So distressed

Originally Posted by mini21

I was reading last night and found a verse that says, "some who seek me will not find me". REALLY?? ...

John 7 (Amplified Bible)

28 Whereupon Jesus called out as He taught in the temple [porches], Do you know Me, and do you know where I am from? I have not come on My own authority and of My own accord and as self-appointed, but the One Who sent Me is true (real, genuine, steadfast); and Him you do not know!

29 I know Him [Myself] because I come from His [very] presence, and it was He [personally] Who sent Me.
30 Therefore they were eager to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, for His hour (time) had not yet come.
31 And besides, many of the multitude believed in Him [adhered to Him, trusted in Him, relied on Him]. And they kept saying, When the Christ comes, will He do [can He be expected to do] more miracles and produce more proofs and signs than what this Man has done?
32 The Pharisees learned how the people were saying these things about Him under their breath; and the chief priests and Pharisees sent attendants (guards) to arrest Him.
33 Therefore Jesus said, For a little while I am [still] with you, and then I go back to Him Who sent Me.
34 You will look for Me, but you will not [be able to] find Me; where I am, you cannot come.
35 Then the Jews said among themselves, Where does this Man intend to go that we shall not find Him? Will He go to the Jews who are scattered in the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
36 What does this statement of His mean, You will look for Me and not be able to find Me, and, Where I am, you cannot come?

/\ Here Jesus is referring to His death.

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Might I suggest humbly THANKING God for as many things as you can think of to be thankful for.
After all if not for Him, we not only wouldn't have what we do,
we wouldn't be.

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Originally Posted by mini21

I am constantly asking him to 'forgive me of my sins' (i say it just like that)...is there a way I should do it? Also, is there a more effective way to pray?

You really need to break out of the mentality of trying to do everything right. The scriptures tell us that all of our righteousness is but filthy rags (Isaiah). Praying the right way, or saying the right words in pleading for forgiveness won't change that. It's a heart thing. Spend time with Him, read His Word, and He will change your heart.

Please tell me where this verse is, might be out of context for a start, secondly, ((hugs)).

We often as humans try, try, try.

Jesus said it is finished, over, done, ask me in, done.

But often we read James and go gosh, oh no, am I saved, i'm not doing anything, doing enough, feeling enough.
It also says, trust not, or rely not on your feelings and senses, what faith means.

I screw up so many times, like today and think, death, hell, death, hell, so on.

Confusion and fear come from the enemy.
Maybe this is my thorn, because when I'm well, start to get cocky, more prideful, hang around the end times and act smug, though I don't meant come across like that, big headed, love revealing truth that is all.

For you, stop trying so hard, sometimes people experience differing things.

When I have major doubt I can call on that fateful night in March 2003, feels like ages ago, did it really take place, yep.
Was attacked and saved, I know God exists and satan, been there done that.

I know the score as well, yet I choose to remain in No mans land, HOW dumb is that.

Bit like Adam standing there with the bible, Hey Eve, if we eat of this fruit look at what will happen in the future, oh well, sorry, temptation's got the better of me, and throwing the Bible on the ground and knowing the score, still go ahead and sin.

Now in our case, you say I've done nothing wrong.

Who knows why, I know God exists, I know we didn't just happen, evolve from nothing nonsense.

But, well, who knows, why God sometimes touches us personally and sometimes not.

People don't understand for me, since that event I can not pray to God and expect to hear, I hear another voice, not the same as the three demonic words that night, but, it's like my own voice, says, 'I have told you, you are loved.'
But before I can go phew, and then hear something in my head say, 'You are condemned, hee hee hee.'
Or not condemned, but along those lines.

So for me, best I can ever come to close to God is allowing His Holy Spirit to wash over me, normally through music, powerful is a Matt Redman song, does it for me, but rare I allow God in.

Or I just sing to Him, through those songs, but I feel false.

