G + O + D = GOD
Personally, the only reason I have for believing that God exists is because some people have claimed to have seen Him and talked with Him face-to-face. After I have been presented with their stories or spiritual experiences, then the next step for me is to try to decide if they are telling me the truth, or not.
With a few of these prophets or eye-witnesses of God, I have chosen to believe that they are indeed telling me the truth and that they really have seen God just like they claimed to have done. Once I choose to believe them, then for me their story, testimony, or eye-witness account serves as evidence or proof that God really does exist.
Good
Observations of
Deity
Throughout my life, I have been looking for, searching for, and cataloging “Good Observations of Deity”; I have been looking for GOD. Given the fact that I have never seen God, the accounts or stories of those who have seen God have been of great interest and value to me.
There are some people that I believe really did see God. There are others who claimed to have seen God, but I personally do not believe that they have seen God, but have seen something else instead. I judge the difference between the two by the fruits, or the results, or the accomplishments of their Theophanies.
Matthew 7: 15-23:
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Jesus Christ tells us that in the last days, there will be false prophets. What does this really mean? It means that in the last days, there will also be True Prophets. Our job is to learn to tell the difference between the two.
Imagine that Joseph Smith had never seen God the Father and Jesus Christ. Imagine that Moroni had never appeared to Joseph Smith and given him the Golden Plates. What would have been the result? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would never have been founded. Zion in these latter-days would never have been established. We would not have the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, or Pearl of Great Price. We would not have the Joseph Smith translation of the Bible. I would not be here right now writing any of this.
The fact that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and backed Joseph Smith all the way to the end of his life has produced fruit and made all of these things possible. If God the Father and Jesus Christ had never appeared to Joseph Smith, then Joseph Smith would have ended up being just like me — trying to be good but not accomplishing much during his life.
Joseph Smith became great because God the Father and Jesus Christ chose him to be their prophet in these last days, appeared to Joseph, sustained Joseph, guided and commanded Joseph, and backed Joseph all the way through his life. It was God the Father and Jesus Christ that made Joseph Smith great, that gave Joseph the opportunities and ability to do great things. Without God backing him, Joseph Smith would have accomplished nothing of significance during his life. Joseph Smith is remembered to this very day by millions because the Lord backed him and sustained him. In contrast, few people will ever really know or remember that I have even been here.
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One of the main purposes for our mortal probation is to find God. How are you doing?
In our forum, we take up this topic, the Proof of God. Feel free to join the forum and tell us why you believe that God exists.
This is where I was originally going with all of this:
John Pratt’s Calendars Provide Proof of God
Enoch