________________________________
1. “Have I ever doubted God's existence?”
Answer: I think if we are all honest with our selves the answer to that question has to be YES. In fact I think the first mention of the devil in scripture proves that he is out to attack our faith. You will remember in Genesis Satan said to Eve “hath God said”? His tactic was to cause her to question what she believed to be truth. The reason he wants to destroy our faith or belief in God is that He knows that faith is the prerequisite to having any relationship with God. (Heb 11:6 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.) However when I stop to consider even the world around me I conclude that there must be an almighty. Consider this, order never comes from chaos unless there is some kind of outside intervention. A Rolex watch that keeps perfect time even if the parts were all in one place would never function without the watchmaker. Scientists would have us to believe that the earth evolved, or there was a big bang and from chaos came to what we know today. An earth that is so precise in its rotation, an earth that sits on its axes with such perfection that it will sustain human life. If the earth were tilted more than 3 degrees one way we would all burn up and if it tilted more than 3 degrees the other way we would all freeze. To me that kind of order would require some out side intervention, a divine creator. For me personally it would take more faith to believe that things just evolved than to believe that someone, a creator intervened and made what we behold everyday.
2. “Have I ever doubted what I believe?”
Answer: Now as for doubting what I believe. When I was a child I certainly did not know the things that I have learned as I matured and became an adult. In fact I find myself (praise God) learning everyday. Truth never changes but our perception of the truth must change. When I came to Christ I was a “babe in the Lord” and as I have matured in Christ my understanding of certain doctrines has changed as well because my revelation has grown. The truth was always there but my understanding of the truth was unclear or at times only partial. I think many Christians face the struggle sometimes of holding to what they have been taught or allowing themselves to change because of a greater understanding or because of a revelation that they never fully understood. In example (Paul on the road to Damascus thinking that he is doing God a favor killing the Christians. However he soon found himself with a new revelation of who Jesus was. Faced with this new understanding Paul had two choices. Keep killing Christians or rethink his position:) In my life and my walk with Christ I have questioned at times what I believe and asked myself why I believe it. And there have certainly been times that I too have rethought my position and made changes in my belief because I came to a greater understanding. I believe that’s called growth.
3. How did I overcome doubts?
Answer: Jesus said in John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. And again in John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. From this we may conclude that not only will truth make you free but that truth is His word. And the more word I know and understand the freer from doubts and uncertainties I become. Truth in its self will not free you, but the truth that you know or the truth that you understand, that’s what makes you free. I am attaching a teaching lesson that I taught a few years ago concerning God’s word. What He has said and how it came to pass. I believe that they are proof that God is who he says he is. These things that are pointed out could not have happened by mere coincidence. Again there had to be some outside intervention and the more I understand his word the more convinced that I am of His eternal power and glory.
I pray that in some small way this has helped. If you would like to visit further on the subject I would be happy to make myself available anytime. May God bless,
Pastor Gary
Prophesy, The Signature Of God!
Teaching Lesson:
Text: Isaiah 41:22-26 & 46:8-10
Introduction: In their context, the scriptures are referring to Cyrus the King of Persia. The prophecies are referring to the time God would cause King Cyrus to allow the Children of Israel to go back to Jerusalem & rebuild the city. You will read of the fulfillment of these prophecies in the book of Ezra and the book of Nehemiah. However this is not the points that I intend to focus on. What I intend to concentrate on is the fact that God tells us here, that the way we will know that He is God, and the way we will know that there is none like Him, is the fact that He has declared the end from the beginning. Meaning that the Prophecies that have been spoken and fulfilled are Proof that He is the great I am God. God says, “They are my signature”. There are well, over 6000 verses of prophecy in the scripture that prove to the world & us that God & His word is truth. There are many prophecies that have been fulfilled, while there are others that are being fulfilled in our day & time, and still others that are yet to be fulfilled in the days to come. I want to study just some of the Prophecies that God spoke about Christ. Some of the Prophecies that we are about to look into were spoken nearly 2000 years before His birth, & yet fulfilled with such accuracy that it proves that only A Divine, all knowing all powerful God.
Consider:
Descendant From The Tribe Of Judah: Gen: 49:10
The Place Of His Birth: Micah 5:2
Born Of A Virgin: Isaiah 7:14
As A Prophet: De. 18:15
His Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem: Zec. 9:9
Betrayed By A Friend: Ps. 41:9
Sold For Thirty Pieces Of Silver: Zec. 11:12-13
Money Returned For a Potters Field. Zec. 11:13 <> Mt. 27:3-10
Silent When Accused: Isaiah 53:7
Crucified With Sinners: Isaiah 53:12
Given Gall and Vinegar: Ps. 69:21
Soldiers casting Lots for His Garments: Ps. 22:16-18
To Be Buried with The Rich: Isaiah 53:9
Not A Bone To be Broken: Ex.12: 46 & Ps. 34:20
15. Hands and Feet Pierced: Ps. 22:16
Time does not permit to tell you all of the Prophecies That was fulfilled in the life of Christ, but this should be enough proof to convince even the most hardcore skeptic. Just think, theses things were spoken thousands of years before His birth. No man could know suck things. No man if he knew them could bring them to pass. God says this is the proof that I am God & there is none like me.
Final Thought: If these things have come to pass with such great accuracy, we must remember that He has promised to return to receive us unto himself. John 14:1-3
