Why doesn't God show himself?

[someguy]

People keep saying that proof of his existence requires faith.  How am I supposed to see the evidence without faith?  Really that is not evidence at all.  It would require blind acceptance of something with no evidence for it at all which is backwards to me.  It would be like me telling you that only by divorcing any beliefs you had and giving yourself completely and blindly to the ideas of evolution, for example, would you ever be able to see proof that it exists.  From that standpoint doesn't it seem silly?
Yes, you have given me evidence that some of the historical, non-religious parts of the bible are true, which does lend it slightly more credibility, but in no way proves its truth.

[Early57]

I may get this wrong but I will mention it anyway.


There was a study done that covered " is Jesus who they say Jesus is"

It covered the Prophecies and the study concluded that he is who the bible says he is and the chances of anyone else fullfilling just 8 of the 300 pre-prophecies about him was

1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000  

It is discribed as covering the state of Texas two feet deep in silver dollars and then putting an X on one of the Dollars and someone walking out in Texas and throwing the dollar with the X on it just randomly and then go get a Blind man place him in Texas just anywhere and telling him he has one chance to pick up the one silver dollar with the X on it.  

So if you want to do a search and locate the information for yourself there is the word of God and it is basicly free if you go to just about any AOG church.  they will give you one and you can study the same prophecies.  until then you should not open your faithless opinion up.  I can take the word of God as proof enough that Jesus is who he says he is and who the word says he is.



Have you read the entire word of God?

[ollie]

 Hebrews 9:26.  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 Hebrews 9:28.  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto THEM that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Open up your hearts to receive something other than what you can sense with your eyes, nose, ears, body, and mouth.

The heart spiritually senses and sees God. The day is coming when the physical senses will know Him again as all eyes will see Him, sinner and believer. Even those that hung Him on the tree.

[joyunending]

Sometimes we have to quit 'looking' with our head or intellect and just search with our hearts.  Blessed are you 'Thomas" for you have seen and believed, but more blessed are those who have not seen and still believed!  What more can you say ?.
     Faith sometimes doesn't make any sense.  In fact most of the time it doesn't... it is based on the Word, the historical facts which more and more are being uncovered all the time, and the 'still small  voice' that you hear, the feeling of peace that you can't explain to anyone.  The 'presence' of the Holy Spirit as it guides you in your life... The evidence of the small every day miracles that you see when you watch a humming bird, or a rainbow...  
     This may all sound kind of nostalgic, but it is an every day presence that is 'felt' in your heart.  May your search bring you there.... God bless, Joy

[someguy]

Early57:  I've heard that argument and I'm not sure how it goes either, but that does not sound correct....please explain in more detail.

In response to looking with more than my eyes, ears, etc.:  
You all assume that I have not looked.  I spent several years of my life attending church.  Never did I feel what you all tell me I haven't searched for.  This feeling has never come to me after years of church and then searching for it on my own.  In those days I did not have the doubts that I have now.  But as I did not find this feeling, I began to search with my mind, my eyes, ears, etc. which has lead me to where I am now.

[Petro]

Have faith in God.

God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:


Petro

[joyunending]

Someguy,, I wish I had an easy answer for you, but easy isn't the way to Christ.... sometimes our intellect can get in the way and the things we 'know' are the things that block us from what is right....
   All I know that it says in the Bible to seek and you will find, knock and it shall be opened up to you... so do not cease seeking, God will show Himself to those who are seeking with an open heart and mind , don't close off your 'mind' with a prove it to me or else attitude.... search with a heart that is saying, God, please show yourself to me, make in me a pure heart where you can reside.... keep searching,,,and may God open up your eyes and your heart to all He can give you... Joy

[suzie]

Someguy,

You are not far from coming to know God if you have invested so much energy and time into having it proven to you.

The hard part of it all, is that to know God we have to lay down our own rebellious pride. We, as humans do not so easily do that.  I went to church, I would have even told you I was a Christian, although I hardly was.  I lived for me, and was essentially my own little god. It is times when the weight of the consequences of our own choices brings us to our knees, that we cry out to God.  Sometimes, even after God intervenes on our behalf during those times of crisis, we then take on our own godliness again, not really giving up  our own miserable ways for God's. But for those of us who truly desire to follow Him, He reaches out and brings us to Him, and we belong.  It is only then that our eyes and ears are opened to His truth.  It is about desire.  When your desire is to leave the life you now have, that is when your answers will come.

[Bronzesnake]

I may get this wrong but I will mention it anyway.


There was a study done that covered " is Jesus who they say Jesus is"

It covered the Prophecies and the study concluded that he is who the bible says he is and the chances of anyone else fullfilling just 8 of the 300 pre-prophecies about him was

1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000  

It is discribed as covering the state of Texas two feet deep in silver dollars and then putting an X on one of the Dollars and someone walking out in Texas and throwing the dollar with the X on it just randomly and then go get a Blind man place him in Texas just anywhere and telling him he has one chance to pick up the one silver dollar with the X on it.  

So if you want to do a search and locate the information for yourself there is the word of God and it is basicly free if you go to just about any AOG church.  they will give you one and you can study the same prophecies.  until then you should not open your faithless opinion up.  I can take the word of God as proof enough that Jesus is who he says he is and who the word says he is.



Have you read the entire word of God?

