Sarde writes:
I am a person who will only be convinced by facts and convincing argumentations
Groetjes Sarde,
There is only one person in the whole world who can convince you of God and that is God. Every one of mans arguments can be argued against and there is no way to be sure based on any of mans arguments. God is the only one capable of revealing himself to you in such a way as make sure that you KNOW he is there. Any belief based on non-God evidence is prone to be shook by a better argument that may arrive in the future. It has to be God who makes you a believer in him. It doesn't matter whether you know all the facts and arguements before hand. All you have to do is know. That'll be enough to start with.
If you investigate all the religions/cults in the world: Roman Catholicism, Buddism, Hinduism, Islam, Jehovahs witness, Mormans etc etc you will quickly find one thing in common with them all: Your position with respect to the god they represent is determined by what YOU do. YOUR actions have a part to play in influencing your standing before the god in question. Be it: being good, meditating, seeking enlightenment,praying at certain times, eating certain meals, being forgiven for sins on a periodic basis, seeking knowledge etc, etc.
The word Religion derives from the Latin Re (meaning 'concerning, about) and Legio (meaning 'the law'). Religion is about law and following those laws, norms, diktats, edicts, set by the authority in question. In short, if you want to get to god just follow the laws. That's Religion.
If God exists then he is likely to do things that with a bit of flair. A bit of style. You would expect the unexpected. A couple that I experienced with respect to becoming a believer:
It isn't what you do that determines your position before God. It's what God has done for you. God is the one who reveals himself, who saves you, who does all the work. You don't contribute to it or take away from those things by your actions
Gods law is not something that you are meant to follow as a way to getting to him. His law is intended for one thing only: and that is to make you realise that you can't follow Gods law
When you realise that you can't follow Gods laws (not all the time anyway) then the law has done its work. If you read the small piece at the end of Romans 7 "Oh wretched man..." and see something in there that your heart agrees with somehow, then the law has really done it's work. You are almost there.
It doesn't matter how far you think you are away from God. God is always close. He wants you to come to him. He is actively working to bring you to him. Remember, HE does the work not you. This is a prayer which kind of shows just how far you can be away but he is at work anyway.
Lord, I don't love you
I don't want to love you
But I want to want to love you
(Can you imagine proposing to a husband/wife like that!!) That's how much God loves you though. He will respond to a prayer (from the heart) like that
There is no prayer which has magical properties to make God jump in. Prayer are just words. It's the heart behind those words that God listens to. And He helps you in forming those words too. God loves you, God wants you. If you want him, or maybe you have no place else to turn and cry out to him in despair, He will come. Maybe not at the time and place you expect or want. But if your heart wants Him, he will come. God doesn't tell lies....
Tot horens
iano
™ Version 4.2