S.O.S

[jburic09032]

I try to pray, after all its vitally important in this relationship.
But its hard. I give up easily because I don't get anywhere in prayer except that I really can't move forward in my faith.
Okay, so...saved at an early age, baptized a time or two. But then 3 years of wandering and falling and getting back up, but never fully obviously because I just kept falling again.
Im 16 now. The 2 sins are gone. Still tempt me from time to time, but not too serious...yet.
So now what? I fell, not time to get back up, right? Sure. But a couple of problems.
I dont have a full heart, I mean, I cannot mean anything with all my heart.

• God exists
• I want Him to exist
• I need Him
• I want to need Him
• I want Him in my life
• I need His help
• I want to change
• I want to stop sinning

Yeah, none of those.
So what are my options?
Forget about all my doubts and come to Him or Face all my doubts with Bible verses I dont even know are real

I dont even know if the 2 sins are sins.

Also really having trouble with selfish thoughts
Silly example:
You just made a cake. You taste it and its the best tasting cake you've ever had. Its so good, that you want to just sit down on the couch, watch a movie, and eat it all. But here come the children, wanting a slice or two. That means you only get one slice. So obviously your not mean, your kind and will "let the children eat cake". But wait a minute, you can't shake the feeling that you actually wanted to have it all to yourself, you wish your children hadn't know about it, so they would never know. You still have this selfishness. Of course your not going to do it, but you WANT to.

This is what I'm battling.

So my question:
Where do I go from here?


Hebrews 10:22

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings.

 

[Angelina]

Jburic, you need to stop trying to fix yourself and concentrate on your relationship with God.
Nothing else really matters. He looks at our heart, not our sacrifices. God called David "A man after his own heart," not because he was perfect but because he was honest, real and willing to submit his all before God... Nothing is hidden from his sight.

Begin by communicating with him. God loves it when his children talk with him, even though we may feel that he isn't listening...he hears everything we say and understands our struggles, concerns and needs. Prayer opens the door to an "audience with the King" and ushers us into the presence of the Lord Most High...

Reading the bible is another key element of having a closer, personal relationship with God because you begin to understand his character just as you understand the character of a friend or a family member because you have spent time with them. Knowing God's character helps us in maintain our walk, make clear decisions and keeps us from being tempted by thoughts from the enemy because his character will always reflect his wisdom...

Finding a group of fellow believers that you can meet with regularly for bible study or just socially, will also keep you fired up for the things of God, make you accountable when you are feeling tempted and keep you sharp. As the word says "Iron sharpens Iron, so one man sharpens another."

Bless you!!!

 

[jburic09032]

A man after his own heart. That would be me. I'm trying to figure out what my heart really wants. But I can't ignore what I really want.

 

[Southernboy]

Joel, you need to fill your life with his words his commands and his love, when we pray we are talking to God and when we read his word he's talking to us! Both are very important! Your past the struggle with the sins, now fill your time that you have studying the bible to learn how to be Christlike our journey of understanding never ends! Instead of focusing on NOT doing the bad things focus on doing what's right and focus on your personal relationship with Jesus. And if you do that the rest will fall into place.

 

[jburic09032]

Yes, but If my hearts not in to praying or reading the Bible, if Im bombarded with doubts while doing so. How can I?

 

[Angelina]

Look, I'm gonna be honest with you here. No-one can make you do the right thing. You need to make that decision for yourself and then push through with Gods help. Unless you do make the right choice...you will be vulnerable to enemy attack. If you knowingly do what you want rather than what you know you should be doing, before God....you step out of his protection and his covering. Again, the choice is yours.

Bless you!!!

 

[jburic09032]

How importing is "wanting" Him?

 

[Angelina]

It's a life and death struggle....there's a war going on over your life. We cannot live without God because he is our everything, our source and supply, our provider, our protector, our healer, our mighty warrior, our tower of refuge and peace, our righteousness, our redeemer, savior, our great high Priest our Lord and King...our everything... :huh:

--------------------------------------------------------------

You are at a place of cross-roads in your life right now and you need some time to think about it. Everyone reaches this point in their walk sooner or later and this is yours...

I will be praying for you dear brother.

Bless you!!!

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Okay, one last thing.
Imagine that your heart is like a house

and you are sitting on a great big throne.
From this throne you make daily decisions for your life. One day you meet a guy named Jesus, you ask him to come and live with you and he accepts. Now everything suddenly seems to have gotten better, you like his presence, enjoy his company and learn many new things and even begin to throw away some stuff in your house that you had collected over the years because you didn't feel you needed them any more...

