Daily Devotional Suggestions?

[SouthernGirl92]

I've sat here and written out about 4 different posts and deleted every single one of them, so I'm going to try and keep this as simple as possible.

How do I get a relationship with Christ?

I'm a Christian, grew up in a Christian school but I never paid much attention and now I feel like I've strayed away from Him and I want to get back in His good graces. How do I do this? I'm trying to turn my life around, I've had a lot of medical problems that have kept me back from doing normal 22 year old things and I'm trying to rebuild my life and a relationship with God.

I've heard of people doing daily devotionals and I've seen the books in places like Barnes and Nobles but I don't know what to get. Are these easier than reading the Bible? I have a short attention span and have a hard time reading the Bible (sorry!).

I would love it if there is anyone out there, male or female, around my age (22) that have come back to God and changed their life. I need all the advice, help and prayers I can get right now at the beginning of this new journey and I would love to hear from you!

Thank you!

 

[dmpeace]

Can I start by asking if you are born again? In John 3:3 Jesus sais unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of heaven.

Going to a Christian school or being raised in a Christian home doesn't automatically make you Christian. With God you don't have to try and turn your life around. You just come to Him with all your failures, sins, mistakes in humility and repent from them and trust in what Jesus did on the cross for you. He paid all your sins. Just turn to the finished work of Jesus and you will have peace and a right standing with God not by what you have done but by His grace and mercy. I hope this helps some, God bless.

 

[SouthernGirl92]

Hi dmpeace, thank you for the response.

If by born again you mean I've asked him into my heart, yes, I have been born again. Several times actually. I always say the prayer but I never feel anything afterwards. You know how some people say as soon as they said the prayer that their whole lives turned around and everything became better and they could feel God's presence. That's never happened for me. So I always feel like, well, maybe I didn't say it right, so I do it again.

There's no doubt in my mind that God exists, I have always known he does. I just can't seem to get the relationship with Him that a lot of people have (or at least they claim to have) and it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong, like I THINK I'm saved but I'm really not.

I need help figuring out how to open myself up to Him and giving him control of my life.

I've heard a lot of people say that even if you're a Christian, if you don't pray like you should and ask for forgiveness (after every sin) that when you die you will be sent to Hell. What's your opinion on that?

 

[dmpeace]

Hi SouthernGirl92,

By born again I don't mean ask Jesus into your heart or saying the "sinners" prayer the bible doesn't teach these things they come from modern methods. When you where born into this world you where new. You came into being. When Jesus said you must be born again "check out the beginning of John 3" He means you must be born of the Spirit of God a "new life".

Let's just start with what Jesus said when He first started. He said repent and believe the gospel. Salvation is not in a thing or a way but in the Person of Jesus, He is salvation. To repent means to turn from your sin" be willing to confess and turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus because He took your sin on the cross for you.

As far as feeling goes you don't need a feeling. How would you know that feeling is God. When you come to God pray that He will save you and as the bible says with a repenting faith that will follow Jesus and you will be saved whether you get a feeling or not, God does not lie 1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Read Psalm 51 and make that your prayer and believe it.

When I got saved I had no special feeling, I just believed what God said. Jesus says that if anyone come to Him He will not reject them. I had those thoughts before also" am I really saved and all that but if you continue in the bible and prayer your faith and belief will grow.

When God saves you, you are saved. Psalm 103:11-12

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who [a]fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

You don't have to pray after every sin when you are saved God justifies you meaning you are pure, sinless before God. The He will sanctify you, meaning as you as you walk with Christ you are being conformed to His image so when you sin as a Christian you may lose fellowship with God but not salvation, remember if you confess your sin He is faithful and just to forgive you and God can not lie. You really just got to turn and give your sins to God and believe him not yourself or your feelings and God will make you a new person with a new heart.

I hope some of this helps. My response might be a bit all over the place so I hope you read carefully. If you need more help or have questions please let me know. You can P.M. me at anytime. God bless you.

 

[SouthernGirl92]

Dmpeace, thank you for taking time out of your day to explain that to me and make it clear. I really do appreciate that more than you know.

I found Psalm 51 and read it. I will definitely make that my prayer. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

If I have any more questions I will definitely PM you. Thank you again, and God bless you too!