GOD
Do NOT be intimidated by what you are about to read. All I'm doing is sharing with you MY personal thoughts and feelings. [which may change - as I continue to grow and learn] Don't assume that I'm trying to convert you. [because I am not] You don't have to think like ME. YOU can believe anything you want to believe. It is important - however - for you to KNOW what other people think. The more we know - the easier it will be for us to come to our OWN understanding of God. [or to come to believe that there IS no God]
I think of myself as a Christian. I was baptised in November of 1988 at a local Baptist Church in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.  It was a full-emersion baptism which means I was dunked under water by the pastor of the church. [He did pull me out of the water in time for me to breath again - so that was nice!!] I invited most of my family to 'witness' the event and my best friend [at the time] helped me get changed and dried off afterwards. Before being 'dunked' - the paster asked me if I wanted to say anything. I declined. He then asked me IF I believe that Jesus Christ is ths 'Son of God' and that He died for my sins on the Cross. I said yes - and down I went!!  I've never regretted doing it. Not even once.
This is what I believe..........
God created the universe and all living things - including US
God does NOT KNOW what's going on in our lives UNLESS we TELL HIM  [through prayer]
He decided that the ONLY WAY for Him to truly understand what BEING human was like - He would have to BECOME human. God - therefore - made himself human and called that human 'Jesus Christ'. [often referred to as 'The Son of God']
God's PLAN was for 'man' to live in paradise [here on earth]
God believes that each individual - including ANGELS - have the 'right' to make decisions for themselves. He does NOT force anyone to DO ANYTHING.
One of His ANGELS [for whatever reason] chose NOT to abide by God's laws and was 'cast out' of heaven.
That ex-ANGEL'S name is Lucifer. [also known as - since being cast from heaven - the 'Devil' or 'Satan']
The first two human's were named Adam and Eve
God TOLD Adam and Eve that they would forever live in paradise [and that's what earth WAS] but ONLY IF they abided by His commanded NOT to eat from the 'tree of knowledge'. God did NOT want Adam and Eve to know everything HE knew. [no - this doesn't exactly make sense to me - either - but that's what I believe happened]
Satan - the 'fallen angel' - HATES GOD and is determined to destroy everything God has created. [including US]
Satan appeared before Adam and Eve [as a snake] and convinced Eve that it WAS OK [in spite of what God said] to eat from the 'tree of knowledge
Eve then convinced Adam to eat from the tree - so they BOTH ate from the 'tree of knowledge'
When God found out what Adam and Eve DID - He- became VERY ANGRY. [because He could hardly believe that Adam and Eve - after ALL He gave them - would DO the one and only thing he asked them NOT to do]
In FEAR - Adam and Eve ran away and hid from God
God CURSED [as in 'punished'] Adam and Eve and everyone who was born from them. [which is everyone - including you and me]
Adam and Eve become filled with guilt and shame
In the Bible it states that Adam and Eve [who - up until that time - were completely naked] were suddenly ashamed of their 'nakedness'. I do NOT believe - as many do - that the 'nakedness' referred to has anything to do with their BODIES. I believe it has to do with their character. WHO they are as PEOPLE became obvious - to both of them - and THAT is what they tried to cover up. Eating from the 'tree of knowledge' revealed their CHARACTER. I do NOT believe that Adam suddenly felt embarrassed by the sight of his PENIS!! What Adam was trying to do was hide [from God] the person he turned out to be. [I hope that makes sense!!]
God ASKED both Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" Many people believe that God KNEW where they were but was asking Adam and Eve if THEY knew where they were. I don't believe that. I believe God really did NOT know where they were
God was VERY angry for a VERY LONG TIME
Having a change of heart - thousands of years later - God realized that it would be impossible for 'man' to EVER get to heaven on his own
God HAD to do something
While in human form [aka 'Jesus'] God allowed Himself to be subjected to EVERYTHING that MAN was subjected to. Satan was allowed total freedom to tempt Jesus in anyway he [as in Satan] wanted to
While on earth - Jesus performed many miracles and MANY people came to believe that He WAS [as HE said He was] the 'Lord' [aka God - aka 'Son of God']
Not everyone believed - of course. In fact - many felt that Jesus was a threat and decided that He MUST be put to death. [and He WAS - on the 'Cross']
IF ANYONE BELIEVES that Jesus IS who He SAYS He is [and that he DID - indeed - die on the cross for OUR 'sins'] then THEY will be forgiven of their sins and welcomed - after they die- into heaven
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His ONLY begotton Son so WHOSOEVER believeth in HIM shall have ever lasting LIFE"
[which was what God planned for us in the FIRST place]
Here are a few random 'things' that I believe.........