See, what I'm saying to you is, sometimes God does things differently, some of us, like me are physical and I want hugs, so I look for woman to show me God through her and it never works, so I never get mended, no one steps out and says I'll take you to God.

God personally doesn't want that, afraid she will get the credit, which is nonsense, lol, I thank her but worship Him, amen.
So, yeah some of us need more than just spiritual, in the mind, washing over us, we want to feel Jesus, want Him here, talking, holding us in His arms, kinda hard for a guy, brought up in a world that if a Christian man hugs another for any length of time, hello, he's gay nonsense.

I say to God, lead me and guide me by your Holy Spirit, unknowingly to me.

Then I laugh weeks later when I sit down and think, you did that, you allowed that to happen.

Gift I have now, because many Christians would get angry, upset with Him.
But if I choose to take my road, the longer harder road, my stupid choice.

Not sure what else to say.

But I can share some empathy with your desire to feel.

Funny, cause I used to pity this lad at my cousin's church, he left and gone somewhere else now.
Back in say 2003, alpha Course, met him and he always had a head knowledge, but could not relate, you know, bit like you i guess to God.
Funny eh, lost that.
I used to say to people, easy to get close to God, but darn hard to stay there.
Now I can't even come back to God, feel like King Saul, tormented.

Like saying the Titanic won't sink, never tempt fate.

I find this happens to me a lot, so no coincidence, loving God, but will discipline something rotten, correction if need be.
I hope this post does not get reported and deleted, sick and tired pouring out my heart to people and trying to reach them and, well you know, when others seem to say the same things, if not worse and their postings still on.
Just in case, send it you as well, if you have message enable and invite you to our group if it helps you to share.
I know it helps me so much, until a fellow brother and sister attack me, and satan knows this and uses this to take me out of the picture again, just as I'm offering advice to people.

Many blessings, Lee.

Thanks guys. Especially you, Lee. You have responded to a few of my 'cry of desparation' themed posts, and have helped me put things into perspective. I still dont understand why the bible wont just tell you that you dont have you be perfect and all you have to do is believe, but instead it is confusing. You're saved by grace not works, faith without works is dead, you need faith to have grace, do the will of the father (which is probably have faith) etc etc etc. And then the bible says the way is narrow and some who thought they would go to heaven will get a big surprise when they end up elsewhere. And the ones who said they cast out demons and had done mighty works in his name...depart from me, i never knew you?? Sounds like this whole thing is a gamble to me..

You need to stop depending on feelings to confirm the FACT that you are saved. If you have decided to turn from your old ways (repent) and follow God you ARE saved by the shed blood of our Lord - the Bible says so. Your salvation is a FACT. Feelings may come or they may not. I don't "feel" love for God or even my wife and there are times when I wish I did. But Biblical love is something you DO not something you feel. Being a follower of Jesus Christ is not what you do but who you ARE. Don't let the Enemy drag you down longing for feelings.

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In Him,
Bob Allen

Thanks Bob. I just thought I was supposed to feel this amazing sense of love from God. It seems like that's how every other Christian I meet feels. But you're right. God brought me to Psalm today, where David seemed so utterly depressed and despaired. I saw my feelings in those verses. Almost like I was writing them myself.

We all go through what you are feeling, Mini. There are times when it will be great, there will also be times when you doubt and are frustrated. Build your house on the Rock, and you will survive it all. Psalms is a good place to be reading when you are feeling down, so keep it up! We'll be praying for you.

No problem, see the Bible never ever contradicts, but people take things out of context.

Oh look, one must go to church on a Saturday, or else, you have the mark, a SDA might say and yet if we look else where:

Colossians 2:16

The Colossians had died to all efforts to please God by the flesh. They had not only died, but they had been buried with Christ and risen with Christ to a new kind of life. Therefore they should be done forever with the Judaizers and Gnostics, who were trying to draw them back to the very things to which the Colossians had died.
So let no one judge you in food, or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.
All human religions place men under bondage to ordinances, rules, regulations, and a religious calender. This calender usually includes annual observances (holy days), monthly festivals (new moons), or weekly holidays (sabbaths).
The expression "Therefore let no one judge you" means that a Christian cannot be justly condemned by others if, for instance he eats pork, or if he fails to observe religious festivals or holy days

Taken from Believers Bible commentary by William MacDonald, published by Thomas Nelson.

