People of Faith?

Question

This is a serious question, what proof have you seen/experienced in your life to verify/justify your faith? Why do you believe. For this question I am excluding all holy writings because after all they are words on paper, I want you, if you can to give me another answer

All I'm asking is: What was the evidence that led you to make your own decision to believe?

Answer 1

I had a vision of the Goddess -- it's as simple as that. I spent a few weeks considering the experience from as many angles as I could, and finally decided that it justified exploring theism again (I had been an atheist for many years at that point).

I have had many encounters with Her spirit since, but would never presume to say that these experiences constitute proof for anyone but myself.

Answer 2

Why do I believe? Start with the universe around us. the order, the perfect, delicate balance that exists on earth to support life suggests, strongly, that there was a designer involved. If I walk in the woods and find a watch by the path I don't draw the conclusion that the watch came together through some random series of events that coincedentaly resulted in this watch. No, I can see that it has a design which strongly suggests a designer. Indeed, the invisible things of God, His power and devine nature are clearly seen and understood through what He has made.

Jesus is also a proof, to me, of what I believe. Because of His resurrection from the dead I have to draw a conclusion as to His claims to be God. If He was stolen by the Jewish leaders then as soon as the disciples proclaimed Him risen the leaders would have hauled His body out forever killing off this new "cult." If the disciples stole the body they would have had to overcome a Roman guard posted at the tomb (no small task) and then they would have had to be willing to die gruesome deaths (they were beheaded, boiled in oil, crucified and more) knowing that what they were dying for was a lie. Very unlikely. No, there is no easy explaining away the resurrection of Christ.

He forgave sins and healed those who needed it. He was a freind of the sinners, the tax collectors, the prostitutes... He came to find that which was lost. He came to die for my sins. That's what I need. I can not make up for the sins I have commited. I am not better than anyone. I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I desire to have a relationship with a God Who loves me and gave Himself for me. All of these needs and desires have been met in Jesus the Christ.

In my life I have come to understand the wisdom that is found in the scriptures that I read. These instructions don't always agree with what my thoughts are but when I follow them they consistently work out to my benefit.

Finally, the scriptures promise that God will provide a peace which "surpases all understanding." I have definately found this. While the world around me has often become chaotic and painful, I still have a peace in my soul that is steady, consistent, soothing. I know that I am not outside the control of my Father (Abba). And though I might be slain still I will praise His name.

Of course, in the end, no one can prove what requires faith. But we all live our lives by faith. There is so much uncertainty in our lives how could we not. So, have a little faith.

Answer 3

How about considering what the world would be without faith. Why not rape someone if you want ? Why not take what other people work for ? Why should we help those who are less fortunate than ourselves?
Don't say because of the law, because we both know that people will risk jail, but most people have a conscience which is much harder to hide from.
To actually answer the question you asked, I have had heart problems and cancer. They told me that I had an aggressive form of cancer,( after they did the biopsy). After they cut it out they re-tested and found that it was benign. The only thing that changed from the time they did the biopsy was that there were a lot of people praying for me.
This is just one example, but if you don't believe this one then 100 more examples wouldn't help at all.

Answer 4

"Faith is believing in what you cannot see". ~Hebrews 11:1.

I believe because I feel there's something more in the world than we can see. I believe because I can't fathum a life of just being here and then wasting away, that can't be it. There's no way that we live here on earth, obtain all of this knowledge and work so hard just to fade into nothingness when we die.

I also believe because when I think really long and hard about it, I can feel a connection to something that I cannot describe. I feel constantly drawn to this and it makes me question things in life. When faced with a hard decision, something inside me guides me into a good outcome.

And I just don't think that all of these people who face near death expiriences and come away from them with a new found belief in a higher power are just making this up. Don't get me wrong, I think there are some fanatics out there who really just don't know what they're doing but you can't discount the countless people who claim to have had these expiriences.

When I was ten months old, I fell down cobblestone stairs and fractured my skull. We were living in Germany and it took the ambulence way too long to get to our village. They weren't in a rush to get to the hospital because they didn't think I would live. In all logical thought, I should have been dead but (my mom says) she had a comforted feeling, a warm hand on her shoulders (we were the only two in the ambulance at the time) the entire time and knew I would be okay.

When I was eleven years old, I was involved in a horrible car accident. The police officer told our family that we shouldn't have been alive, but we managed to make it out unscathed.

