BrianS

The people I mentioned like Josephus are well known and accepted historians that were not ever Christians. You won't find a contemporary historian that doesn't count Josephus a historian. Reread my post and you will see those I mentioned were not Christians.


Could you clarify what you're asking here? Are you making a statement regarding my quote from the gospel of Thomas, which is not part of scripture? Are you saying that statement is fine and should be included in scripture? Please let me know what you're questioning here.


There have been many new writings as well as evidence. There just has been nothing added to scripture. Many prophecies have been fulfilled and recorded since the scriptures were written. I would consider these to be both writings and evidence. Before 1948 many people laughed at Bible scholars who actually believed Israel would become a nation again in a single day as scripture predicted. Nobody's laughing at that one anymore and I'd say it's good evidence for scripture.


I know people pray to get closer to God. I spend time in prayer with people at church and listen to their prayers. Praying for health is scriptural, but the means God established in scripture is for a person with a health problem to ask for the prayers of others for healing. God many times does not answer those prayers. Even the apostle Paul wrote about how God's strength was made perfect in Paul's weakness over a physical problem. Scripture teaches us to delight ourselves in the things of God and He will give us the desires of our heart. Some people twist this and only consider the part where God will give us the desires of our heart. That's missing the point. The point is when our hearts are for the things of God, when we find joy in doing God's work, only then God will give us the desires of our heart. If a person has really met the condition of that statement they won't be praying for a job, or money, or anything physical for themselves. Every Christian falls short of God's standard here to some measure.

If you'd like to read a biography of a guy who got this right look up George Mueller. The guy kept a journal and it has over 25,000 accounts of answered prayer, many of which are nothing short of a miracle. His prayers were not for his comfort, though. He started and ran orphanages. One example of answered prayer was a time when they ran out of money and had no food for the children. George said to tell no one and have the children seated and the table set for dinner. They began their prayers as usual thanking God for the food they were about to eat. At that time people came by who brought food and explained they had a strong feeling that God wanted them to bring food by. When asked how he accomplished so much with so little George replied that he trusted God to fulfill the promises He made in scripture. There are examples of people who only pray to "Become a Better You", but there are people who know God's Word and pray according to His will.


One great part of this country is that you can say things like that on a public forum like this and not wind up in jail. You can have an opinion on religion and even practice your belief and not be killed. You think we are last place in educational standards? How about many of the Muslim countries where women aren't even allowed an education? You think they are above us? Have you been to other countries for any length of time? My church is involved with humanitarian aid in many countries and I wouldn't count any of them as greater than the United States.