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By Marilyn Adamson
Wouldn't you like someone to come to you at least once and show you clear evidence of God's existence? Without any coercion from anyone. Without statements like, "You have to believe and you're done." Well, here I am trying to give you some reasons that suggest the existence of God.
But first I would like you to think a little… When it comes to the possibility of God's existence, the Bible says that some people have seen enough evidence but choose to stifle the truth about God. 1 On the other hand, to those who want to know if there is a God, God Himself says, “You will seek Me and you will find Me; if you search for Me with all your heart, I will be found. ” 2 Before analyzing the data about the existence of God, answer the question, "If God really exists, would I want to know Him?" Here are some reasons to think…
Many, perhaps countless, examples could be given that reflect God's creative "hand." But here are just a few:
Our planet… It has perfect dimensions. At the Earth's surface there is a thin layer of gas, mostly nitrogen and oxygen, which rises only about 80 km above the planet's surface. If the Earth were smaller, it would have been impossible to have an atmosphere, as is the case with the planet Mercury. If it were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, as on Jupiter 3 . As far as is known, Earth is the only planet whose atmosphere is made up of a mixture of gases perfect to support plant, animal and human life.
The Earth is at the perfect distance from the Sun. Think a little about the temperature differences we encounter here; say, in general, from -20 ° C to +40 ° C. If the Earth were a little farther from the Sun, we would all freeze. If it were closer to the Sun, how little, we would burn. Even an insignificant change in the Earth's position on the Sun would make life on our planet impossible. Well, the Earth remains at this perfect distance from the Sun as it revolves around the Sun at a speed of almost 100,000 km / h. At the same time, it rotates around its own axis, making the entire surface of our planet be heated and cooled as needed every day.
And the Moon, our satellite, is the perfect size… and is at a perfect distance from Earth, with its gravitational attraction. Moon creates flow and other important movements of the oceans - so ocean waters do not stagnate - and at the same time prevent the vast oceans to flood the land in April .
Water… Although it is colorless, odorless and tasteless, no creature can survive without it. Plants, animals and humans are made up mostly of water (about two-thirds of the human body is water). You will immediately see why the characteristics of water make it so conducive to life.
There is a very large temperature difference between the boiling point and the freezing point of the water. Water allows us to live in an environment with temperature changes, while keeping our body at a constant temperature of 37 ° C.
Water is a universal solvent. This property allows thousands of chemicals, minerals and nutrients to be transported throughout our bodies and in the smallest blood vessels 5 .
In addition, the water is chemically neutral. Without affecting the composition of the substances it carries, water allows drugs, food and minerals to be absorbed and used by the body.
The water has a special surface tension. This is how plant water can flow upwards, overcoming the force of gravity, transporting water and nutrients to the tops of the tallest trees.
Due to the fact that the water freezes from top to bottom and floats, fish can live even in winter.
About 97% of the planet's water is in the oceans. But here on Earth, there is a system that removes salt from ocean water and then distributes it all over the planet. Through the evaporation process, the salt is removed from the ocean water and clouds are formed; they are easily moved by the wind, thus spreading the water over the Earth, to hydrate vegetation, animals and people. This system of water supply and purification, recycling and reuse, helps to maintain life on our planet 6 .
The human brain… Processes an impressive amount of information simultaneously. Your brain receives information about all the colors and objects you see, the temperature around you, the pressure with which your feet press on the floor, the sounds around you, how dry your mouth is, even how you feel the keyboard at fingers. The brain records and processes all emotions, thoughts and memories. At the same time, he constantly monitors the functions of the body, such as the rhythm in which he breathes, the movement of the eyelids, the feeling of hunger and the movements of the muscles of the hands.
The human brain processes over one million messages per second 7 . The brain analyzes the importance of all this information, sorting out the relatively insignificant ones. This filtering function allows you to focus and act efficiently. The brain works differently than other organs. It is characterized by intelligence, by the ability to reason, to provoke feelings, to dream and plan, to act and to communicate with other people.