The trouble comes when MAN, sometimes satan through them, demons etc, mislead them, sometimes they do it on purpose.

My belief is a man comes along, reads something one day challenges elders, no not having it, shows others, well we agree, cool, were out of here.

Probably not like that, people just form their own thing regardless what they into before.

This is why I always stress, please, first:

Read the verses before and after the one someone has posted.
Then type it in google, do some research, read a bible commentary book, read a few, read many bible versions.

Now one can get more confused, especially in these last days, so many say one thing and another something else.

We are saved by grace alone, yet James seems to say no gotta do works, or does he.

James says if you are genuinely saved works follow that.

Instead of always doing your own thing, for instance, I don't go to church anymore and yet someone might challenge me on that, I go to church as if better than me, but have they accepted Jesus, and if so do they give to good causes to further God's kingdom, do they run a website, have they given discs out, told people at work, warn them when bad weather comes, no, oh dear, not to sound big headed, I have.
James says if you born again, into God, you can't darn well help doing things of a Godly nature.

But no man comes along, oh look got to be water baptised it says so, no, no, for remission of sins, John the Baptist spelled this out as well:
Matthew 3: 6 They were baptized{or, immersed} by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

But then:
Matthew 3: 11 I indeed baptize{or, immerse} you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.{TR and NU add "and with fire"}

Also:
Acts 16: 30 and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."

True goes on to say they were baptised, but, not essential for salvation:

Acts 19: 1 It happened that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples.
2 He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They said to him, "No, we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
3 He said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism."
4 Paul said, "John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus."
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.

But because that was not told, or if known, or later known hushed up.
I mean, baptist no gonna confess that, lose the denomination and church goers and income and so on.
Bit like Coke Cola, mean well in the beginning, but not gonna say, don't drink it now, got aspertame in it, could give you cancer and so on are they, finish Coke off.
Why I stopped having chewing Gum.
The truth shall indeed set you free, but you gotta go looking, God loves a searcher, never take my word for it, do your own research, amen.

What you're describing is something we all go through. You said that you were reading Psalms and it seemed like the words were for you? THEY WERE FOR YOU!!! Those things do not happen by accident. That was Him speaking to you !!! God may not have spoke to you in a voice that you can hear (yet), but He obviously took note of your "knocking" and opened the door a bit. The main thing for you right now IMO, is patience. We are humans and we have this flesh to deal with. We're used to getting what we want- right now.

There's a story in the Bible that shows how God sometimes makes us wait on Him;
A woman was asking a judge for a judgement. And she kept bugging the judge about it. It was making the judge so weary that he finally gave in because of her persistance. She got her judgement because she didn't give up.
You see, as a christian...this life really isn'y about you and me, it's about God. Does He want to answer us every time? Oh yes...He always wants to 'fellowship'. But should He be at our beck and call? No, it should be the other way around. WE are the ones who "knock and it will be opened, seek and you will find", not the other way around! Have you ever been "seeking" for something? Do you always "find" it imediately? No, you have to seek UNTIL you find.
Sometimes when we pray, He sends the answer but it gets "delayed" in the spiritual realm. But it's still on the way. One time in the OT, God "sent" the answer via an angel, and a demon tried to stop the answer from getting to whoever prayed. So an angelic fight took place. But God's angel (i think) called another angel and prevailed.

Anyway, do not accept discouragement. Just be a christian !!!

Try to trust God even though you feel nothing, and you will grow don't rely on feelings. Try to simply trust, regardless.

God bless you.

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