Questioning my salvation

Littlek

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I have believed in God ever since I was little. I wasn’t baptized until 2012. (Even though that doesn’t save) but I took my walk with God more serious…
BUT chronic pain and bouts of depression have put my relationship with God on the back burner, unfortunately.

I was reading through Matthew, and came across the parables of the kingdom of heaven. The angels with separate the righteous with the wicked. Now, I am really judging myself. I do not go out and seek to find people in need. I do not visit jails. I do not feed people, other than my family, and when my children struggled after they moved out.
I do give clothes to the veterans, when I
can. I do not work due to my chronic pain, so money is extremely tight.

I really wonder if I am saved. I know works does not save us, but we are have good works and bear fruit. Jesus said, you did not clothe me, you did not feed me etc, so does that mean I am not one of his?

This scares me.
So to me, a Christian life is, dying to myself and not doing what I want to do? I want to take care of my family and my grandkids, I want to paint and do art, etc. I hardly go anywhere because of money/chronic illness. I take care of our home the best I can, and keep my husband fed,and a meal on the table when he gets home from work.
But it seems to me, unless I go out and seek and help others in need then am I not showing fruit or good works?
Because Jesus said even wicked people help their own family.
 
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d taylor

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I have believed in God ever since I was little. I wasn’t baptized until 2012. (Even though that doesn’t save) but I took my walk with God more serious…
BUT chronic pain and bouts of depression have put my relationship with God on the back burner, unfortunately.

I was reading through Matthew, and came across the parables of the kingdom of heaven. The angels with separate the righteous with the wicked. Now, I am really judging myself. I do not go out and seek to find people in need. I do not visit jails. I do not feed people, other than my family, and when my children struggled after they moved out.
I do give clothes to the veterans, when I
can. I do not work due to my chronic pain, so money is extremely tight.

I really wonder if I am saved. I know works does not save us, but we are have good works and bear fruit. Jesus said, you did not clothe me, you did not feed me etc, so does that mean I am not one of his?

This scares me.
So to me, a Christian life is, dying to myself and not doing what I want to do? I want to take care of my family and my grandkids, I want to paint and do art, etc. I hardly go anywhere because of money/chronic illness. I take care of our home the best I can, and keep my husband fed,and a meal on the table when he gets home from work.
But it seems to me, unless I go out and seek and help others in need then am I not showing fruit or good works?
Because Jesus said even wicked people help their own family.

You know the verse in Matthew is speaking about the tribulation times and people either helping or not helping Jews during the tribulation.
 
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SabbathBlessings

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I have believed in God ever since I was little. I wasn’t baptized until 2012. (Even though that doesn’t save) but I took my walk with God more serious…
BUT chronic pain and bouts of depression have put my relationship with God on the back burner, unfortunately.

I was reading through Matthew, and came across the parables of the kingdom of heaven. The angels with separate the righteous with the wicked. Now, I am really judging myself. I do not go out and seek to find people in need. I do not visit jails. I do not feed people, other than my family, and when my children struggled after they moved out.
I do give clothes to the veterans, when I
can. I do not work due to my chronic pain, so money is extremely tight.

I really wonder if I am saved. I know works does not save us, but we are have good works and bear fruit. Jesus said, you did not clothe me, you did not feed me etc, so does that mean I am not one of his?

This scares me.
So to me, a Christian life is, dying to myself and not doing what I want to do? I want to take care of my family and my grandkids, I want to paint and do art, etc. I hardly go anywhere because of money/chronic illness. I take care of our home the best I can, and keep my husband fed,and a meal on the table when he gets home from work.
But it seems to me, unless I go out and seek and help others in need then am I not showing fruit or good works?
Because Jesus said even wicked people help their own family.

The good news is we all have time to change our path right now! God loves you very much and wants to save you. Seek God first in your life daily. This means have a personal relationship with Jesus through daily prayer, reading scripture and keeping God in your heart. I would try to cut out things that are worldly - TV, music etc , replace it with sermons, Christian shows and Christian music. It’s amazing the difference this makes. You are what you surround yourself with.