The human eye … Can distinguish between 7,000,000 different colors. Automatically focuses the image and can track no less than 1.5 million messages at a time. 8 Evolution focuses on mutations and changes in existing organisms. However, evolution alone cannot fully explain the appearance of the eye or the brain, that is, the appearance of living organisms, from a lifeless matter.
Scientists are convinced that the universe appeared as a result of a huge explosion of energy and light, which we now call the "Big Bang". This was the beginning of all that exists. The beginning of the universe, of space, even of time.
Astrophysicist Robert Jastrow, who describes himself as an agnostic, said: “At that first moment, the seed of everything that happened in the universe was planted; all the stars, all the planets and all the living beings appeared as a result of the events set in motion at the time of the cosmic explosion… Then the universe appeared and we cannot find out what exactly caused its appearance. ” 9
Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate in physics, said that at the time of that explosion, "the temperature of the universe was about one hundred thousand million (10 11 ) ° C" and that "the universe was full of light." 10
The universe has not always existed. It had a beginning. But what caused his appearance? Scientists have no explanation for this sudden explosion of light and matter.
Although life seems largely uncertain, there are so many elements we can count on every day: gravity remains the same, hot coffee left on the table cools, the planet spins in 24 hours, and the speed of light does not change, neither on Earth nor in distant galaxies.
But how can we identify laws of nature that never change ? How come we have such a systematic, so enduring universe?
"The most famous scientists were shocked by this strangeness. There is no logical need for the universe to obey laws, let alone a law that obeys mathematical rules. Scientists are amazed because they recognize that the universe does not have to work this way. We can immediately imagine a universe in which conditions change unpredictably from one moment to the next, even a universe in which elements appear and disappear. ” 11
Richard Feynman, a Nobel laureate in quantum electrodynamics, said, "We don't know why nature has a mathematical character. The very fact that there are laws of nature is a kind of miracle." 12
Every training, every teaching, every preparation is done with a purpose. The one who writes an instruction manual does it for a purpose. Did you know that every cell in our body contains a very detailed code, like a miniature computer program? As you probably know, such a program consists of 1 and 0 and can look something like this: 110010101011000. The sequence of numbers tells the program what to do. The DNA code in our cells brings a lot with it. It consists of four chemicals, which researchers abbreviate A, T, G and C. For example, they can be arranged in the human cell as follows: CGTGTGACTCGCTCCTGAT. And each cell contains three billion such "letters"!
Well, just as we can program our phones to beep in certain situations, so can the cell's DNA. DNA is basically a three billion letter program that conditions the cell to act in a certain way. It is an instruction manual. 13
And what's so great about it here? We must ask ourselves… How did this program with information get into every cell in the human body? Because they're not just chemicals and that's it. They are information chemicals that encode in very detailed terms how that person will physically develop.
And since it is about programmed information, then biological or natural causes come out of the discussion. It is impossible to have such accurate information without being intentionally included.
I used to not believe in the existence of God. And I don't know how, like all other atheists, I was so upset that some people still believed in Him. What happens to atheists… they use so much time, so much attention and energy, looking to fight something they don't even think exists ?! What makes us do this? When I was an atheist, I imagined that I was doing it because I cared about those poor naive people — that I was doing it to help them realize that they were putting their hope in the wrong place. To be honest, I had another reason. When I challenged believers to questions, I was deeply curious to see if I could be convinced that they were right. I was trying to do this in part because I wanted to get rid of the "enigma of God." If I could prove them wrong,
But I did not realize what the real reason was that I was so troubled by the subject of "God" because He Himself was bringing it to light. But I came to understand that God wants to be known. He created us to know Him. He has surrounded us with evidence of His existence and puts this matter of His existence right before our eyes. It was as if I couldn't help but think of the possibility of God's existence. In fact, the very day I decided to acknowledge that God exists, I began my prayer like this: "OK, you won!" Perhaps the subtle reason why atheists are bothered by those who believe in God is that God is the One who does not leave them alone.
