Narrow is the road and few fing it.

[Sonicwhite]

I mean I'm not trying well in a way I might as well just come out and say I'm trying to defend the sinful man I am. If the bible as a whole and everything in it on correcting to telling us not to be deceived......Who makes it to heaven.....If I grow in a area and explode in another with defending my sinful ways.....I am scared for myself because I no longer know of it was OCD or Gods ultimate warning to fully repent....I struggle with depression. I use medication the wrong way to get rid of the sorrow instead of turning to the good book. I don't go to church were I need fellowship. I fear just like everyone else but I feel alone, a mess that cannot be fixed.....If the road is narrow and few find it that is a very discouraging truth......There are so many preachers who in the face of fear do as God says......And I'm here just trying to be happy.

 

[Gunny]

My fellow brother in Christ, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ accepts us just as we are in the present moment. In my humble opinion the fact you have written that which is in you heart, mind and spirit speaks loudly of the desire you have to be transformed by the magnificent power/ministry of the Holy Spirit coupled with God's Holy Word.

Over thirty plus years (walking with the Lord) I have experienced many, many valleys where I felt so very alone. The Lord has revealed to me later in my life that much of my feeling alone was due to my inability to trust fellow Christians and various churches.

The Lord showed me that I can not be a Christian maverick/isolationist and that I needed to be planted in a house of God (church) and I began to take risks in allowing fellow Christians to enter my world.

I can say humbly state at least for myself that engaging with fellow Christians vs. just me and God (and the Word) has brought much peace (happiness) into my life.

The Lord showed me many years ago that I am truly 100% dependent on Him for everything. I am so very, very thankful that the Lord showed me that I really need fellow Christians in my life to mature as a man of faith.

Your Brother in Christ,

Gunny aka James

 

[ALoveDivine]

Look not to your own performance for your assurance, look only to Christ and his finished work on your behalf.

If our performance is what ultimately determined our eternal destiny every single one of us would end up in Hell, without exception. There was only one man who ever kept the law of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He bore our sins in his own body and shed his blood and died under the Holy and just wrath of God the Father on our behalf, and rose from dead, in vindication of the atonement. He cried out "it is finished!" having fully secured the salvation of his people.

On the cross, God treated Jesus as if he had lived your life, so that he could treat you as if you had lived his!

Look not to yourself but to Christ! You need to come to a place where you abandon all hope in your self and your performance, where you will trust only in the finished work of Christ for eternal life and absolutely nothing else. If you hope in yourself you will have no assurance; if you hope in the finished work of Christ on your behalf, you will have assurance that shall not waiver or fail.

 

[Gunny]

Look not to your own performance for your assurance, look only to Christ and his finished work on your behalf.

If our performance is what ultimately determined our eternal destiny every single one of us would end up in Hell, without exception. There was only one man who ever kept the law of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He bore our sins in his own body and shed his blood and died under the Holy and just wrath of God the Father on our behalf, and rose from dead, in vindication of the atonement. He cried out "it is finished!" having fully secured the salvation of his people.

On the cross, God treated Jesus as if he had lived your life, so that he could treat you as if you had lived his!

Look not to yourself but to Christ! You need to come to a place where you abandon all hope in your self and your performance, where you will trust only in the finished work of Christ for eternal life and absolutely nothing else. If you hope in yourself you will have no assurance; if you hope in the finished work of Christ on your behalf, you will have assurance that shall not waiver or fail.

Amen and Amen.

 

[peterandrewj]

There's no need to defend against sin unless you're dealing with condemnation; and such is a time to pray and fight by faith.

Perhaps you're not where you want to be or feel you should be, but trust in God's grace to cover you until you get there. He's good at demonstrating it by ministering peace, comfort, guidance...

In the meantime, fight the fear by refusing to fear, by dealing with it as a lie, by standing on the truth. I think that's pretty good obedience, and the rest will be to God's praise.

Trust God my friend, it's his salvation. Being washed from sin is his business, building us up with mercy. All we can do is take it one day at a time, and one step at a time.

The warnings about not being deceived, about the broad way leading to destruction, etc., is for us to endure in faith, the hardships along the way, that we not turn aside. If you're insincere, if your heart is far from God, if you're a hypocrite, you won't hear that warning.

And trust me, you're not alone. Somebody is praying for you.

 

[Sonicwhite]

I know that it's being saved by Grace that gets you into heaven....I do not know why except I'll hear someone preaching about judgment and it shakes me. Sometimes to the core because when i was dealing with Pure (O) OCD I feared I was at God's Judgment already so that immense anxiety is kept gone by meds but, can flare up and what doctors call a spike which leads me questioning my own salvation....These are the roots of a disorder that I have just tried to cope with the last five years. I mean when I first really gave my life to the Lord. In the sense I began to listen to Him and my faith was shown to other people and I did not deny God's name.....It was a blast.....I was happy, on my toes ready to preach anything about Jesus. I didn't fear death I actually felt for the first time in my life like, What death? what are you going to do now? Now it's just a battle. I guess. Wulp, that's pretty much the whole reason behind this valley I seem to feel like I'm just living in is.

 

[rick357]

I know that it's being saved by Grace that gets you into heaven....I do not know why except I'll hear someone preaching about judgment and it shakes me. Sometimes to the core because when i was dealing with Pure (O) OCD I feared I was at God's Judgment already so that immense anxiety is kept gone by meds but, can flare up and what doctors call a spike which leads me questioning my own salvation....These are the roots of a disorder that I have just tried to cope with the last five years. I mean when I first really gave my life to the Lord. In the sense I began to listen to Him and my faith was shown to other people and I did not deny God's name.....It was a blast.....I was happy, on my toes ready to preach anything about Jesus. I didn't fear death I actually felt for the first time in my life like, What death? what are you going to do now? Now it's just a battle. I guess. Wulp, that's pretty much the whole reason behind this valley I seem to feel like I'm just living in is.

The grace we recieve from our Father is not just a gift of making it to heaven. It is the power to have an abundant life, filled with peace, joy, and a deep relationship with our Father. Paul said as you were saved so you should remain. We are saved by grace through faith, in other words God offers us his goodness by the sacrifice he and his son made. We in turn trust in his goodness. It should be said God is not improving us; we are crucified with jesus. The Holy Spiritmakes us to live by his power.

 

[rick357]

The grace we recieve from our Father is not just a gift of making it to heaven. It is the power to have an abundant life, filled with peace, joy, and a deep relationship with our Father. Paul said as you were saved so you should remain. We are saved by grace through faith, in other words God offers us his goodness by the sacrifice he and his son made. We in turn trust in his goodness. It should be said God is not improving us; we are crucified with jesus. The Holy Spiritmakes us to live by his power.

Think in this way you own a house but its falling down around you. One day a carpenter comes to your door and says if you will let him live with you he will fix the place up. Boy does he ever; this guy works constantly( not only that he is the kindest and most caring person you could ever meet). Soon the house is looking so changed that everyone starts to notice. Youve come to be friends and you want to show him how much you care so you decide to help. Problem is you dont know how to do construction and your help just makes more work. Soon your friend is fixing instead of building. One day he sets you down and says...I AM not just a poor carpenter I AM a great king. If you will just let me live with you and talk with me as a friend, then I WILL BE the one who pays every expense and I WILL BE the one who builds you a great mansion. Trust in the Fathers goodness and the price paid by his son and his spirit will bring to you good in this life and perfection in the life to come

 

[Sonicwhite]

I like that parable rick thanks

 

[rick357]

I like that parable rick thanks

Brother is is me who thanks you. As I responded to your post I could feel my own faith recieve streangth. May you over flow with His goodness and peace and love.