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This is heart breaking. Thousand prayers your way. You are loved!
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How do I become great in the kingdom of heaven?
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This is heart breaking. Thousand prayers your way. You are loved!
Matthew Frazier
Imma Jesus Freak baby ;D
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.I know the feeling that I get if I feel unproductive or felt as if I haven't done enough for God or people. It's not at all pleasant. But thank God for this passage, this is one that I refer back to so I can shift the basis of my salvation onto what HE did and off myself, what I did for God, what I did out of laziness and the flesh, and so on. I hope this comes as an encouragement for you.
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Matthew Frazier
Imma Jesus Freak baby ;D
And also check out my thread titled "Always Feeling Guilty", where I've received overwhelming support speaking truth in to my legalistic and work-based mindset.
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Deadworm
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You seem lonely, depressed, and lacking in self-esteem. Did it ever occur to you that "Love your neighbor as yourself" is bad advice for a [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]? The command assumes that you have healthy self- respect and then, out of that reservoir of enlightened self-love, you focus that love on others. Otherwise, you can be too easily reduced to a loveless do-gooder. Did it ever occur to you that you should buy yourself a car with the money you give to the poor (1) as an expression of self-love and (2) as a way to attend the right church for you and put feet on your love by increasing your mobility?
As a college professor, I taught a course and Psychology and Religion, in which, for example, I presented research on 205 high school seniors at a Catholic schook showing that the boys generally experienced God as "cold, distant, and impersonal," if they had low self-esteem, but as "kind, loving and forgiving if they had high self-esteem. What are you doing to increase your healthy self--love (as opposed to prideful self-absorption)?
As a college professor, I taught a course and Psychology and Religion, in which, for example, I presented research on 205 high school seniors at a Catholic schook showing that the boys generally experienced God as "cold, distant, and impersonal," if they had low self-esteem, but as "kind, loving and forgiving if they had high self-esteem. What are you doing to increase your healthy self--love (as opposed to prideful self-absorption)?
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I was a very similar situation and to some degree I still am. Maybe my experience will help a bit
Where do I start... Well, much like yourself, I like video games and avoiding hard work. I used to believe that my knowledge of the Gospel was enough to get me into heaven and let me be great there, so I did very little to improve myself.
But then, that all important emotion crept in. Which you may ask? The very same you are experiencing right now. Fear. Do not ask me where it came from all of a sudden. I do not know, but I have a feeling it can be attributed to the changing power of the Spirit.
Anyway, I was afraid. Big time. So I started to look for the cause. It took a while for me to let go of my pride and to realize that laziness will not get me anywhere. The proverb about the lazy man spinning in bed like a door on its hinged really hit close to home (I used to be a late sleeper), which is what started the train of thought about maybe being lazy ain’t all that great.
But then I was afraid once again. This time afraid to let go of my fun and conveniences. As human beings it is counter-intuitive for us to invest now to have something later. I did not want to stop playing games.
This is where it stopped for a while. What followed were a number of realizations and learning about the word of God and my relationship wirh Him through Christ. The question of diligence disappeared for a while, only to resurface later during my exam preparation for med school. But this time I was wiser and more centered toward Christ. I was shown what my laziness truly is and as such I was motivated to get rid of it.
And then, over time, it just did. No idea how, so it must have been God’s invisible hand in it, for what else can change a human other than Him? He used the pressure of my exams in conjuction with my inborn sense of empathy that suffering through the work at the expense of my pleasure was desirable and furthers the kingdom of heaven. This wouldn’t have worked in the past, but at that point it did. God knew I was not prepared for the gift of diligence the first time around.
Lessons to take away from this are (and I apologize, but I may be rather direct here):
1. Examine your heart. Do you truly want to stop being lazy? Or is your love of video games greater? You said “probably”, but that isn’t an answer. That is avoiding the issue by being unspecific.
2. Give it time. Our timing is flawed. God’s timing is impecable. If you truly wish it, God will change you in due time.
3. God does the work. I have no idea when and where the change happened. It just did. You can not change yourself. However, you can decide to let God change you.
4. Just do something. God steers a moving ship. If you don’t do anything, right or wrong, nothing will happen.
Now, while I am far from perfectly diligent, things are moving in the right direction.
And hey, I still enjoy my games. Maybe even more so, because I can play them free of guilt, and I can thank God for them
Hope this helped
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Sarah Alias
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May I share this passage of scripture with you, and then I will explain how it relates?
