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Why do you believe what you
believe? ...
About anything? Do you ever think about that?
Why do I believe what I believe? And when you ask yourself that question ... take a good look at your answers ... take a good look at the reasons you give yourself. Most of the time ... you probably believe things because you know they are true ... and they are real ... and you know that. But sometimes, if you're not careful, you could find yourself believing something because you're too lazy to find out the truth. Or maybe you will believe it because someone said it, and you don't take the time to check the facts and find out if it is true. And then there is something we all have to be careful of. Sometimes we believe what we believe because we're too proud of what we think. We're proud of what we hear ourselves say. We can make all kinds of excuses for what we believe ... or more often we make excuses for what we don't believe. We can make up all kinds of reasons for what we believe ... or why we believe what we believe. But if you're really honest with yourself ... you'll have to admit that there is another reason why you believe certain things, why you don't believe others. Like a lot of other people, you believe things because you want to. -- That reminds me of a humorous little sign I saw once. It said ... "Don't confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up." We all have that problem ... And sometimes it's not easy to honestly look at the answer to the question, Why do I believe what I believe? Especially, if it's a question like this one ... What do you believe about Jesus Christ? You believe something about Jesus, don't you? Everyone does. But I wonder why? Why do you believe what you believe about Jesus? Is it because of what someone told you? Is it because you have some kind of proof that what you believe is true? Or is it because that is what you want to believe? Do you know? People, today, will tell you a lot of different things about Jesus, and about God. But how do you know what is right? How do you know what you know should believe? Do you just pick something that sounds good to you? Do you pick out something that sounds comfortable? Do you pick what you want to believe? Or do you look for some kind of evidence -- something that says this is the true answer? Shouldn't you have some kind of proof for what you believe? Well, it would be kind of difficult, wouldn't it, if we all had to prove everything for ourselves, before we could believe, about anything? Take for example, the distance between Cairo and Beirut in a straight line. Have you ever measured it? Do you know how far it is? ... About 365 miles ... or 590 kilometers? That's pretty close, I think. No I haven't measured it myself ... but I believe that is very close to the distance between those two cities. Within a few miles. Or New York to London ... about 3500 miles ... or 5600 kilometers (also within a few miles) Why? How can I believe that? How can I know that is true? ... Because other people have measured it, and I believe the evidence that others have gathered, first hand, and shared with me. I looked at a map ... and measured the distance there. The publisher of this map has a very good reputation. They are known for being very careful and accurate about such things. So I can believe what they say. And that is one way to tell if it save to be able to believe something. You can usually believe what others have seen, and tested, and experienced ... because they have seen the evidence for themselves. Someone has actually measured the distance between Cairo and Beirut. So I should be able to believe their information on the map. If we were in a courtroom ... the witness we would be most likely to believe would be the one who was there ... the one who actually saw what happened. In science we believe the testimony of a scientist who has made tests, and measurements, to prove that certain knowledge is a fact. So let's go back to the question I asked you a little earlier. Why do you believe what you believe about Jesus Christ? Have you examined the testimony of the witnesses? Or, are you believing what you believe about Jesus because that is what your friends say? ... or a teacher ... or even your parents? It is good to trust your friends, and to respect your teachers and your parents ... But have you ever examined any of the evidence for yourself? Have you ever looked at the testimony of an eyewitness ... someone who knew Jesus Christ personally ... someone who wrote down what he observed and what he heard, because he actually saw Jesus for himself and heard him speak and wrote down what he said? Or is that something you don't want to do ... because you're afraid you might have to change what you believe? Think about it. Do you really want to know the truth about Jesus? If you have a Bible available ... read what is written there. You see, the people who wrote down the story of Jesus that we find in the Bible actually heard Jesus speak those words. They saw what he did and how he lived. They listened to his teaching. They watched his life. So when you read in the Bible what they have written about Jesus, you can be sure it is the truth. And ask God to help you understand ... and to know what is true. If you think I might be able to help you ... if you want someone to talk to by way of e-mail ... then I'd be most happy to hear from you, and to try and answer your questions.
©1999 Allan Stewart
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out LifeThots on Twitter Does God ever answer? Have you ever tried talking to God ... and waited for his answer ... and nothing happened? How do you talk to God? Have you tried talking to him as a Friend? Can we really know God? Or is he too big and too far away? Why do you believe what you believe? Forgiveness? ... or ... Revenge? Unique? How much of your life does God have?
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