(January 30, 2014 at 1:07 pm)Ryantology (╯°◊°)╯︵ ══╬ Wrote: As I have pointed out, and you have ignored, before, the whole premise of A/S/K assumes that atheism is a deliberate choice not to believe in God. It doesn't seem to register with you that our viewpoints developed from our experiences and weren't something that we just one day decided to make and adopt. We can't flip a switch and just believe.and you can not except that you don't have to 'just believe.' I have said over and over that all it takes is the faith of a mustard seed meaning all you need is to have enough faith to ask God for help in this area.
Quote:It's also textbook confirmation bias as has been pointed out to you a thousand times.You can put whatever name you like on it, but the fact of the matter your life will begin to change independantly from any influences that you may have on it. all of which point to God.
Quote:For those reasons combined, A/S/K is a completely useless method of finding evidence of God for anybody who starts out with no reason to expect an answer.Actually A/S/K is the only method we have of obtaining a measure of the Holy Spirit. I believe once one has and is faithful to the measure of the Holy Spirit he is given, the H/S will provide all the interaction and 'proof' any of us could ever truly need.
Quote: By the methodology you've described over and over and over, you have to have belief ahead of time for it to work, so how can it possibly produce the intended result for someone who doesn't start out with belief?
Again All someone need do who does not already believe is to simply ask and keep asking for what is needed to A/S/K. When you do this know God is not going to send you an angel to sprinkle faith dust on your head while you sleep. Your life will most likly change in some way, that will place you in a position where your only way out is through devine help. Or that you will be bombarded so harshly by life that you will want mercy/help again.
The harder your heart the more dramatic recovery your going to have to make inorder for you to truly credit God with getting you out of a hole.
You may not at first, but you will note over time your trials lasting as long as they need to, inorder for you to finally go to God. at some point you will give up before they begin and there will be a direct correlation between a trial, faith and resolution. this is what I mean to remain faithful. If you can be faithful to this process or whatever process God may use on you (you may get the carrot, I got the stick. Meaning God may bless you rather than have you endure hardship.) then you will begin to see enough to want to know more which will lead into earnest Asking and seeking.. At which point your only end is to keep this up till you find what you have been asking and seeking about.
Side note: Do not try and hold out for the carrot. Also know that whatever God offers don't run from it. See it through. turn into the hardship and face it. In 6 weeks of Hardship I grew more spiritually than I had in the 20 some odd years upto that point. Because i did not run from it I turned into the pain and asked whatever God there may have been to see me through this to use this and open my eyes ears and heart. Show me, Teach me and tell me your truth and not what others think. If you can do this honestly, then you better hang onto something because your life will be turned upside down. (how do I know this? because your life is leading you away if not keeping you away from God, and change will happen one way or another.)
If and when you think you cant take anymore keep this prayer in the back of your mind.
"God, mercy." I based that one off the end of braveheart where wallace is being sliced open and gutted and all he had to do is ask for mercy for the pain to stop. When you feel like your being gutted just ask for mercy.
There was a very dark few days where everything was falling apart, business, wife, family all of it was falling part. I am not a pray on your knees type of person, but there was a phone call or something that just broke me/my will to want to do any of this any more and I just had the brave heart scene flash through my mind, and in stead of asking long shanks for mercy i went to my knees not as a gesture, but because i was so broken I could not stand anymore, and I asked God for mercy and kept asking for it, over and over. then i was filled with peace, almost a reassureance that it will all be ok at this point. it wasn't long after I took the pic of the sunflower/my avatar. After which the worry stopped. when things get close I simply ask God for guidance on what He wants done. then when a biblically sound oppertunity comes up I follow it.
One thing leads to another and one thing is built on another. If your not faithful during this process you will get to a point and will not be able to progress any further.
I can literally ask for something or direction at this point and i will listen to the radio and hear a sermon preached on the VERY thing I was asking about. One of the most profound examples of this was a preacher/ministry was teaching apart of a long series in the OT, and that day i asked God a question and the message that was aired directly spoke to my problem. It has nothing to do with the series they were on, and the next day they said the message was mislabled.. I know what a coincidence is. coincidence is a one or two time thing. i get 5 to 10 of these things aday.
I have built a very sucessful business on these 'coincidences.' want to know the secered to building a business like this for yourself? Put your faith in God, be faithful to the oppertunities He has given you and spend the first 4 to 6 hours of each day answering questions on AF.org I spend about 2/3's of my work day working for God here and on other forums. 1/3 of my time is dedicated to the running a business. i found the harder i work for God the easier my/His business works. The more I sell the harder i work the faster we run out of money and we struggle. i don't tell you this to brag, but to show you how God maintains my level of belief. I get assureances all day everyday. why? Because I have a small level of faith. I need constant reminders and at a boys from Him to keep going. He knows thisand gives me what I need.
I tell you all to A/S/K. Your Asking for the Holy Spirit. If/When you Get the Holy Spirit He will do exactly what needs to happen to establish your faith, and maintain it. If you simply remain faithful to what you have been given.