Luke 10:38-42
"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.' "
Martha is an example of someone who wanted to serve God and she thought that Mary should also be committed to doing the good work of serving Jesus (which in this case would mean literal service of providing hospitality, but that's besides the point). The point is that when Martha mentioned this to Jesus he replied tenderly "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." It was not Jesus' desire for Martha to busy herself and be anxious about pleasing him with her service. He said that Mary had chosen the good portion. This good portion was that she sat at his feet and listened to his teaching. "To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools." (Ecclesiastes 5:1). Perhaps it is God's desire that you stop being anxious about doing good works for him, and instead come to him through prayer and read and meditate on his word and draw near to him.
There is only one good work that is necessary for you to go to Heaven, and that good work was already accomplished for you when Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice on your behalf on the cross, so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Do you believe in him, and have you entrusted your-whole-self to him to save you from all your sins? Do you love him and delight to walk with him in all of life?
John 6:28-29:
"Then they said to him, 'What must we do, to be doing the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.' "
Luke 10:38-42
"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.' "
Martha is an example of someone who wanted to serve God and she thought that Mary should also be committed to doing the good work of serving Jesus (which in this case would mean literal service of providing hospitality, but that's besides the point). The point is that when Martha mentioned this to Jesus he replied tenderly "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." It was not Jesus' desire for Martha to busy herself and be anxious about pleasing him with her service. He said that Mary had chosen the good portion. This good portion was that she sat at his feet and listened to his teaching. "To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools." (Ecclesiastes 5:1). Perhaps it is God's desire that you stop being anxious about doing good works for him, and instead come to him through prayer and read and meditate on his word and draw near to him.
There is only one good work that is necessary for you to go to Heaven, and that good work was already accomplished for you when Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice on your behalf on the cross, so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Do you believe in him, and have you entrusted your-whole-self to him to save you from all your sins? Do you love him and delight to walk with him in all of life?
John 6:28-29:
"Then they said to him, 'What must we do, to be doing the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.' "
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DreamerOfTheHeart
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I can be your friend if you want, message me on whatever subject.
It is good you fear the Kingdom of Heaven.
You mention one good deed you do: charity. Be sure to give it to the homeless poor and do not even let them thank you, if possible. Let no one know you do this, then you have done work which will be rewarded.
Likewise you can do with prayer, fasting, and vigils (staying up all night and day). These three tie also into "mortification of the flesh". It helps you not be mastered by anything.
However, on all this you must keep strict silence and not let anyone know. If you let people know you lose your reward. It was effectively spent just to get honor from whom you told.
Otherwise, you need to make sure you have the Holy Spirit. Do you think you already do, and if so, what evidence do you have?
It is good you fear the Kingdom of Heaven.
You mention one good deed you do: charity. Be sure to give it to the homeless poor and do not even let them thank you, if possible. Let no one know you do this, then you have done work which will be rewarded.
Likewise you can do with prayer, fasting, and vigils (staying up all night and day). These three tie also into "mortification of the flesh". It helps you not be mastered by anything.
However, on all this you must keep strict silence and not let anyone know. If you let people know you lose your reward. It was effectively spent just to get honor from whom you told.
Otherwise, you need to make sure you have the Holy Spirit. Do you think you already do, and if so, what evidence do you have?
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Jonah was silent because he was disobeying God. Not out of compassion, but out of selfishness.
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No, Jonah was not silent. That's my point. He preached to Nineveh out of obedience to God - not because he had compassion on the Ninevites.
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True, but that's what I was saying in previous posts. We obey God and put Him first. That doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit doesn't give us compassion for the poor and the unsaved. He does. He has for me. My heart breaks for them. But even if it didn't, I'd still preach because I know that it's what God has commanded, and I trust that His will is perfect. I know that He loves them, because He is love. So it's done out of love no matter what.
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Seems that most of the ones in the Bible that were concerned with this issue were rather confused.
My main concern is getting in at least by the skin of my teeth. And I have absolutely no concern for who will be the greatest in heaven. Actually, that position is reserved for Jesus.
M-Bob
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Good works don't make us right with God.
Good works don't "get us into heaven."
We do good works - or should do - out of love for God. We show him how much we love him by doing the things that Jesus did, caring, loving, forgiving, praying etc. John says that we love BECAUSE God first loved us.
How much do you know about God's love? How much have you received?
There is an enormous difference in my life from when I was a teenager/young adult, working to please God, I didn't believe that he loved me, but thought he might be happy with all my deeds - and now, when I do these things as a response to what God has done for me.
I don't know where you live or what the roads/churches/transport systems are like round your way - but if you really wanted to go to a church, worship God and have fellowship with his people; I'm sure there's some way.
If you can't get out, through illness, mobility problems or not having a car or ANY form of transport, helping/ministering to people on-line, proclaiming and explaining the Gospel and offering to pray with, and for, them, is a valid ministry.
