How did God reveal himself to you?

[Madrid]

What did you observe and/or experience that led you to believe that God is real, all-powerful and all-knowing?

[John146]

What did you observe and/or experience that led you to believe that God is real, all-powerful and all-knowing?

I believe God is revealed in what He has made, just as the Bible says.

Romans 1
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

I see the vastness of the universe and even our own galaxy and it simply does not make any sense that this all got here by some random occurrence. A random event, like a Big Bang, simply would not result in the kind of order that we see in the universe. I see the complexity of our human bodies and our minds and I know that it's not reasonable to think that we could have evolved to become like this, but had to be made that way by a higher power, a Creator. I see the clouds in the sky, the trees, the flowers, the amazing variety of plants and animals and so on and the only thing that makes reasonable sense to me is that it was all created.

[The Mighty Sword]

What did you observe and/or experience that led you to believe that God is real, all-powerful and all-knowing?

Please don't use this thread as a bait and switch, you may get answers that might be difficult for you to understand and then again maybe not.

For me GOD is real in all things as he created all things. GOD revealed himself to me through trials and tribulations. GOD revealed himself to me through folks I have never met face to face who show me grace and love flaws and all. GOD revealed himself to me through scripture and speaks to me through scritpure.

I hope that gives you an idea of the revelation of GOD.

[Ta-An]

What is on my heart to share with you is this.... captured in the words of a song:".......in the stillness of who You are, there I find peace..."

In the stillness of who you are
There I find peace
In the stillness of who you are
I see your heart
In the stillness of who you are
There I find peace
In the stillness of who you are
I know that I know

Chorus

That you know my name
That you know my life
Still you love me my Lord
Still you care for me
I'm the dream in your heart
And you keep me right there
In the fullness of who you are
I know that you know



That you know my name (That you know my name)
That you know my life (Yes That you know my life)

Still you love me my lord? (Still you love me my lord?)
Do you care for me? (Do you care for me?)

I am the dream in your heart (I am the dream in your heart)
And you Keep me right there.(And you Keep me right there)

In the Fullness of who you are
I know that you know

In the stillness of who you are
there I find peace
In the stillness of who you are
I see your heart.
In the stillness of who you are
I know that you know

Artist Pieter Coffee

[daughter]

He spoke to me.

[Standing]

I found God, like many others, at a very broken place. I was suffering from many panic attacks daily and was just in a very alone and hurting place. I believe when we reach broken places like that, we are able to let go of our selfishness in desperation. In my brokeness it was easy to see my life had no purpose. It was also very easy to see I wasn't happy with who I was. So I began to search spiritually. Not focusing on my physical or emotional state, but on my spiritual side. I began to consider God and all the questions that come with him. Which form of God was true? Buddha? Allah? Jesus? etc......

What sparked my interest in the God of the bible was as I read through Matthew I found myself. I had never really felt connected to society as my heart really seemed to feel in opposition to what seemed to be the cultural norm. I had a sensitivity and empathy that just kept me from fully fitting in with the culture of the world, this drive controlled by selfishness. I know now that God wired me for service and it was very hard to be selfish. But as I read through the Sermon on the Mount in the 5th chapter of Matthew, I really saw myself. Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit. Those who know they need help. That was me at that moment. Jesus said you've heard it said thou shall not murder, but I say if you are angry with your brother you have broken the law. You've heard it said thou shall not committ adultery but I say if you even look at a woman with lust in your heart, you have committed adultery with her already. Judge on the same basis you want to be judged. Love your enemies and pray for them. All of this resonated with my soul on such a personal level, it was like that was the real me that never knew how to express all that.

So I went outside and laid down in a lawn chair to have a smoke. As I stared up at the heavens, I formed a prayer in my heart and said it. I had been told that the way to God was through Jesus and accepting his death on the cross to cover my sins. So I simply spoke out to God and said "If this is who you are (what I had been reading) then I want to know you because this is who I am. Please forgive me my sins and show me more."

I immediately had a sense of truth deep within that God was real. It was like it had suddenly been confirmed into my life like something I've known forever. My entire being suddenly KNEW God was real and alive. It was a while before I came to understand that that was the Holy Spirit taking up residence in me and now confirming the realities of God to me. Suddenly the bible came to life as not just a book, but a live and living word.

