I've been getting better I think.. At times I still sin willfully and unwillfully and it bothers me.. I became distraught today and I did something shameful.. I backslid.. I went back to my old ways the second time and about five minutes later after my fun I felt empty it and was so quick completely pointless. I repented but I didn't feel that level of conviction I usually felt.. It felt so temporary so pointless and nowhere near as fun as it used to be.. I worry at times that I don't have.. I've never been baptized before... Though I never had the motivation or will to give up my worldly entertainment I don't believe that I could do that on my own...
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lisa-in-FL
Member
Yeah, I sinned willfully and unwillfully today too. Anyone else? 
Praying for you! Remember to ask the Lord for help delivering you from this.
Also, you know John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
It doesn't say " . . that whosoever believes on him and gets baptized a certain way and never sins again, should not perish . . ." Your salvation isn't something you can earn.
Praying for you! Remember to ask the Lord for help delivering you from this.
Also, you know John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
It doesn't say " . . that whosoever believes on him and gets baptized a certain way and never sins again, should not perish . . ." Your salvation isn't something you can earn.
Yeah, I sinned willfully and unwillfully today too. Anyone else?
Praying for you! Remember to ask the Lord for help delivering you from this.
Also, you know John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
It doesn't say " . . that whosoever believes on him and gets baptized a certain way and never sins again, should not perish . . ." Your salvation isn't something you can earn.
It isn't.. I know that only Jesus lived a flawless life.. I just worry that one day I'll let sin get the best of me and start ignoring God again.. I want a good relationship with him. This entire month has been practically constant apologizing and trying to repent for me. How do I keep God close and yet not try to do the work on my heart he's supposed to do? I've been cramming down a lot of pastor videos reading the Bible.. I know it's Jesus's job to save me and the Holy Spirit's job to change me.. Just what am I supposed to do? I'm usually slothful, but when it comes to God it's like I don't know how to be still and listen.. I'm sorry about all this.. Thank you for your prayer.
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Luminous_Rose
CF Ambassador
You can do this! I will pray for you! We are all sinners, and even when we follow Jesus, we will still stumble at times. Remember Philippians 4:13, "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."
Thank you for the scripture and prayer..
Yeah, it is a daily battle.. Thank you for the encouragement.
lisa-in-FL
Member
I could have written this post. I've been there and actually I'm still here.. some days are better than others. My take is that you have to be still and listen, know God's word and how you should live.. all of that understanding and reflection is great but you can't just sit still. Like learning to play the piano.. you can't just read the notes on a page. You have to sit at a piano, press the keys and practice every day. That means dealing with people and situations you may not want to deal with and dealing with your own choices.. every day.
I'm still learning this and how to not just pray in the morning like I'm set for the day.. but converse with God all day and lean on Him to remind me of what I've learned
Truthfrees
Member
wow - you are really on track my dear friend - wanting a good relationship with God - constantly apologizing - cramming Bible videos - being opposed to ignoring God - you are really applying everything you know to do - trying to be still before God - that's a lot of effort you've put into changing - God bless you
what more can a person do to get close to God other than what you have done?
