how can people say with such authority that they know what God wants?
548685
because they worship words, books not God. I think this essene text as said by Christ himself sums it up best\n\n"Seek not the law in your scriptures, for the law is life, whereas the scripture is dead. I tell you truly, Moses received not his laws from God in writing, but through the living word. The law is living word of living God to living prophets for living men. In everything that is life is the law written. You find it in the grass, in the tree, in the river, in the mountain, in the birds of heaven, in the fishes of the sea; but seek it chiefly in yourselves. For I tell you truly, all living things are nearer to God than the scripture which is without life. God so made life and all living things that they might by the everlasting word teach the laws of the true God to man. God wrote not the laws in the pages of books, but in your heart and in your spirit. They are in your breath, your blood, your bone; in your flesh, your bowels, your eyes, your ears, and in every little part of your body. They are present in the air, in the water, in the earth, in the plants, in the sunbeams, in the depths and in the heights. They all speak to you that you may understand the tongue and the will of the living God. But you shut your eyes that you may not see, and you shut your ears that you may not hear. I tell you truly, that the scripture is the work of man, but life and all its hosts are the work of our God. Wherefore do you not listen to the words of God which are written in His works? And wherefore do you study the dead scriptures which are the work of the hands of men?"
125480
Pray, and listen.  If you ask God, he will answer you.  But, keep in mind that the answer that He gives you, may not be what you want to hear.
369874
by bringing you flesh (desires) under control and shaping them into what God desires for you.  Then you get your desires.
146853
Belief in God,Belief in yourself,and a willingness to do whatever it takes.
388066
Faith!  To have total faith that Gods will is what is right.  And, to accept his decisions...whatever they may be.  Knowing that He knows best.  \n\nLove!  Love others.  Love yourself.  Love God, above all.  And, no....I'm not a bible banger.  lol\n\nJust passing on what I have learned.  When I learned to accept the things in my life that happened....good or bad...and to realize that those things were His will....that they had a purpose in my life....I was much happier.\n\nFighting against what is meant to be, is so futile.  And, believe me....God is the one in control.  Yes, we can make some decisions...are are expected to use our brains and logic.  \n\nBut, when I lost my Dad to cancer....I learned who is really in control.  \n\nA lot of what makes us happy, is in how WE CHOOSE to look at a situation.
1128106
It's real simple.  Know your faith as best you can. Know what you believe deep inside, and then simply speak from there.  Speak simple, because that's about as much as they can understand, and I've always done it in English better than any other language, so . . . give it to 'em that way.  They might not like your answers, and be okay with that.  They're not always there to understand you.  They're most often there to argue with you and insult you.  Know that, give it to 'em straight, and realize, it's up to them what they do with it.  "You can lead a horse (nag or stallion) to water, but you CAN'T MAKE THEM DRINK."  You'll have done the best you can in the eyes of God, and that's ALL that matters.  God Bless you.
39631
Ask them where in the Bible it says, "God helps those who help themselves." Just remember that people want to argue and think that they can "bull" their way through sounding like an intellectual. It won't work with God, so they should just be honest with themselves.
199924
GOD knows you, GOD loves you, ask GOD and he will prove it.
872431
No, I don't agree with you. People can do whatever they want.  God doesn't exit.
995714
People try to rationalize things in thier own minds, to suit themselves.  They try to make GOD in the image that "they want", instead of conforming to GOD'S way of life.\n\nIt doesnt work...\n\nI wish you well..\n\nJesse
831786
God has a plan for you, but what it is only He knows
874110
People manipulate religion to what they want it to mean
889638
Be an Optimist.\nTrust in God.\n"All things work together for good to them that love God".\n\n.
786503
Yes. I not go into detail much, but, I have heard God verbally once in my life. The other times God just responded to my requests and helped me. Then there were times He not do anything, maybe I did not need what I wanted or He teaching me patients to wait for some things.
1136370
Assuming for the sake of argument that the Christian mythology is true, of course it's not a fair judging. Just because God is more powerful than we are and made us doesn't automatically give him the right to tell me what to do. Granting us free will is philosophically identical to granting us control over our own being. It's irrelevant that he made us. It's just like the government, just because it's big and has all the guns doesn't give it any actual authority over us other than what it takes by force (in God's case, threats of hell).
158386
Yes, God IS all-knowing and sovereign. It's repeated in the Bible over and over again. \nIsaiah 25:1 O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.\nPsalm 139:1-4   LORD, You have searched me and known me.\n    You know when I sit down and when I rise up;\n         You understand my thought from afar.\n    You scrutinize my path and my lying down,\n         And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.\n    Even before there is a word on my tongue,\n         Behold, O LORD, You know it all.\n\nHis plans are always fulfilled. (Prov 21:30; Romans 9)\n\nBut oy, that is a hard question you ask. I do believe we have free-will. We are responsible for our actions. But how are God's sovereignty and our free will compatible? I can't figure it out... BUT there are great Christian thinkers of the past who came to some conclusion. Why not read, "On the Freedom of the Will" by St. Augustine or \nread a brief bio. concerning "On the.." (scroll down a little more than half-way): http://www.desiringgod.org/library/biographies/98augustine.html\n\nI think I'll read it as well... ; )
136105
Because they have the choice. Which is your God?