And behold, and angel of the Lord stood before them, and the Glory of the Lord shone around them and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them;
"Do not be afraid, for I bring you good tidings of Great Joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the City of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:9-10

What did you come to this site for? Did you come hoping to find some intellectual material to help you prove, or discard the notion of Jesus? Did you come to read some interesting posts? Did you come because a friend suggested it? Are you here because you are curious? Did you come here to see what those lesbians who think they are Christians have to say about God?
Will you pick it apart as fast as you read it to prove "those" lesbians are sadly mistaken? Because gay people "can't" be Christians? Are you a gay person over here to see why any lesbian would spend even a moment of her/his time in an archiac, patriarchal religion?
Maybe you are here for Jesus. I hope that is what you came for because He is here for you.
I can't "prove" God exists. I just know He does. It is a matter of faith that ends up proving itself to your heart. At least it has been that way for me.
One reason it IS that way for me is because God chose to come as one of us. Like the song, "What if God was one of us?". He could have come at a better time in history when he could be born into a rich family and shuttled around to speaking engagements with 12 bodyguards in a Lear Jet. Instead he chose to be born at a time where life was short and hard and people were cruel. He was born in a stable and laid in a manger which is just a fancy name for a feeding trough. This is what helps me to believe. God chose humble circumstances over better ones. He did this so we could relate to Him. So He could relate to us. This, my friend, is a tiding of great joy. For you. For me.
Have you ever invited Him into your heart? I am not talking about "getting religion". Religion will not help you. Jesus will. Asking him into your heart is a personal thing that only you can do. Nobody can force you into it. Nobody can "force Jesus down your throat". You have to ASK Him in.
Yes, you will inherit eternity, but that eternity starts now. He begins his life with you as soon as you ask Him. He will not force you. It is not like that.
Did you ever want a friend you could call at 2 am in the morning? Did you ever want a friend who would be there in your worst times? Did you ever want a friend that would be there just to be there for you?
You can have that friend. It is Jesus.
Is there a correct formula for asking Him into your life? I don't really think so. It means that you are asking Him to take your life. Not because you can't or won't, but because He has a better life for you. It means repenting of those things that stand between you and Him. It does not mean that you suddenly have to become perfect, and start judging yourself and everyone around you. It means that He will begin to help you in the areas you need help in.
What stands between you and Jesus?
Do not fear. He brings tidings of Great Joy.

Blyth your words hit close to my heart tonight. I just returned from a wonderful visit with my brother and his wife. My brother is a very sweet and kind man. Fool of love and childish enthusiasm for the world around him. I love him dearly. But he is an engineer, a physist/scientist. He scoffs at the idea of God as being a spiritual crutch I think. He would probably try to rationally deduce away the miracles I've experienced in my life and have seen in other peoples lives as some dillusional state of mind. When I try to explain God's overwhelming love and desire for each and every one of us he would probably say I'm making up for some lost childhood experience.

I despaired driving home tonight. I prayed and prayed that God send a messenger to my brother and his wife to tell them the Good News in words they can understand and relate too. I prayed that the Holy Spirit quicken and prepare his spirit to hear such words. That the Lord use a person and their words to circumvent his over rationalizational mind and penetrate his heart / his soul.

I prayed Blyth because I despair I will never see his wonderful smile and his beautiful, infectious life in any other life besides this one. I love him so very, very much and I don't want that love to end here. Trapped by the confines of only this world.

I thought about all of these things tonight and then I cried some more thinking about how my love is like a drop of water compared to God's love for him. God knows my brother in ways I never will. My heart aches for my brother and his wife tonight. I pray that someone(s) are sent to him with that special gift from God to reach out and touch people where they are and get them to see just a glimpse of heaven and the love God has for them. That life doesn't have to end here, end now. That there is so, so very much more just waiting for them. Alls they need to do is ask God to take over their life and to lead them home. I pray such a person comes for my brother...

1 Cor 13:13 (NLT)
"and the greatest of these is love."

First of all, Blyth, thank you for your very heartfelt, moving, and timely post. It was very thought provoking and encouraging.

Secondly, Elaine, I want to share with you my experience with my brother. When I was 16, I accepted Christ. My family didn't understand, they were church goers, but that was the time of the strong "Jesus Movement" and they were really afraid I was into some cult. As time went one, I could share more and more with my parents but my brother continued to tease me, make fun of me, and generally put me down. About 20 years later, my brother accept Christ himself. I would attend church with him 10 years ago and cry because he was there because he WANTED to be not because someone had forced him to go. I say all this because I NEVER thought ANY ONE could get through to my brother. I know that is limiting God and lacks a lot of faith. But God took those circumstances and showed me how NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE with HIM!!. Praise God.

I will remember your brother in prayer as I remember all those loved ones who don't know Jesus personally!

Thank you Groucho, your prayers mean a lot to me! How did your Christmas go? Ours was busy. Christmas eve we went down to visit family in the Bay Area and got home late. Christmas was an all day affair with the kids. Lots of fun! I thank God for my family every single day.

1 Cor 13:13 (NLT)
"and the greatest of these is love."