I know now that the very first thing the Holy Spirit does in a life is to convict of sin. Otherwise we just really don't see a need for God. We don't understand why he is important to us and why we are separated from him. And why he doesn't just reveal himself to us to prove he's there. He requires a step of faith. But the cool part is, we don't pursue him, He pursues us. He takes personal interest in us and begins to woo and call to us. The Holy Spirit begins to stir our hearts to something new. But he does it from without. Once we ask to be forgiven and accept Jesus' sacrifice then we are clean of sin and the Holy Spirit floods into our lives. Then we literally have God living within, testifying of who he is.

That's why so often the answer will be "I just know" or "He spoke to me". Faith is taking that step toward God, just that one step, and then God comes flooding in response. And from then on it's just one incredible journey of new life. New understandings.

Now one of the fundamental beliefs of my life is "If God created the world, then who better than Him, knows how to have the best possible life". That's what has me pressing in, trying with all my being to know him more, to be honest before him and just let him show me how to do life. He knows. I've had to let go of many things that I was sure I could not live without, but as I surrendered each part of my life to him, I find release from the silly entrapments of society and trying to live in a way that is socially acceptable to whoever my crowd is I run with. I'm finally free to be exactly who I was made to be and live in no fear of what anyone else thinks. I have found complete fulfillment in having relationship with God which spills over into all the other relationships I have.

Now I'm just rambling on the glories of God. Way beyond what you asked. I pray that helps you in some way.

[Diddits]

Mike36,

I don't know how someone could read what you just wrote and NOT want to experience what you have shared...love, certainty and deep desire to trust the Lord as well as please Him. I don't know how anyone could NOT want to know more. I know I can't seem to get enough whenever I open my heart to God.

[Drums4Him]

Really good question, well, I never heard His voice or seen his image, so like I say that is a really good thought provoking question. I guess I have faith in an invisible man who lives in the sky.

[Ta-An]

As daughter says : Just listen

[MyRock]

I observed friends who believed in the Lord and testified to what He was doing in their lives. I heard from them how Jesus was a real man who lived in a historical context and was seen by many eyewitnesses. I saw the change that Jesus wrought in their lives. My question was, did God cause it? They showed me what the bible said about Jesus. How the first christians lived after seeing Jesus personally with their own eyes.

I thought about my own life and the sin/wrong that was within it. In fact that was the clincher for me. I knew deep down that I couldn't stop doing wrong, and that on my own I was lost. I saw that God wanted a higher standard that I couldn't achieve alone. Jesus procaimed himself as God and the forgiver of sins. I could either think of Jesus as a liar or that He was telling the truth. There were eyewitnesses who saw what He did when on earth. I used to think, "how can we know that God exists when He doesn't do big things like parting the red sea anymore?" The thing is, He sent Jesus. This is the physical connection with God that we have now. The last revelation of Himself. Forget "party tricks", they aren't important. What is Madrid, is the question below.........

[Madrid]

Really good question, well, I never heard His voice or seen his image, so like I say that is a really good thought provoking question. I guess I have faith in an invisible man who lives in the sky.

Upon what basis do you believe that this invisible man who lives in the sky is really there?

[Dani H]

Upon what basis do you believe that this invisible man who lives in the sky is really there?

Upon what basis do you believe He isn't? Being that His nonexistence cannot be proven.

Which puts belief against belief then, doesn't it?

[Daniel]

What did you observe and/or experience that led you to believe that God is real, all-powerful and all-knowing?

God came to me in a dream and told me that people are not just machine-like creatures simply responding to their environment. That people are unique and require forgiveness.

[Dani H]

How did God reveal Himself to me?

In a way I could understand. I'll spare you the details but that's what it boils down to.

[Youssarian]

Teehee, ready for this? A documentary on History Channel. So many prophets/oracles/etc. pointing to something happening in 2012. (Disclaimer: I don't think something will happen in 2012.) I realized that there had to be a supernatural aspect to the world, because it couldn't have just been a coincidence. Naturally when you hear of Apocalypse, you think Revelation and Christianity. Thus I realized God was real and I needed to believe in him so I don't go to Hell. Of course, since then I've grown out of my need for "fire insurance", as it's called.

^ Shows that not only is God real, but he has a sense of humor.