Be willing to surrender and pray that God’s will is your will. Ask God for the Holy Spirit to convict you of your sins to allow correction in your life and really mean it. Once the Spirit impresses on you, make those corrections. Be right with God and He will show you how you can give back where it is attainable for your circumstances. Jesus wants us to be happy and to bless us. Don’t lose hope!
 
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d taylor

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Littlek

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The good news is we all have time to change our path right now! God loves you very much and wants to save you. Seek God first in your life daily. This means have a personal relationship with Jesus through daily prayer, reading scripture and keeping God in your heart. I would try to cut out things that are worldly - TV, music etc , replace it with sermons, Christian shows and Christian music. It’s amazing the difference this makes. You are what you surround yourself with.

Be willing to surrender and pray that God’s will is your will. Ask God for the Holy Spirit to convict you of your sins to allow correction in your life and really mean it. Once the Spirit impresses on you, make those corrections. Be right with God and He will show you how you can give back where it is attainable for your circumstances. Jesus wants us to be happy and to bless us. Don’t lose hope!

Thank you. I turned away from most music, and I don’t even watch tv anymore, full of lies to me. I definitely don’t follow celebrities. I’m trying not to lose hope! but I can see selfishness, more than giving.
 
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Littlek

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This group and their website has great teaching and they have a lot that is available for no cost online. They also have a great library of books for sale.

Thanks, I have been a member in here for awhile. I don’t post too often, but do come here to read. Thank you
 
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SabbathBlessings

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Thank you. I turned away from most music, and I don’t even watch tv anymore, full of lies to me. I definitely don’t follow celebrities. I’m trying not to lose hope! but I can see selfishness, more than giving.
Start with something small and work your way up to something more meaningful. Jesus knows our circumstances ask Him for the Holy Spirit to guide you on your first step of giving back.
 
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Pavel Mosko

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BUT chronic pain and bouts of depression have put my relationship with God on the back burner, unfortunately.

I actually believe God factors in this stuff and works through it as as "thorns in the flesh" and "being conformed into His image" goes. I believe that is the way, that many of us, including lots of saints in the Bible had their ministries, callings, roles developed etc.

There was a great sermon series I listened to in my younger Protestant days called "What is in your hand?" It was about how God often utilized the normal everyday stuff that people had, when he called them, or often when it came to miracles e.g. the shepherd staff of Moses to do miracles, the little boys lunch when Jesus fed the 5000, the onlookers had to roll away the stone before Jesus raised Lazarus, etc.

God doesn't expect anything from you that he hasn't already equipped you for, so just focus on the things you are good at, that are within your means that can bless other people around you.
 
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Nitsud

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I do give clothes to the veterans, when I
can.

(Matthew 25:36) I believe this is about having empathy for others. Through this empathy we spread good. For some it is giving clothes to the needy for some it is donating to the local food bank. For some it is giving a person you see on the side of the road a ride to rest their weary legs. Or maybe paying for the food of the next person in line.
All of these things and more lift the spirit, both yours and the person on the receiving end. A smile is a result of joy. Joy is the result of good.
Jesus said in Matthew 19:17, "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
The essence of the word good is that which is beneficial in its mere existence. So the deeds that we do, though they may not give us entry into Heaven, are spreading Gods existence.
Jesus in saying this is saying that if he is called good he is of the Father.
We respond to the question "how are you today?" with a simple "good". Do we really mean it? Are we spreading the Good Lord, or just making a false claim? Some time try telling someone the truth about your day. Maybe something in the direction of I have not been beneficial yet, but am looking for an opportunity, or maybe my pain is great today. See how they respond. I find that most people just go on with general business when you say "good". Not much real care when they are asking. But if you tell the truth and it is not "good" they look at you as a stranger. I generally say fair, or fair to partly cloudy, unless I believe they truly want to know.
What I am getting at is what do you want to be able to say. Is it I am a child of the Father, part of that that is beneficial in its existence.