I'm not the only one who's been through this. Malcolm Muggeridge, author of philosophical works, wrote: "I had the impression that in one way or another, in my long searches, I was the one being pursued." CS Lewis recalled: “… night after night, whenever I thought about my work, even for a moment, I felt the constant, untiring approach of the One whom, I tell you honestly, I did not want to I know him. In the end, it was exactly what I had dreaded. I gave in and acknowledged that God is God, I knelt down and prayed; I believe that at that moment there was not in all England a sinner turned to the faith, who was more unhappy and reluctant than I was. "
After that, Lewis wrote a book called "Surprised with Joy," because he knew God. I also had no expectations other than to be honest and rightly acknowledge the existence of God. However, over the months following God's acknowledgment, I became more and more amazed at His love for me.
Why Jesus? Take a look at all the major religions of the world and you will see that the Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius and Moses were all considered teachers or prophets. None of them ever claimed to be equal with God. But surprisingly, Jesus Christ claimed to be equal with God. This sets him apart from everyone else. He said that there is a God and right now you are looking at Him. When He spoke of His Father in heaven, He was not speaking of someone separate from Him, but of someone with whom He was in an extremely close unity, unknown to men. Jesus said that whoever saw Him saw the Father and whoever believes in Him believes in the Father.
He said, “I am the Light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. ” 14 He claimed to have the power that only God has: to forgive the sins of men, to free them from their sinful habits, to give them a rich life and eternal life in heaven. Unlike other teachers, who led people to focus on their words, Jesus led people to Himself. He did not say, "Follow My words and you will find the truth." But: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ” 15
What evidence did Jesus Christ provide to prove that he is God? He did what people can't do. He worked miracles. He healed the sick… blind, lame, deaf; he even raised two people from the dead. He proved that he had power over things… he multiplied the food so much that they were able to eat to satiety a few thousand people. He performed miracles and in terms of nature… he walked on water, he ordered a strong storm to stop. People everywhere followed Him because He fulfilled their needs and worked miracles. He told people that if they do not want to believe what He tells them, they should believe in Him at least because they see the miracles He is doing. 16
Jesus Christ showed us that God is gentle, full of love, aware of our selfishness and flaws, and yet He desires from his heart a relationship with us. Christ has revealed to us that although God believes that we are sinners and deserve to be punished, His love for us has prevailed, causing Him to think of another plan for our escape. God Himself took the form of man and received in our place the punishment for our sins. Does it seem ridiculous or absurd to you? Maybe… but I know many fathers who, if possible, would happily exchange places with their child in the hospital bed because of cancer. The Bible says that the reason we can love God is that He first loved us.
Jesus died in our place so that we could be forgiven. Of all the religions in the world, you will see that only through Jesus does God extend a hand to men, thus opening the way for a personal relationship with Him. Jesus shows us the love of God, who seeks to meet our needs and draw us to Himself. Thanks to the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are offered a new life today. We can receive forgiveness of sins, we can be fully accepted and loved by God. He says, “I love you with an everlasting love; that is why I keep My goodness to you! ” 17 Behold, therefore, God is at work!
Is there a God? If you want to know the answer, seek to know as much as possible about Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." 18
Although He has the power to force us to believe in Him, God does not. On the contrary, it provides us with sufficient evidence of His existence to choose to answer Himself: the perfect distance of the Earth from the Sun, the special chemical properties of water, the human brain, DNA, the large number of people who confirm that I know God, the desire - which grinds our hearts and minds - to find out if there is a God, the desire of God to be found through Jesus Christ. If you want to know more about Jesus and the reasons why you believe in Him, please read "Beyond Blind Faith . "
You have to make this decision yourself; no one forces you to do it. But if you want to be forgiven by God, if you want to have a personal relationship with Him, it is possible right now, asking Him first to forgive your sins and come into your life. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 19If you want to take this step, but you are not sure what to say to Him, here is a prayer you could take: “Lord Jesus, I thank You that You died for my sins. You know my life and you know I need to be forgiven of my sins. Please forgive me right now and come into my life. I really want to know you. Come, please, into my life now. Thank you for wanting and wanting to have a personal relationship with me. Amen."
From now on, God considers His relationship with you permanent. Jesus said of all who believe in Him, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they come after Me. I will give them everlasting life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. ” 20
Given all of the above, we can conclude that there is a God, that he is full of love, and that he can be known in person.