That's how I got on to these forums; I had M.E, couldn't get to church and was getting very little fellowship.
I'm sure there are probably websites about proclaiming the Gospel online - google "digital evangelism" and see what comes up.
Providing for your wife is good - going into debt by giving to charity, and thus stretching your finances; isn't.
Your good works aren't "good enough" - neither are mine, nor anyone else's.
Nothing can ever be "good enough" to atone for our sin and reconcile us to God. The only One who can do that, is Jesus. HIS good work, of offering his life for us, is the only good work that can save us; salvation is through him alone, NOT through anything that we do.
So it doesn't matter if you list 1000 good works and present them to God - he has already told us the way of salvation and nothing WE do will change, negate or be better than what Jesus has done.
If you're trusting in your own good deeds to put you right with God, you may be right. That is true for everyone, btw, nothing personal.
Paul says that we have every spiritual blessing in Christ; love, joy, security, assurance, peace, hope etc etc. Are you in Christ?
Jesus says that that's for God the Father to decide; not man and not even Jesus.
Why are you so desperate for something which you may never have, and wouldn't discover til after death anyway, when you can become a child of God and heir with Christ, be filled with his Spirit so you have God living in you, and receive gifts from the Spirit to help you to serve, and live for, God?
The thing is that the first step to faith, pleasing God and receiving Christ, is to admit that your "good works" AREN'T good enough, never will be and that you can't save yourself. None of us deserve anything from God, and will never be good enough to please him.
That's why he sent Jesus; to pay the price for us. The wages of sin is death - which refers to spiritual death; eternal separation from God. All of us deserve this for sinning against God - yet Jesus died so that we don't have to go through it.
Jesus said that God wants us to do his will - his will is to believe in Jesus, the one sent by God, John 6:40.
If you do, and accept and trust in him, then if God asks you "why should I allow you into heaven?" you will be able to say, "because of Jesus; because of what your Son, my Saviour and my Lord did for me".
If God did ask the question "why should I allow you into heaven?" and people started reeling of lists of things they had done, in their strength, out of their goodness, all by themselves, without Jesus - they wouldn't be let in.
You sound lonely. You also sound as if you might be depressed.
God loves you very much. He WANTS you to be his child and be in eternity with him forever.
I don't know if there is a medical reason, or bad experiences in your life, that stop you from believing that. If so, I hope you can find some help.
If you were to join a church, you would be part of a large, Christian family. They might not all be your friends immediately, but they would be there for you.
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I was speaking of works to earn salvation. I didn't look
below the avatar and see the word Non-denom, I just read the post and gave an answer because that is how I read into that, the OP was giving a lot and even going into "debt" to give, so I took that as a sign.
Believers have great loving hearts because of the indwelling Holy Spirit and "giving" will come naturally for them, BUT they should do it out of love and compassion, Not because they think there is gain in it. :]
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Steve Petersen
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It is interesting to me the knee jerk reaction so many on this forum seem to have to the idea of good works. Whenever the topic is broached, there is an immediate assumption that the poster is trying to earn his salvation by works. There is more to the Christian life than our personal salvation. That is such a selfish perspective.
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Well friend, I would think that salvation is by far the most important. We gotta have that foundation to build on or else everything else will fall.
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Steve Petersen
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Way too much time spent on that. Salvation is the easy part: pray the sinner's prayer. Living out the faith for the rest of your life is much harder and should get the bulk of our attention.
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Not an immediate assumption, the words;
and,
as well as the title of the thread "how do I become great in the Kingdom of heaven?" suggest that this is the case.
If a person isn't saved - reconciled to God through the death of Christ, they aren't Christians and don't have a Christian life.
They may think they do; they may be doing good deeds, trying to be kind and help people, as they perceived that Jesus did, but that doesn't make them a Christian. Cult members, Muslims, Jews, and others may believe in Jesus; that he lived as a prophet or good teacher and did good deeds. That doesn't make them Christians.
My aunt leads a decent life, works for charity, cares for others etc etc - and is a humanist.
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Once we are truly saved is when the growth starts to come, The trials and temptations take on a totally different meaning. It hurts to get purged and pruned like in John 15. lol That is what a lot of new christians are suffering when they come to the forum for prayer. The good ole Sanctification process.
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Hi Steve
I don't think it's that easy and I can't find anything close to the sinner's prayer in the Bible.
It would have been really easy for Jesus to have told Nicodemus just say this little prayer with me but, that is not what he said.
The Holy Spirit is like the wind, we have no control over it.
M-Bob
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