Ask a Christian, what would you like to know about our faith.

[CenterPointEX]

Some times I feel as if I am a single fish swimmg in a tank of sharks. Are there any other Bible beleiving Christians on this forum? If so declare yourself. And if you are not a Christian ask me questions about my faith in order that I might polish my articulation about what it is that I actually believe. Also that you might articulate and meditate on what it is you actually believe.

[Outlaw Lineman]

I was raised in a Bible beliving Christian family. Yes I belive but I don't attend services.

[Hemingray Insulators]

I beleive in God, but right now i'm a struggleing Christian. as of lately it feels more like i'm going to church more out of habit than out of love for our God.

[CenterPointEX]

Outlaw, do you feel that not attending church has any kind of effect on your faith? For me, attending Bible Studies at church feeds my faith. I mean it is hard to walk around in this world sometimes because there is so much anti-christian sentiment out there. Folks kind f relagate ya to kook status. In a community of christians we are mutually encouraged by each others faith. Ya don't really knowfolks till ya spend time with them. Kinda like here. To an extent we know each other. I enjoy engaging folks minds. Even more so the minds of men of faith.

Swamp, what part specificly of the Jesus incident do you have trouble with? Do you believe Jesus existed? Do you believe was a great teacher? Do you believe he was crucified? Do you believe his apostles believe he rose from the dead? or do you believe his apostles made up the story of Jesus rising from the dead?

Hemi Insulter, I'm going to go out on a limb and say you are Catholic?

[Hemingray Insulators]

Hemi Insulter, I'm going to go out on a limb and say you are Catholic?

nope, not Catholic, but free methodist.

[CHICAGO HAND.]

I Got Saved In 1993,
I Worked With A Man Who Invited Me To His Church Which Was A Very Conservitive Church Where My Life Was Changed.

I Was Asked By Him One Time If I Believed In God And I Told Him Absolutely, And His Reply Was That Even The Devil And His Demons Believe.

That Was The Start Of My Journey To Accepting Christ.

[CenterPointEX]

Amen Chicago Hand... Praise the Lord.

Re-energized, when they train people to combat counterfeit bills they do not train them on fakes. They make them so familiar with the real thing that they can spot a counterfeit a mile away. I use this illustration because of your run in with the Jehovah Wittness.

.... The Bible teaches cover to cover that we are sinners. The penalty for sin is death. Eternal death. We are guilty of breaking Gods law and we deserve death. Now there is no way out but to pay that penalty under the law. There is no good work that a person can do to satisfy this penalty. No matter how much good you do for your fellow man, you still owe a debt for your sin... death... Jesus, Gods son became man. He lived a perfect life, he did not sin. Jesus took the penalty of the law that we deserved and death/seperation from God was visited up on him. But because of his purity, death could not hold him. Because death could not hold him, he rose from the dead and returned to the Father to prepare a place for us.
....... Jesus made this sacrifice for all who would accept it. If a person will put their trust in Jesus to lead them, he will give them a new life in him. In putting their trust in Christ, a person dies to his or her self and is reborn in Jesus Christ. The new life in them is Christ living in them. That person no longer lives for his or her self but rather for and in Christ. When we put on Christ, God then sees us perfect as Christ is perfect.

....... The Jehova Witness teach that a man can work his way to heaven. That somehow doing good will wipe away their debt to the law which says that the penalty for death is sin. There is no good work under the law which can remove the death penalty. The JW's are not Christians, they are a cult.

....In the book of John it says, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God, and Jesus is the Word made flesh. Jesus said to Satan in response to temptation, "Man does not live by bread alone, but rather by every Word that comes from God." Jesus is the Word made flesh and he has given his body for us. Re-Energized it is good that you read Gods Word to your children, because if you did not, you would starve them. In a Bible believeing church, folks feast togather on the Word of God. Somehow when folks have a meal togather they grow in fellowship with one another. I don't know why but having meals togather builds relationships.
.... Relationships are what all men seek. Relationships are what God is all about. God is about love and relationship is the expression of that love. If you do not enter into a relationship with Gods family in a Bible believing Chruch, you deny yourself a great source of joy and comfort. A Bible teaching church will serve you meals of Gods word. These meals will grow you and make you strong so that no matter what the enemy Satan throws at you, you will be able to weather it and remain strong with your Church family there to support you.
..... My last tramp, found me in California. It is lonely for a fella on the road away from his family. But, I am LCMS which is a Bible believing, Bible teaching, Bible breathing Church. I went down to Grace Lutheran in Ventura Cal and joined with their family. Folks there had a fellowship with me from the get go because we are brothers and sisters in Christ. We studied Gods word togather, they invited me to their homes to have meals with them etc.