It is things like this that show me that someone out there is looking out for me and my family. I don't know what it is but I do know that there's got to be a reason why I was protected from what could have been fatal. You can call it medicine but there were no doctors that saved me when I fell down those stairs. You can say that we got lucky with the car accident but you cannot truly know what it's like to feel that blessed unless you've actually been there.

And that's why I believe.

Answer 5

If you are searching for truth He will be faithful to give it to you.
I can remember years ago having guilt by everything in life.
I can remember going to church and acting one way and going
outside and acting another way. I couldn't figure out what was
wrong. I read books searching and wondering. I was steeped
in religion(a church of rules and regs). Then one day I sat on the
side of my bed talking to God, and I said, I just want TRUTH, I don't want to be deceived. Then at work a friend of mine gave
me a taped message from a certain minister. Every question
I had in my mind about God was answered. I still am with that
Pastor, over 25 years now. God has given me peace in my
soul beyond your wildest dreams. He sustained me 21 years
ago when my brother was killed by a drunk driver and I was
the one who made all the arrangements, my parents were
a basket case, my sisters and husbands lived out of town
and to top it off my brother was going through a divorce. Talk
about stress. The Lord gave the strength and calmness to
handle it all. I know I couldn't have done it on my own.
I know you don't want any answers from the Bible, but that's
where it comes from too. The words from the Bible are Spirit
breathed. Do you think God would leave us here without
a manual. I will give you something personal about that situation. When I got the call about my brother being dead,
God instantly gave me in my mind, Rom. 8:28 and while
I was waiting at the funeral home to make arrangements,
He gave me Is. 26:3. Look them up. People at the funeral
there were 500 who came through, could see the strength
that God gave me, but didn't really understand. By the way,
my brother was a believer in Jesus Christ and I know where he is now.

Answer 6

In my life I have seen miracles. Specifically, when my mother died, when I was in need of comfort, I physically felt His arms around me lifting me up. Before I was a Christian, I liked children but had no desire to work with them. After becoming a Christian, I felt the conviction of the Lord that I was to work with little ones. It has been the most rewarding part of my Christian walk and it never would have happened if I hadn't heard that still small voice telling me that there is where He would place me.
There are so many people that I know who have experienced miracles. My pastor prayed with a member of the congregation who was a farmer and knew that if they had a frost that night, his crop would be ruined and he would lose his farm. In the morning there was indeed a frost but it stopped at his property. And this was in a flood plain so elevation had nothing to do with it.
Recently the men of my church went to a conference where God restored the sight of a blind man.
And finally, I choose to believe because without faith, there is no hope. No meaning. I am Christian because out of every religion I have ever studied, only in Christianity does God express enough love for His people that He was willing to live among us, die for us, and give us the hope of eternal life.

Answer 7

I have forgiven, and seen years of anger and hurt melt away. I have extended my love and had it come back to me. I have heard the Holy Spirit tell me to do something for someone in secret and seen that the need was really there. I have watched people who have lived hard lives, transformed into a new loving person. I also know of a man, personally, who was days away from dying and after he accepted Jesus, he was made totally well and attends my church. That was about 12 years ago.

Answer 8

No offense, but the expression: "to believe" is very irritating.
Believe what, exactly???
I do NOT believe the trinity, because the whole idea does not add-up and it is not spoken of in the Bible.
I do believe we are living in critical times and if some outside force does not step-in, we are all lost.
The Bible says an 'outside force' will step in at the due time.
Excuse me, you don't want references to that book ....its just words on paper.
The expression "just words on paper" does not therefore mean those words are in-accurate.
Some words on paper read truthfully.

Answer 9

I have been to many churchs and searched out much religion.

There is only one place that I have been able to feel the influence of the holy ghost.

I can back my religion or faith by scriptures and doctrine but my best answer is that THE HOLY GHOST CONFIRMS ITS TRUTH.

I testify that there is one true church of God that he will put a conviction in your heart through the manifestation of the holy ghost.

That is the church of jesus christ of latter day saints.

Answer 10

I have seen many of my circumstances and situations turn from bad to good. I feel that the Lord works in mysterious ways, and even though we may not initially see a difference, over time and through reflection and study...it becomes more apparent.

I am a personal witness that through the difficult times, when my faith was challenged by events and people in my life, I perservered and gained a better understanding of my Lord.