It is not hard to see God's imprint on one's life. By imprint, I mean things like peace, joy and love that have completely bypassed understanding. God is definitely a God of miracles and signs, things we can see, but He really inserts Himself much deeper in our hearts than we can see by our five senses.
I used to think finding truth was an insurmountable task. It is not really, but I think the culture around us might make it seem that way. The minute we start on a truth quest, God is quick to open his heart and we begin to start developing trust in who He is. When there is even a little bit of trust we can have patience as we are spurred on to learn more.
But where and how do we learn about Him? For myself, I have look backed to the different teachers and groups that I have been involved in. In hind sight, I can see thankfully what some organizations contributed and also why at a certain point I got to a place in each where it was time, for a lot of different reasons, to move on.
For me there have been two constant companions in loving God: the Word and the gift of holy spirit. In these two entities lie the open door to truth. The Word is the story of God's heart and though we can't see God because He is spirit, the main topic of the Bible is the the revealing of His human son and what that means for a person who believes. Jesus Christ is the way to God. There is an Old Testament (before the birth of Jesus Christ) and a New Testament (after his birth and resurrection). God remains the same throughout the Bible. The birth of Jesus Christ brought a new dynamic to man's relationship to God. The gift of holy spirit (God is The Holy Spirit, holy spirit is His gift) unites all those who believe. Jesus Christ is the head of this group. He is Lord. The words 'lord' and 'god' are titles indicating authority. He is the authority to the church. This means he has authority over his sphere of influence, the people who have responded to God and are connected through the spirit.
So where do you start? In order to understand anything about God, you have to take a look at His Words. You go directly to the source. I think there are great people who teach the Bible, but our faith should not be based on an organization, or people. God will bring people across your path to help for the purpose of building up and equipping you with the skills to function in the church of Christ. We have a leader in Jesus Christ and we personally have God's word and communication through holy spirit. That's the New Testament!
The Bible is not just printed pages. With a humble approach to its contents, it is a source of life! People I have talked with claim that there are too many versions and translations for it to be right. Actually, I read the King James Version and that probably the hardest one to read. I'm no genius but through trusting in God and staying at it, the spirit of God enlivens that book like no other. Having the King James Version incredibly inspire me is a testimony in and of itself!
It is obvious that God created the heavens and the earth. We can see that everywhere we look! So why not start in Genesis chapter 1 and start reading. Ask God questions and be patient. If you don't understand it, don't worry about it, let Him work in your heart. The Old Testament is chock full of men and women who stood for God and yet had many flaws and indiscretions. They did great things. So don't let guilt, shame and condemnation stop your search either.
There is a God of this universe that created the beautiful blue sky, sunsets, sunrises, trees, flowers, stars and the human body. When you look at a tree you don't see all the magnificent things going on inside it until you start examining it closely and asking questions like: "why are the leaves flat like they are?" If you start looking at the Word in the same way, you will be amazed! It is the most important thing you'll ever do.
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