Re-Energized, I am hearing that you had a bad experience with a church. If you will PM me with your location, I can find for you a Bible believing church that will welcome and support you and your family.

2Gen, specficly because folks are chosing in droves not to gather togather and have fellowship in Gods Word, they are no longer learning table manors. Que lo dice antes, when folks dine togather they grow in relationship. When they dine togather on Gods Word, they are mutualy encouraged by each others faith.

You seem to have some reservations about the Bible, What part in the Old Testiment specificly do you have trouble with?

[2ndGenHopeful]

I believe in God (and evolution - science is man's way of explaining how God created, creates and will create).

Baptised Lutheran and raised in a family that believes in God but does not attend church. I do not attend church. I choose to discuss religion, Jesus, God and morals with friends and family much in the same way as the direction this thread is going. I have not read the Bible cover to cover and may not- many of my trusted friends have had difficulty with the old testament.

I try to be respectful, caring, take time to listen to my fellow man, help whenever I am able - BE SUBJECT TO ONE ANOTHER...THE GOLDEN RULE...where did this go in our society?

[OLE' SORE KNEES]

Matthew 10:33

[scammy]

I talk to god every time I get near my work ,,,I believe I am forgiven for my sins through Jesus Christ ,,,,,,I can get killed any second,,,,,,,,Im on borrowed time now.scammy

[BigClive]

I talk to god every time I get near my work ,,,I believe I am forgiven for my sins through Jesus Christ ,,,,,,I can get killed any second,,,,,,,,Im on borrowed time now.scammy

That's an interesting work philosophy. I prefer to rely on ME for protection. :)

I hope your co-workers all talk to God while you're working too.

[CenterPointEX]

I prefer to rely on ME for protection. :). I know I run the risk of forcing you off the Job BC, But if'n you are relying on yerself fer protection... Ya reckon you will be able to keep yourself from dying? Last I checked, the death rate of Lineman ;be they Transmission or Distribution, was one hundered percent. And like ole sore knees said, " If a man denys the Jesus dude before men, Jesus will deny that man when he finds himself standing before the Father.

It's easy to slap a "this flag dont run bumper sticker" on your car here in America. But slap one on a donkey and take a ride thru the streets of Bagdad. Thats kinda how it feels to wear your faith on your sleeve in the work place or just in public anymore. There seems to be a growing anti-christian sentiment out there.

[Patriot]

Very Christian here, also VERY anti-muslim!

[Orgnizdlbr]

It's easy to slap a "this flag dont run bumper sticker" on your car here in America. But slap one on a donkey and take a ride thru the streets of Bagdad. Thats kinda how it feels to wear your faith on your sleeve in the work place or just in public anymore. There seems to be a growing anti-christian sentiment out there.


That is an interesting observation. I am curious, in what fashion or manner have you witnessed an anti christian sentiment?

What I have witnessed in my part of the USA is a huge, and growing anti anything to do with Islam sentiment. For obvious reasons, I might add. I have not witnessed any anti Christian sentiment where I am.

[CenterPointEX]

Well... the Anti-Christian sentiment is still covert at this point if you will. We don't have to go very far to get a taste of it.
...I once walked off a job rewiring a steelwork crane because my coworker was bible thumping...Every single attempt at conversation turned religious fanaticism.
Like when you put on a Christian Radio station in the truck and are asked by your co worker to turn it off. When they make jokes and call you God boy because you pray before you eat. That kinda stuff. I mean, like have you ever offered to pray at lunch... Some folks scoff and look at you as if you were a nut case or something... I dunno, it seems like it is just against the grain to be an overt Christian.

They are muzzleing the phrase Merry CHRISTmas, Christmas break is Winter Break, Nativitys are taboo on public property, Prayer in the name of Jesus is outlawed and or frowned upon at public events, anybody who merly talks a lot about Jesus Christ is labled a Religions Fanatic...