from your other testimony in another thread it seems God been doing a wonderful work on your heart and you now have a new sensitivity/desire/passion for God - praise God - God has intervened in a powerful way - and He will continue to do so - we have seen growth in you here in just the short time we have known you
FEAR NOT and think of God as your friend/doctor/lawyer/judge/healer/teacher/deliverer
God said fear not some 600 times in the bible - probably because that is what we most often get trapped in
as your Friend - God will never leave you
as your Doctor - God will diagnose what is happening with you and give you instructions/prescriptions
as your Lawyer - God will defend you using the blood of Jesus FOR your defense in court
as your Judge - God put all your punishment on Jesus - so you are now free - and your record expunged
as your Healer - God will go into all the areas of your life that are damaged/causing you trouble/sin/failure - and HE will heal those areas so that you can be stronger and better in a steadily growing way
as your Teacher - God will help you learn the things you need to do better
as your Deliverer - God will set you free from bondages/addictions/bad situations
i'm praying for you - i've been where you are - and i just about drove myself crazy from fear of sin and fear of failing God and others
i was too serious and negative - i couldn't have fun with God - i didn't realize how much He loved me - i didn't think about how much He had forgiven me - i was acting like all my sins were still hanging around my neck - rather than thanking God for all the forgiveness and pardon i had received - a pardon means our record is expunged - yesterday is erased - each time we ask forgiveness our sin and all record of it is erased - something we all need
we all need to allow the blood of Jesus to wash away our sins - if we keep counting our sins we will become buried under the mountainous weight of them - and maybe even crushed spiritually from the guilt/shame/condemnation of it all
so how can you get closer to God? - you are doing an awesome job already - the only thing i would add is accept God's full forgiveness and pardon in the same full degree He gave it to you - when you confess your sins God erases them - so you are free - 1 John 1:9 -
if you sin again - confess it again and God will cleanse/forgive/pardon again
how many times a day can we sin and be forgiven? - Jesus said 490 times - Matthew 18:22 - if Jesus tells us to forgive others 490 times each day how many sins will God forgive us each day? - can any of us even find the time to sin 490 times in a 24 hour period?
when we FULLY receive God's pardon/forgiveness/cleansing each time we ask forgiveness we soon start having such a grateful heart toward God that we fall in love with Him
in fact Jesus said he who is forgiven much loves much - Luke 7:41-43 - Luke 7:47 - which means the biggest sinners become the greatest lovers of God when they realize how much they are forgiven
you have been ASKING for forgiveness - and God has forgiven/cleansed/pardoned you EACH time as per 1 John 1:9
you already ARE close to God - it is just your feelings that cause you to think you aren't
praying for you my dear friend
Razeontherock
Member
^ ^
Matt, when you read about "renewing your mind," THIS is what it means, for you, for a while until you "get it" and walk in it ...
Matt, when you read about "renewing your mind," THIS is what it means, for you, for a while until you "get it" and walk in it ...
Thank you for your kind words. "Truthfrees" I pray that justice and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.
Razeontherock
Member
(Psst, that's goodness and mercy)
Truthfrees
Member
wow - thank you so much - i receive that in Jesus' wonderful name - that is a powerful prayer - justice and mercy? - amen - 2 very powerful provisions from God - following me all the days of my life? - wow - yes - amen - God bless you
Truthfrees
Member
lol - goodness and mercy is awesome
just to clarify - i have needed some justice recently - i have been asking God for some justice in some unfair situations
i think our dear friend was speaking a direct message to me from God
God is amazing - life in God is awesome
God bless you my dear brother - you are a blessing here - so glad you are a mod - you are doing an amazing job of showing Christ's love/truth/heart
Thank you, It is about renewing your mind daily as you grow. I still have a lot to learn!
Oh!! I'm sorry I misquoted that.. I really need to read my bible again.. I really have to be more careful with the word of God. Thank you for your correction.
Razeontherock
Member
Haha, not correction Brother! Usually we don't want justice following us around too closely, because in the Scriptural sense justice most often means punishment for the wicked. We have an adversary who's always eager to jump on that bandwagon.
So as the Psalmist wrote, goodness and mercy to follow us has an entirely different connotation; and yet, Truthfrees is needing justice done so consider yourself a vessel of a Prophetic utterance!
We all have a lot to learn, and it happens as we draw near Him ...
Razeontherock
Member
How good the Gospel really is, is hard to believe! Speaking with atheists almost always involves finding out which part of the Gospel they find to be too good to be true. Then we need examples that demonstrate it's Truth. Our own testimony usually works best.
My first Pastor put it like this: the Gospel is like trading a rusty old VW for a new Mercedes Benz, even up.