God does NOT KNOW what the future holds - in any specific sense. In other words - HE didn't KNOW that YOU were going to stub your toe
God KNOWS that the most powerful motivating factor is FEAR. Man rarely does ANYTHING UNLESS he FEARS losing something. Therefore - when the Bible tells us to 'FEAR THE LORD' - it is being said out of LOVE for US - and not for any other reason
God KNOWS how important it is for us to be around others who share our belief - THAT is WHY He wants us to 'fellowship' with other like-minded people. [as in a church]
God's existence is NOT dependent upon wheather or NOT we believe in Him
God's LOVE for US is beyond our ability to imagine
God's personality is FAR MORE 'human-like' than we have been led to believe
I do NOT like the picture of Jesus that we often see in churches and elsewhere. We have no idea what Jesus REALLY looked like. [the paintings of Jesus were painted LONG after Jesus left this earth]
What matters MOST to GOD is WHO YOU ARE - NOT what you LOOK like OR what OTHER people think of you
God wants ALL OF US to 'believe' so HE CAN be a part of our lives - here on earth
Man 'must' [so I believe] go through JESUS to get to God
'Sin' is anything that CAN separate us from God
God WANTS us to focus on HIM - NOT because He is VAIN - but because He KNOWS how easy it is for US to be distracted [remember what Adam and Eve did] and He doesn't want ANYTHING to keep us FROM Him
The GREATEST TRICK that Satan has ever played on MAN - is to convince man that he doesn't exist
God wants YOU to, "forget yourself and follow HIM". What THAT means is - do whatever you CAN do to help OTHERS. AND... when you do that - GOD [as He has promised - assuming you believe in Him] will take care of YOU and YOUR needs.
Never be ashamed to tell others that you believe in God and Jesus. [especially IF you are a 'nice guy''] People desparately NEED TO KNOW that not ALL so-called 'believers' are horrible people who USE the 'name of GOD' to intimidate and otherwise make THEIR lives more comfortable. 'Christianity' is SUPPOSED to be about 'GIVING' to others - not 'TAKING from others'. 
God NEEDS to hear from YOU. He CAN'T read your mind. You HAVE to pray and TELL God what's going on in your life. Keep in mind - however - that when you pray - God is NOT an IDIOT. You don't have to repeat 'prayer requests' over and over and over again. Thank God for what He HAS ALREADY done for you - and THEN [if you like] ask Him to help you [and those you care about] to become more pleasing to Him. [to become a BETTER man - or woman - than you already are]
And last but not least.........
GOD LOVES YOU!!!
"It takes FAR MORE COURAGE to be KIND than it does to be CRUEL" - me
While ON that cross - Jesus died for ALL of OUR 'sins'. No longer did WE have to DO anything [other than believe] for our 'sins' to be forgiven. Amazing - when you think about it. Since Jesus IS - in fact - God [made 'human'] it was God HIMSELF that took OUR 'sins' upon HIMSELF. By doing so - God gave us a golden opportunity to be completely forgiven. There is ONE 'catch' -- however...... you have to believe. [and be willing to do your best never to 'sin' again] But don't worry - God will help you!!
BEFORE being 'nailed to the cross' - Jesus promised his followers that He would' rise again'. [come back to life] After He died - His body was placed in a 'tomb' [a cave] and a BIG rock was put in front of the entrance. [they sure liked to move big rocks back then!!]  Three days after His death - as promised - He was ALIVE. [and is STILL alive - even to this day - living in heaven]
please keep in mind that what I believe NOW may change in the future as I continue to learn and to grow
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