When are we most likely to give of ourselves? Generally it is when we feel a pull on our hearts. Sometimes we can not afford much, or any finance. Sometimes it is a hug, or listening to someone who needs an ear. My wife finds joy in sending cards and crafts to people who need to feel they are beneficial, I believe she gets the best response from care takers of injured veterans.

Maybe make a stop at a local retirement home and ask who does not get interaction from others outside the facility and spend some time with them or walk in and give them flowers or a card to let them know someone does care that is not getting paid for it. you want to do art. Make cards to give. Let them know they are not alone. God cares for them even if they are not Christian.
2Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

God doesn't expect anything from
you that he hasn't already equipped you for, so just focus on the things you are good at, that are within your means that can bless other people around you.
I like the way he thinks.
 
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MikeinSeattle

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I have believed in God ever since I was little. I wasn’t baptized until 2012. (Even though that doesn’t save) but I took my walk with God more serious…
BUT chronic pain and bouts of depression have put my relationship with God on the back burner, unfortunately.

I was reading through Matthew, and came across the parables of the kingdom of heaven. The angels with separate the righteous with the wicked. Now, I am really judging myself. I do not go out and seek to find people in need. I do not visit jails. I do not feed people, other than my family, and when my children struggled after they moved out.
I do give clothes to the veterans, when I
can. I do not work due to my chronic pain, so money is extremely tight.

I really wonder if I am saved. I know works does not save us, but we are have good works and bear fruit. Jesus said, you did not clothe me, you did not feed me etc, so does that mean I am not one of his?

This scares me.
So to me, a Christian life is, dying to myself and not doing what I want to do? I want to take care of my family and my grandkids, I want to paint and do art, etc. I hardly go anywhere because of money/chronic illness. I take care of our home the best I can, and keep my husband fed,and a meal on the table when he gets home from work.
But it seems to me, unless I go out and seek and help others in need then am I not showing fruit or good works?
Because Jesus said even wicked people help their own family.

In the old testament it said that they should contribute "as the Lord has blessed them". This means God looks at how much we have when He looks at how much we give. It also says to love your neighbor as yourself. Which means we should not kill ourselves by giving to much. There is a balence between giving too much and not giving enough. I dont know exactly where it is but I try to give "as much as I want to give" without giving what I feel like is to risky to give because its too much. And then I keep going back to Jesus for the love I need to give.

Its extremly important to give from love and not a desire to earn salvation. The later is a road that leads to nothing but death. Read John 6 and John 14-17. Jesus makes it clear salvation is by faith in Him. Once we know Jesus has saved us we are filled with joy and the desire to give. Mathew is just talking about that fruit believers will bear once they are already saved. Mathew cannot mean that salvation is by works if other passages say salvation is not by works.
 
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jameshjr

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Hello Little K,

i am sorry to hear of your struggles and i hope that my message helps you.

First of all, there are a million things that i could be doing right now which would be helping people like you suggested (i.e. giving away food and clothing etc).

However i am not perfect and God does not expect me to be. i would suggest that you give yourself a break.

I try to remind myself that when I accepted Jesus as my saviour, i also gave my life to Him and therefore He is in control.

I often pray that God gives me a new heart and new strength and takes over my life so that He can do good with it.

we are saved by grace through faith. there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation (be counted as righteous) and it is a gift given to us by God and cannot be lost so long as we believe in the work of Jesus Christ. So you could never do another thing for another person and still be counted as righteous.

It is good that you wish to do so much good for other people and i believe that this is a sign that the spirit is working in you.

Trust God, give yourself over to Him , follow his teachings and good will follow.

p.s. i am currently reading 'a purpose driven life' by Rick warren (which i highly recommend if you have not read it) which i think adresses a lot of your issues (he also has a lot of sermons on youtube which i think will help you).

God bless.
 