 Hi E57...
The actual numbers are slightly different.
Here's a quote from Grant Jeffrey's book "The Signiture Of God"

 "The Old Testament contains over three hundred passages that refer to the first coming of the Messiah. Within these hundreds of passages, Bible scholars have found fourty-eight specific details about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. These scriptural prophecies were published over five centuries before Christ was born in Bethlehem."

 To make a point, seventeen of these prophecies were examined.
 " we will examine seventeen specific prophecies in this analysis of Old Testament predictions that were fulfilled in the life of Jesus of Nazareth."

 To view the seventeen prophecies click this link...
www.xsorbit4.com/users/greentea/index.cgi?board=apologetics&action=display&num=1052971524

 The combined probability against these 17 predictions occuring is equal to...
 1 chance in 480 Billion x 1 Billion x 1 Trillion
or...1 chance in 480,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

[bluelake]

To someguy,
I found your question interesting. I'm happy to know that your thinking about God. He loves you and certaintly thinks about you.
Eph. 2:8-9 tells us that we are saved by grace through faith. It is a gift of God. We all come to Christ( his Son) the same way, by His grace through faith.
Pray that God will reveal himself to you.
The Bible tells us that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Holy Scripture leads us to Christ.  2Tim3;15
I'm new on this forum.
god bless you,
bluelake  

[John the Baptist]

By asking this I don't mean literally, obviously.  I mean why doesn't God make it obvious to everyone that he exists.  There exists no real evidence for God.  Also, why so many different religions that all say you have to believe in the exact word?  I know most people will say 'to test your faith'.  But to me that seems ridiculous.  If you do decide there is a God you still have to choose between which religion is right.  It seems to me that if God made it obvious that he did exist and which religion is correct it would be a big enough test to follow exactly what he says, something which few religious people do anyways.  What do you all think about this?

*********
Hi, John here:
It [is] ALL here & there! If you read Hebrews 6:3-6 you will see two class of people that have been Born Again. There is NO POSSIBILITY of these ones to NOT KNOW & BELIEVE THAT GOD EXISTS! Just check the possitives! (they even know why we have a male & female with two set of kneecaps! )

Yes. There are another class who have never been Born Again, and these ones will need to commit SPIRITUAL SUICIDE (I give up Lord) to have this above belief & understanding.

---John

[asaph]

someguy,
Do not concern yourself with your experience.
Ask these questions: " Why does anything exist?
 Why can't there be nothing?
 What would "nothing" be like?
 Does "nothing" have a color? Is it clear? No, that would be something.
You see, the human mind cannot conceive of "nothing." Like someone has said: "I think, therefore I am."

Was there ever a time when there was "nothing"? If so, how did something arrive?
There always had to be something.
But what form of existence was that "something".  How could there be enough energy to keep that "something" going for eternity? The laws of physics defy such a thought. Everything we see had to have a beginning, but "something" had to begin it. What was that "something".
By now you should be coming to the conclusion that there has to be a Great Something that has been forever. But do not bother imagining what that Great Something is. Just look in the Bible and you will see.

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Isa 40:21  Don't you know? Haven't you heard? Isn't it clear that God created the world?
Isa 40:22  God is the one who rules the whole earth, and we that live here are merely insects. He spread out the heavens like a curtain or an open tent.
Isa 40:23  God brings down rulers and turns them into nothing.
Isa 40:24  They are like flowers freshly sprung up and starting to grow. But when God blows on them, they wilt and are carried off like straw in a storm.
Isa 40:25  The holy God asks, "Who compares with me? Is anyone my equal?"
Isa 40:26  Look at the evening sky! Who created the stars? Who gave them each a name? Who leads them like an army? The LORD is so powerful that none of the stars are ever missing.
Isa 40:27  You people of Israel, say, "God pays no attention to us! He doesn't care if we are treated unjustly." But how can you say that?
Isa 40:28  Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The LORD is the eternal God, Creator of the earth. He never gets weary or tired; his wisdom cannot be measured.
Isa 40:29  The LORD gives strength to those who are weary.
Isa 40:30  Even young people get tired, then stumble and fall.
Isa 40:31  But those who trust the LORD will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired.

asaph
 

[Seven_Tides]

If you are asking why God hasn't shown himself, or don't believe in Him creating the Universe, read:

Job 38:4-42

God asks 84 questions of Job. Job didn't answer one. Can you?

[someguy]

So Asaph: by saying "do not concern yourself with your experience", are you saying to forego all logical and rational thinking?  to ignore everything that makes me human?

You are also saying that the universe or some version of it cannot have possibly existed forever.  It had to be designed.  But then what about God?  Wouldnt God then have to be designed?  If He has existed forever, for what purpose?  Why can a God exist forever but not the universe or some version of it?

[Ralph]

  Someguy: Why doesn't God show Himself? Well, how about if He descended from heaven and lived among men for 33 years, giving many miraculous signs, even to the point of raising people from death, told in advance that He would be put to death but rise again on the third day and then did just that--how would that be? Try seriously reading the gospels
and take seriously His statement that anyone who has seen Him has seen the Father. Learn more about Jesus, and as you study, remember that Jesus is exactly like God the Father is.
As you read, realize the same compassion which you see in Jesus is also in the Father. Finally, take seriously Jesus statement: "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign and no sign shall be given it but the sign of Jonah; for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the grat fish, so the Son of Man shall be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." That means that the ultimate testimony to the deity of Christ is His resurrection.
That is the one thing all unbelief must deal with.