course prayer was made for them and we hope they followed through with the Lord.

I say to you, well done for your faithfulness to Christ in your availability and openness to the Holy Spirit of God. You are obviously not just a 'church goer' and I praise the Lord for you. It seems to me that as we are open to God, people enter into our lives and we do what we can for them in the Lord and bear witness.

In the love of Christ Jesus
Tom and Jan