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FutureAndAHope

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I have believed in God ever since I was little. I wasn’t baptized until 2012. (Even though that doesn’t save) but I took my walk with God more serious…
BUT chronic pain and bouts of depression have put my relationship with God on the back burner, unfortunately.

I was reading through Matthew, and came across the parables of the kingdom of heaven. The angels with separate the righteous with the wicked. Now, I am really judging myself. I do not go out and seek to find people in need. I do not visit jails. I do not feed people, other than my family, and when my children struggled after they moved out.
I do give clothes to the veterans, when I
can. I do not work due to my chronic pain, so money is extremely tight.

I really wonder if I am saved. I know works does not save us, but we are have good works and bear fruit. Jesus said, you did not clothe me, you did not feed me etc, so does that mean I am not one of his?

This scares me.
So to me, a Christian life is, dying to myself and not doing what I want to do? I want to take care of my family and my grandkids, I want to paint and do art, etc. I hardly go anywhere because of money/chronic illness. I take care of our home the best I can, and keep my husband fed,and a meal on the table when he gets home from work.
But it seems to me, unless I go out and seek and help others in need then am I not showing fruit or good works?
Because Jesus said even wicked people help their own family.

In regard to giving to the needy, I would say give a portion of what you have, you can't be expected to give huge amounts. The bible tells us that:

2Co 8:12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man hath, not according as he hath not.

That verse suggests that when we have little less is expected of us in terms of giving.

You are not wrong to want to look after your family also.

1Ti 5:8 If anyone has no care for his family and those in his house, he is false to the faith, and is worse than one who has no faith.

The word of God is a pattern that we can move towards, you need not be doing all the things in the verse about the sheep and goats. i.e. you don't need to be visiting prisons, and feeding everyone. You just need an attitude of wanting to help others when they have need. If you can visit prisons, and feed the needy that would be awesome, but it is not a requirement of your salvation.
 
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aiki

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So to me, a Christian life is, dying to myself and not doing what I want to do?

Actually, it is being transformed by the Holy Spirit so that you want what He wants. He changes your desires so that they align with His. (Philippians 2:13) When this is so, dying to Self is not a wrenching, torturous business, but a joy.

I want to take care of my family and my grandkids, I want to paint and do art, etc.

Do you want to know, and walk well, with God? Do you desire God?

I hardly go anywhere because of money/chronic illness. I take care of our home the best I can, and keep my husband fed,and a meal on the table when he gets home from work.

God knows this, of course. He asks us to grow where we're planted and to honor Him in everything we do - even if its just keeping the house clean and feeding your spouse (1 Corinthians 10:31). You don't have to solve world hunger to be pleasing to God.

But it seems to me, unless I go out and seek and help others in need then am I not showing fruit or good works?

Actually, Christians are told, in Scripture, to care first and foremost for those of the "household of faith," for fellow Christians. God has given each of His children spiritual gifts with which He intends they should edify and strengthen the Family of God, the Church (1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:4-16). As you are able, are you exerting your spiritual gifting to the benefit of your brothers and sisters in Christ (which may include members of your earthly family)? Start with them, if you want to express the love of Christ to others.
 
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anna ~ grace

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I have believed in God ever since I was little. I wasn’t baptized until 2012. (Even though that doesn’t save) but I took my walk with God more serious…
BUT chronic pain and bouts of depression have put my relationship with God on the back burner, unfortunately.

I was reading through Matthew, and came across the parables of the kingdom of heaven. The angels with separate the righteous with the wicked. Now, I am really judging myself. I do not go out and seek to find people in need. I do not visit jails. I do not feed people, other than my family, and when my children struggled after they moved out.
I do give clothes to the veterans, when I
can. I do not work due to my chronic pain, so money is extremely tight.

I really wonder if I am saved. I know works does not save us, but we are have good works and bear fruit. Jesus said, you did not clothe me, you did not feed me etc, so does that mean I am not one of his?