After a while though you realize that nothing else has changed and you begin to wonder why Jesus has not made the impact you thought he would. Some time passes and you begin to entertain others and even let in some of the old stuff back into your house as well.

...The reason why Jesus hasn't impacted your life the way you believe he should have by now, is because you are still sitting on that throne...Jesus is waiting for you to invite him to sit on your throne so that he can then be Lord of your life.
That is where it stands right now...

Goodnight and be well!!!

 

[mjrhealth]

In teh simplest fashion I can put it, Christ is with you always, He is there wheter you believe it or not, There is no prayer required, open your mouth, mention His name, He cannot deny Himself nor will He igore any who call Him, and there he is in front of You, have a conversation, it may seem silly, but God is not deaf, nor are His arms so short that He cannot reach you. You must accept He is there and nothing you can do with change the way He is. He loves you. thats it. He doesnt change unlike men.

In all His Love

 

[Angelina]

Asking Jesus into your heart = salvation.
Asking Jesus to sit on your throne = Born again...
This is the transitional stage you are at....he will not leave you but he cannot do much as long as you are ruling on that throne. He will wait until you ask him...

Shalom!!!

 

[Spirit Covenant]

Ask God to fill you with His Spirit regularly. When He begins to fill you with His Spirit everything will come into Light and He will lead you into all truth.

Luke 11
13 So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will the Father keep giving the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) from heaven to those who keep asking him!"

John 16
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

 

[aspen]

God is reality. Your relationship with Him was started by Him and is continued by Him. He is driving the bus. Your faith in Him is an important part of your sanctification, but it has nothing to do with His reality in the world or your life. All that is required of you is to sit back and receive His love, return it, and love others and enjoy the ride. God will answer all of your prayers and desires according to His will and timing.

 

[Angelina]

No he's not driving the bus...Joel, you know he's not, that's why you need to invite him to sit on your throne. As long as you are ruling from it, he is not and he will not until you ask him to...

You know that this is the truth...search your heart because you know what the truth really is...his sheep listen to his voice.

Bless you!!!

 

[tempera]

Reading about this right now.. As apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6:16 we who are in Christ will still face temptation and sinful thoughts in our mind. Those are attacks of the enemy. He is making use of our weak spots.
When you feel like your mind is drawing you away from the thoughts of God you should immediately act and bring your thoughts in captivity.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.Casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Your mind is being distorted. If you thoughts are not aligned with those of God you immediately have to look for distraction in beneficial thoughts.Dwell on those and don't focus on feeling guilty as that leads you into more sin. Guild is one of the ways the enemy uses to draw us away from Thruth.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things

The only way to resist the thoughts you have is to continually read His Word and know His thoughts. If you seek you will find Truth. Like Spirit Covenant quoted:

John 16:13

But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

You are being led by the Spirit. Although you might not " feel" it. It will become more noticeable, if you keep putting on your armor. And the enemy will attack us while we do so. We just have to persist. Remember we are all being tempted, but it will be less in time.

Bless you!

 

[aspen]

No he's not driving the bus...Joel, you know he's not, that's why you need to invite him to sit on your throne. As long as you are ruling from it, he is not and he will not until you ask him to...

You know that this is the truth...search your heart because you know what the truth really is...his sheep listen to his voice.

Bless you!!!

You really think God's Will is dependent on us? God chooses us, we do not choose Him.

 

[Southernboy]

Aspen we can choose to follow Gods will or choose not to! He never forces us to do his will. And if we don't choose God, how do we have the gift he offered us?

 

[aspen]

Aspen we can choose to follow Gods will or choose not to! He never forces us to do his will. And if we don't choose God, how do we have the gift he offered us?

We may not benefit from His Will if we do not respond to Him, but His Will is always done regardless of participation.

 

[Angelina]

Aspen....You have come into this conversation with the wrong understanding of what is happening....you are not helping.. :huh:

 

[Rex]

As a word of encouragement, I read the post but declined to be the first responder.
But Angelina represents the opinion I gathered when I read it,
it's hard to tell people that you may not be born into a new creature "yet" as you may believe.

Another note in my personal observations> I have met far greater numbers of people that profess to be Christians that the spirit within me never affirmed, than those that have been. I'm referring to visiting churches first and casual acquaintances secondly.

 

[Angelina]

Someone's walk is at stake here and I think that this needs to be something that jb has to think about himself without being clouded with pat answers or pop christian theology...so this thread will be locked before the O/P is lost completely and it becomes a debate between I'm right and your wrong...