I just came across a video where the humorist Ricky Gervais
talked about his non-belief in God.
It seems to be a subject that interests him a lot....
He said that if/when scientists can put forward concrete proof
of God's existence, then he would believe.
But both scientists and himself would first need to know
where to search; what their subject matter is.
With a mindset that is always looking outside itself, this can
never be achieved, because Jesus said Himself:
"When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would
come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with
observable signs."
Luke 17:20
"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the
kingdom of God is within you."
Luke 17:21
"They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when
suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,”
they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus,
who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same
way you have seen him go into heaven"
Acts 1, (10-11)
It is necessary to get to know oneself, and to examine one's conscience,
and to learn about Jesus Christ; true God and true man; the 2.nd Person
of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Trinity; composed of 3 Persons equal
in power, and all 3 true God.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe
also in me.
My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I
have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take
you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the
way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going,
so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you
will know my Father as well.
From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for
us.” Jesus answered:
“Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among
you such a long time?
Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in
me?
The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather,
it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when
I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe
on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever
believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even
greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will
do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in
the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
(John 14: 1-14)
The Coming of The Holy Spirit; the 3.Person of the Holy Trinity
"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven
and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what
seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each
of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation
under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in
bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.
Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?
Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians,
Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near
Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and
Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:
“Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you;
listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s
only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
“‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man
accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which
God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man
was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;
and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him
to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the
agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on
him. David said about him:
“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’
“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David
died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a
prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would
place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come,
he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned
to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this
Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of
God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has
poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven,
and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus,
whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to
Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter replied,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name
of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The promise is for you and your children and for
all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them,
“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted
his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to
their number that day.
(Acts 2, 1-41)
"Sin" is a word that non-believers do not understand; it is a word
largly misunderstood, but if we make a short resumé and say that sins
are the acts and attitudes that impedes and obstructs God Himself
from living through us, it might be easier to understand
the importance of not sinning.
Pride is the strongest obstacle;
self satisfaction of our cleverness and success, and believing we
are better than any one else.
Gluttony is a lack of moderation and self control, which creates
an imbalance in body and mind.
Greed, envy and the other major sins of lust, laziness and anger,
all have the same consequences;
we are distracted, we loose concentration, we loose focus and
awareness and thus contact, with God's Presence.
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