This scares me.
So to me, a Christian life is, dying to myself and not doing what I want to do? I want to take care of my family and my grandkids, I want to paint and do art, etc. I hardly go anywhere because of money/chronic illness. I take care of our home the best I can, and keep my husband fed,and a meal on the table when he gets home from work.
But it seems to me, unless I go out and seek and help others in need then am I not showing fruit or good works?
Because Jesus said even wicked people help their own family.
Do what you can. If all you can do because of chronic pain is care for your family and give clothes to veterans, do that with all your heart.

Live out your faith in Christ according to your abilities, station in life, circumstances, and income. Do what you can. Christ will reward you.

quotes-from-mother-teresa-unique-mrs-therese-regnier-third-grade-of-quotes-from-mother-teresa.jpg


motherteresaquotes-1.jpg
 
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Mayflower1

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I have believed in God ever since I was little. I wasn’t baptized until 2012. (Even though that doesn’t save) but I took my walk with God more serious…
BUT chronic pain and bouts of depression have put my relationship with God on the back burner, unfortunately.

I was reading through Matthew, and came across the parables of the kingdom of heaven. The angels with separate the righteous with the wicked. Now, I am really judging myself. I do not go out and seek to find people in need. I do not visit jails. I do not feed people, other than my family, and when my children struggled after they moved out.
I do give clothes to the veterans, when I
can. I do not work due to my chronic pain, so money is extremely tight.

I really wonder if I am saved. I know works does not save us, but we are have good works and bear fruit. Jesus said, you did not clothe me, you did not feed me etc, so does that mean I am not one of his?

This scares me.
So to me, a Christian life is, dying to myself and not doing what I want to do? I want to take care of my family and my grandkids, I want to paint and do art, etc. I hardly go anywhere because of money/chronic illness. I take care of our home the best I can, and keep my husband fed,and a meal on the table when he gets home from work.
But it seems to me, unless I go out and seek and help others in need then am I not showing fruit or good works?
Because Jesus said even wicked people help their own family.

HI LittleK. Saying a prayer for you. Salvation is simple. It is just faith. The same if you just want a refreshing/a recommitment to Christ after being away:

437c924ec6bd0c87000b7d75d8f93474.png


Just remind yourself what God did. Do you believe this of Christ Jesus that He died on the cross for your sins? And confessed your need for Him as Savior? If so you are saved. Everything else is just striving to be more like Him and growing closer to Him. Know He deeply loves you.
 
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BobRyan

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I have believed in God ever since I was little. I wasn’t baptized until 2012. (Even though that doesn’t save) but I took my walk with God more serious…
BUT chronic pain and bouts of depression have put my relationship with God on the back burner, unfortunately.

I was reading through Matthew, and came across the parables of the kingdom of heaven. The angels with separate the righteous with the wicked. Now, I am really judging myself. I do not go out and seek to find people in need. I do not visit jails. I do not feed people, other than my family, and when my children struggled after they moved out.
I do give clothes to the veterans, when I
can. I do not work due to my chronic pain, so money is extremely tight.

I really wonder if I am saved. I know works does not save us, but we are have good works and bear fruit. Jesus said, you did not clothe me, you did not feed me etc, so does that mean I am not one of his?

This scares me.
So to me, a Christian life is, dying to myself and not doing what I want to do? I want to take care of my family and my grandkids, I want to paint and do art, etc. I hardly go anywhere because of money/chronic illness. I take care of our home the best I can, and keep my husband fed,and a meal on the table when he gets home from work.
But it seems to me, unless I go out and seek and help others in need then am I not showing fruit or good works?
Because Jesus said even wicked people help their own family.

Rom 3:23 "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".

Looking at self you will always find flaws. You are right to be concerned about your flaws ... run to Jesus. Let Him do for you - what you cannot do for yourself.

The problem is that people (even Christians) are not very well trained in looking to Jesus. Two easy ways to do that are to read the gospels and also to read a fantastic free online world-class commentary on the Life of Christ.

The Desire of Ages

Your life will change.
 
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