My Introduction Thread

Greetings.

I'm a new member and am posting to make my introduction. I am a new student to Christianity although I have had a lingering wonder about God practically all my life. I am working my way through reading the Bible cover-to-cover this year, and I'm taking a Bible study course online to help me along as well.

I'm dealing with a lot of struggles as I proceed. Re-evaluating my life and it's purpose; discovering more about myself than I ever wanted to know; accepting responsibility for my past misdeeds; figuring out what I really want my life to be. With my secular education, I am hard-wired to question everything and to research exhaustively, so I must balance that aspect with a heavy dose of "faith", which is something that has always been in short supply in my life.
 
Greetings.

I'm a new member and am posting to make my introduction. I am a new student to Christianity although I have had a lingering wonder about God practically all my life. I am working my way through reading the Bible cover-to-cover this year, and I'm taking a Bible study course online to help me along as well.

I'm dealing with a lot of struggles as I proceed. Re-evaluating my life and it's purpose; discovering more about myself than I ever wanted to know; accepting responsibility for my past misdeeds; figuring out what I really want my life to be. With my secular education, I am hard-wired to question everything and to research exhaustively, so I must balance that aspect with a heavy dose of "faith", which is something that has always been in short supply in my life.

Hello Lost-sheep and welcome to CFS. I'm sure you'll find many answers that you're looking for here on CFS....
 
Thank you for the replies. I'm not a very social person, so I'm likely to do more reading in the shadows than I will be posting, but thank you for the welcome and I am hopeful that I may eventually make some contribution to the forums as I progress along my journey.
 
Greetings.

I'm a new member and am posting to make my introduction. I am a new student to Christianity although I have had a lingering wonder about God practically all my life. I am working my way through reading the Bible cover-to-cover this year, and I'm taking a Bible study course online to help me along as well.

I'm dealing with a lot of struggles as I proceed. Re-evaluating my life and it's purpose; discovering more about myself than I ever wanted to know; accepting responsibility for my past misdeeds; figuring out what I really want my life to be. With my secular education, I am hard-wired to question everything and to research exhaustively, so I must balance that aspect with a heavy dose of "faith", which is something that has always been in short supply in my life.
Welcome to the forum. :D

As to your quest, God says:

Isa 1:18 (KJV)
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
God wants to show you the truth so you can be free. He wants to reason with you. But let me tell you, after you've exhausted all research, it comes down to one thing. That is this: faith. But faith isn't just blind. The Greek word for faith literally means strong conviction. This means God wants you to truly believe and understand and trust Him, and have the conviction in that understanding. You just have to believe and trust Him and obey. God bless :D
 
Faith is something I have never had in my life, so it's where I am finding so much resistance in my studies. Throughout my life, people have never been anything but a source of disappointment for me, so I never developed a sense of faith - a sense that I knew them and how they'd respond or behave. So, as much as I can read the words in the Gospels, and as much as I can tell myself they are first-hand accounts of events and therefore trustworthy, I am having difficulty in making that leap. I'm too used to taking care of myself and doing for myself to trust my life with anyone else. I know it sounds shameful, and I am ashamed that I don't even trust God, but I must be honest. I keep praying, daily, for my heart to soften, for something to sink in and settle, for a seed to plant itself and grow, but so far my ego and my secular thinking keeps getting in the way.
 
Thank you for the replies. I'm not a very social person, so I'm likely to do more reading in the shadows than I will be posting, but thank you for the welcome and I am hopeful that I may eventually make some contribution to the forums as I progress along my journey.

Welcome to cfs! Blessings of grace and peace be unto you abundantly!

No matter what you have been through or have studied...always remember that God loves you right where you are. And will never leave you nor forsake you. I'll be praying that He manifest Himself to you mightily.
God Bless
 
Faith is something I have never had in my life, so it's where I am finding so much resistance in my studies. Throughout my life, people have never been anything but a source of disappointment for me, so I never developed a sense of faith - a sense that I knew them and how they'd respond or behave. So, as much as I can read the words in the Gospels, and as much as I can tell myself they are first-hand accounts of events and therefore trustworthy, I am having difficulty in making that leap. I'm too used to taking care of myself and doing for myself to trust my life with anyone else. I know it sounds shameful, and I am ashamed that I don't even trust God, but I must be honest. I keep praying, daily, for my heart to soften, for something to sink in and settle, for a seed to plant itself and grow, but so far my ego and my secular thinking keeps getting in the way.

No nothing shameful about being honest with yourself and God. It gives Him a place to start. For His Work in us starts from the inside out. So be of good cheer, He is already at work in your heart (spirit man). The Bible says that it is God working within us giving us the desire to do what pleases Him. This is your proof that He is already at work within you.

Many people have been hurt by people causing them to not trust others, and to become self reliant. But what we have to realize is that God is not the same as the people who have hurt us. God is Love and loves us so very much that He sent His Son to die for our sins. So that we can be able to fellowship with Him, and be blessed by Him. His grace is what has done that for us. His desire to treat us as if sin never happened. So keep reading and meditating on His Word renewing your mind to His love for you. Try reading 1 John. It’s the love book. And then allow Him to gently show you how much He loves you. I can guarantee you it will build your faith, and trust in Him and His Word. For He is a gentleman and will never force you to do anything.

God Bless
 
Welcome to CFS. We are glad you joined us and look forward to fellowship with you.
 
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