Could you define Christian fanaticism B.C. ?

[BigClive]

I know I run the risk of forcing you off the Job BC, But if'n you are relying on yerself fer protection... Ya reckon you will be able to keep yourself from dying? Last I checked, the death rate of Lineman ;be they Transmission or Distribution, was one hundered percent.

Last time I checked the death rate of EVERYBODY was 100%. The way you phrase this is akin to religious fanaticism. It's no better than the suicide bombers being promised lots of virgins if they blow themselves up. Quite a good employment incentive though. "Work for Cheap-O-Power and meet God real soon."

There's probably very little I can do to tame down your religious mania, since you've either been brought up by some hard core religious parents or pounced on by the Christians while you were at a low point in your life. Have you seen the Muslim's rocking back and forth violently while chanting from their version of the bible? It's brainwashing. Reprogramming the brain to believe in fiction for political gain. That's religion. At the moment the Catholic church in Scotland is using it's leverage to try to force Scottish independence. It's very simple. The Catholic church will tell it's members which way to vote.

I'm not going to say that I've had a safe life in the electrical game. There are many points I had a close shave with one in particular being within a whisker of certain death, but I'm realistic enough to know that when I'm dead I'm dead and in my will I specifically have the instructions of "straight to cremation with no service or funeral."

Now here's the strange thing CP. I do believe in a creative force in the universe, so technically speaking I do "believe in God", but I also class myself as an athiest because God has nothing to do with any Earth based religion.

Maybe we'll get a chance to work together some day. I'll try to remember to bring a tape or CD of crazed Muslim chanting so I can play it at full volume in the truck and see how YOU like it. ;)

[duckhunter]

I am a Christian, born and raised. I actually considered ministry for a while and went to a seminary. I only lasted one week. I had never been in a fight before or after, but got in a fight in the seminary. By the way the lack of girls kind of ruined it for me too. I have been a church musician for over 31 years, hitting the strings and singing. Like someone else who responeded, I am struggling right now. Not with believing, just with being happy in my faith.

Biggest problem right now is that I am not being active enough. I used to lead two different Promise Keeper small groups, lead the youth group, and lead a praise team. And I know I need to make it happen, I'm pretty sure that God isn't asking me to take the time off.

[CenterPointEX]

... I am struggling right now. Not with believing, just with being happy in my faith. Hang in there DH... You are not alone in this struggle. All men struggle in this world. The Prince of this world weilds his greatest sword "Despair" like Zoro on steriods. Those who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ are not high on his priority list. It is true that "men do not live on bread alone". There is something more to us. All men feed on something or they would not rise to live another day. What drives Satan is pride. Be yourself... do it for you... you don't need God, you can be your own god.

.....BC, I was not raised by religeous fantics per say, but rather by folks who loved and cared about people. For the happiness we all seek does not come out of self service, but rather from serving others. This is evident in DH's lament about not being active enough. If truly you want to feel peace and joy, serve your fellow man. That was the model Jesus gave us... he was and is a servant leader.
You can look high and low and you will not find a convert to Islam who has found peace and joy in becomming a servant to all men.

Every single one of us without exception seek fullfilling relationship... Though surrounded by people our lonliness screams out into the night... longing for intimacy... and asking the question Why? Why do I hurt so bad inside... "My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?" Sin hurts... and what is Sin; but out of pride,stepping out of the relationshp with our Father.


You are what you eat... men feeding themselves on the pleasures of this world, feed on that which is dying. Think about that for a minute... They feed upon death. What future but despair can come from feeding on death?

I have seen the changed lives of men who have come into a relationship with Jesus. Men who have turned from death and feed on life in the body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is how you can really know that the God of the Bible is who he says he is.

One of my earliest and fondest memories is sitting on my grandmaws lap learning the Lords prayer. In her eyes I saw him and wanted to know him. Though it would be 23 years before this would come to pass. Granpa was a share cropper and never had much. But they had love... and a lot of relationships in which to express that love. No matter who you were or what you done, still they loved you and were always willing to serve you. This morning at 8:30 Granpa returned to the Father... His infinate unexpressable joy abounds and lives on in me.