Hi, I'm Miranda

[mandapanda]

Hi, I'm Miranda, and I'm new in this community. I'm a college student at California State University, Long Beach, and I am double majoring in English and Music Education. I'm creative and an introvert. My interests include music, literature, ballet, theology, apologetics, philosophy, cultures, and specifically that of Japan.

Brief version of my testimony:
I grew up in the church, but really began to follow Jesus on my own initiative at age 16, the turning point being Romans 6, which God used to speak powerfully to me. He opened my eyes to the truth that no matter what I would be slave to something, whether it be to sin, to myself, or to Him... and that what an amazing freedom would be found in being His, for I had known all too well the horrible bondage that sin and self-service was in my life. So yes, following that I embarked on a study of the Great Commandment: Love. This changed my life and my entire way of thinking.

In college I face challenges I never knew I was plunging into. Mostly intellectual challenges that I find against Christianity. I am a great question-asker, as you will no doubt find... but sometimes I feel that my life is one big Question. Now, questions can be good, and lead to Truth... but like anything they are tools and can be used for good or evil. I have struggled with the negative things that my questions have brought: doubt, using intellect as a screen to block my heart, pride... it is no small thing to fight a generally atheistic/agnostic philosophy around here and not getting brainwashed into thinking and believing like they do. So I might as well be honest up front and say that yes, I have had a life-changing experience with God, and deep in my heart I will always hold to Jesus, for I could not live or breathe without Him, but at the same time, this world has had its effect on me and I have developed a side to me that is quite the skeptic, and not easily satisfied with pat answers or anything cliche.

Ah, so... there you have it... more about me than I intended upon, setting out on writing this post.

Blessings!

[fairbank]

Miranda, so glad you have joined us. Like you I have had a long-standing love for Japanese language, culture, and especially Japanese/Okinawan martial arts. It will truly take courage to stand strong and oppose the secular philosophies you will encounter. Please allow us as brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage you any way we can. Your questions will no doubt do the same for us. May God bless and keep you always.

Eric (fairbank)

[melinky]

Hello again Miranda!

I'm excited to see another female around here posting! Welcome and post often!

Melinda

[rgrove]

Welcome to the board Miranda! I look forward to getting to know you better.

Don't get frustrated with the world around you there. Easier to say than to live, I know, but the answers you are looking for are all found in the Way, the Truth and the Life and noplace else. In your current place in life, a very difficult one for a believer to be in due to the hostility present towards God, hold the Apostle Paul's words close to your heart:

Ephesians 4:17-24 - Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

You may not know all the answers, but you can know that any answers that aren't consistent with the Biblical witness aren't answers at all. And don't feel apologetic that a deep experience is a part of your faith. Your faith is rational, but it's more than rationality just as the world is physical, but there is more to it than physical matter. As Paul says, if you have accepted Christ you are a new creature in Him and being renewed by the Holy Spirit Himself. Read scripture regularly, read the works of the great Christians God has raised up before us, and always keep your eyes on the cross. Life will be difficult for a believer in a secular university at this time. Most of us went through it and know. But we also came out the other side the better for it. There is always hope if that hope is established firmly in Christ.

Might I encourage you to look into the Presuppositional apologetic since you express interest in that area. It is a radically Christian apologetic, and I would contest (naturally since I am one) that it's the most Biblically faithful worldview bar none. A great introductory text might be the late Greg Bahnsen's "Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith". If you prefer to listen, then take a look at the downloadable MP3 files of Bahnsen's lectures and sermons at:

www.cmfnow.com/subcat.asp?0=207

The sound quality of some of them isn't so hot (came from cassettes originally), but there's some great stuff there. His debate with Dr. Gordon Stein held at the university of California (Irvine) in 1985 is textbook presuppositionalism. You'll see the truth of Paul's words stand out like a neon sign when you listen to that debate:

www.cmfnow.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=207&1=234&2=-1

Hope this helps with your quest for understanding. In Bahnsen's work (and the work of other presuppositionalists) I sincerely believe you'll see how philisophically sound your faith in Christ actually is.

In Christ,
Ron

[Soulfyre]

Welcome, Miranda! Thank you so much joining us.

As you can see, we have been gifted by God to have some wonderful Christians here. You will find that they will challenge your thinking (they certainly do mine...at least what ever processes pass for thinking in my old mind), stretch your understanding, and always support and encourage you. We also bear one another's burdens in prayer.

I look forward to your participation, having already been privileged to be blessed by your insight in your blog, and your heart devoted to God.

God bless and keep you always,

Matthew (soulfyre)


P.S. Feel free to invite your friends, if you find you enjoy the forum!

[mandapanda]

Thank you all for the welcome and the support! I hope that my posts can be as edifying as yours have been!

[Kenny]

Howdy, howdy, howdy!