Hi Snowbird,
Interesting thread.
A little timid to join in your discussion however, as claiming Faith in God and Jesus here is asking for arrows. But alas, if I had kept that timidness they would not have kicked me out of the Watchtower.
You stated in your post the Bible is a Revelation on God. I would like to modifiy it a bit, as it is beginning to end, not about God's sovernity, but a Revelation of Jesus.
I think it is interesting to step back and take a look around sometimes. We see creation, fellow humans, animals, season, stars, luminaries. Does what we think, believe, trust in even matter? We are a speck, we are dust in relation to all things. How funny huh. We argue so venhemently with each other about God, being conclusive in our own minds of our rightness, yet who are we?
Well, if you believe in God, we are a diamond. Why? Because we acknowledge him, we believe in his son and look to follow him, his way. He looks upon the creative works of his hands and through our belief in his Son we can have a relationship with the most powerful entity ever. Wow, what an opportunity.
Let's say we don't believe. There is no God, life is by science defintions. The Bible is just a book. We live our lives by that belief and seem settled to do so. And some seem to find happiness in that perspective as maybe gives them peace to the bigger questions that plague their minds.
Now please see, I am stating this from the persepective of a believer. God is there whether we acknowlege him or not. We search for him, he can be found. We don't and don't want too, and he will not be found, because we are not looking. Whether we look or do not, or believe or do not does not change facts of his existance.
Personally, I choose to be one who searches, and I have chosen to search for him through the one who he presented to me as the way to find him, Jesus. He does not force us too, but if we wish he provides a way.
May he bless all on their Journey, for the sun rises upon us all, and the rain gives us food, the flowers joy, and the animals, facination. For the believer in God, we give him all praise and say thank you, for those who don't I guess it is a matter of being glad to have what we need today.
love
CL