Lost

Bobthebomb · Aug 21, 2025

Looks like I am lost.
I have been searching for a while subconsciously, which is how I found my way here.
Tonight was too much, I asked God and Jesus into my life.

Nothing. I feel more alone than ever.

linux.poet · Aug 21, 2025

When I first prayed to God to accept the Gospel, it didn’t “work” the first time. I prayed to accept the Gospel multiple times, there were multiple attempts. I had some issues that I had to work out.

The biggest problem was my panic over hell and the prayer itself, I had to leave it up to God to accept me on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice, not based on the specific prayer I was saying. (Ironically, it’s not about whether the prayer works or doesn’t work. That can also be an obstacle. It’s not about using prayer to twist God’s arm to get you out of hell. You’re submitting to Christ’s authority.)

Romans 10:9-13 said:
because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart, leading to righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, leading to salvation. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 12:12 said:
Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer.

By far the best option is to is to pray to God and ask Him if there are any problems with your salvation. Tell God that you submit to his authority and tell him that you believe his Son has risen from the dead. Ask Him to show you what stands in the way of accepting his Gospel.

I understand that you had a spiritual experience that led you up to this point, and you have a lot of emotions going on right now. But faith in Christ isn’t about what you feel as much as what you believe and do. Beliefs can lead to feelings (in my case, a sense of emotional clarity and direction) but that may not happen right away. It can take some time for you to notice the Holy Spirit’s changes. He gets to work right away, but your fallen mind may not be able to notice what He’s doing until a little bit later.

I’ll pray for you too.

Gracious Heavenly Father,
I pray for Bob, whom You have placed a desire to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please show him his status before You, and help him to accept the Gospel, to persevere in prayer. Father, please show him his heart. Lord Jesus, I pray for You to plead Your sacrifice on his behalf. I pray for the Holy Spirit to indwell him, that he may be baptized by the Spirit and join the family of believers. Be with this man to save him, as You have written that you desire that all should come to repentance.

And lastly, dear Lord, remind him that he is not alone, that You are with him, and the Body of Christ stands ready to welcome him in the Lord!
In Christ’s Name,
Amen

peter2 · Aug 22, 2025

Bobthebomb said:
Looks like I am lost.
I have been searching for a while subconsciously, which is how I found my way here.
Tonight was too much, I asked God and Jesus into my life.

Nothing. I feel more alone than ever.

Hello Bob.
i think the moment Jesus felt the more alone is when he had just replied Peter he would deny him. At that moment, Peter couldn't understand him. A little while after, his disciples just abandoned him.

And, When with satan in the wilderness may be too

timf · Aug 23, 2025

Salvation is by faith (trusting). This illustration is often used to show the difference between believing and trusting.

In the summer of 1859, Charles Blondin, a world-renowned tightrope walker, dazzled crowds by walking over Niagara Falls on a tightrope 1,100 feet long and 160 feet above the roaring waters. Thousands of spectators gathered to witness as he performed this incredible feat multiple times, each time adding another dramatic stunt—like walking blindfolded, on stilts, or cooking an omelet. Each time he completed the journey, the crowd erupted in cheers.

At the end of one of his stunts, Blondin took a wheelbarrow and asked the crowd if they believed he could push the wheelbarrow across the rope. Everyone clapped, “Yes, you can do it!” Blondin then said, “OK, who volunteers to get into the wheelbarrow?” at which point the crowd fell silent. It’s one thing to say you have faith—that’s easy. It’s another thing to get into the wheelbarrow.

As one grows and understand more, he is likely to see what has been told about Jesus is true and this becomes the foundation of a growing faith. Once a person has become a Christian, it can be difficult to understand that we are supposed to stop living for ourselves (selfishness) and begin to learn to walk by the Holy Spirit (the selfless loive of Christ). Most Christians are not even aware of this option.

peter2 · Aug 23, 2025

timf said:
As one grows and understand more, he is likely to see what has been told about Jesus is true and this becomes the foundation of a growing faith. Once a person has become a Christian, it can be difficult to understand that we are supposed to stop living for ourselves (selfishness) and begin to learn to walk by the Holy Spirit (the selfless loive of Christ). Most Christians are not even aware of this option.

Hello timf.
What was doing Charles Blondin is to gamble over life. What Jesus proposes is not. As for the life of the soul, it seems to me it's even the opposite

timf · Aug 24, 2025

I am not sure even if the story is true, it is just a well known illustration.

tdidymas · Aug 24, 2025

Bobthebomb said:
Looks like I am lost.
I have been searching for a while subconsciously, which is how I found my way here.
Tonight was too much, I asked God and Jesus into my life.

Nothing. I feel more alone than ever.

Luke 11:9-10 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

peter2 · Aug 24, 2025

timf said:
I am not sure even if the story is true, it is just a well known illustration.

Ok

Bobthebomb · Sep 4, 2025

linux.poet said:
When I first prayed to God to accept the Gospel, it didn’t “work” the first time. I prayed to accept the Gospel multiple times, there were multiple attempts. I had some issues that I had to work out.

The biggest problem was my panic over hell and the prayer itself, I had to leave it up to God to accept me on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice, not based on the specific prayer I was saying. (Ironically, it’s not about whether the prayer works or doesn’t work. That can also be an obstacle. It’s not about using prayer to twist God’s arm to get you out of hell. You’re submitting to Christ’s authority.)

By far the best option is to is to pray to God and ask Him if there are any problems with your salvation. Tell God that you submit to his authority and tell him that you believe his Son has risen from the dead. Ask Him to show you what stands in the way of accepting his Gospel.

I understand that you had a spiritual experience that led you up to this point, and you have a lot of emotions going on right now. But faith in Christ isn’t about what you feel as much as what you believe and do. Beliefs can lead to feelings (in my case, a sense of emotional clarity and direction) but that may not happen right away. It can take some time for you to notice the Holy Spirit’s changes. He gets to work right away, but your fallen mind may not be able to notice what He’s doing until a little bit later.

I’ll pray for you too.

Gracious Heavenly Father,
I pray for Bob, whom You have placed a desire to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please show him his status before You, and help him to accept the Gospel, to persevere in prayer. Father, please show him his heart. Lord Jesus, I pray for You to plead Your sacrifice on his behalf. I pray for the Holy Spirit to indwell him, that he may be baptized by the Spirit and join the family of believers. Be with this man to save him, as You have written that you desire that all should come to repentance.

And lastly, dear Lord, remind him that he is not alone, that You are with him, and the Body of Christ stands ready to welcome him in the Lord!
In Christ’s Name,
Amen

Thankyou.

I tend to avoid the site for a while after a post out of guilt (I normally visit after a few beers) .

I have not given up hope despite my hardened heart. I thank you for your words and, despite my scepticism, I no longer feel abandoned. If your prayers were a part of that then I thank you.

It won't go well for me, but I hope for you that you are right.

Bobthebomb · Sep 4, 2025

tdidymas said:
Luke 11:9-10 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

Believe me I meant what I was saying. At least, I did in my head. I wanted it, but did I believe it was real?
I fear I am one of those whose heart is hardened, but I will keep talking and see what happens.

Bobthebomb · Sep 4, 2025

timf said:
Salvation is by faith (trusting). This illustration is often used to show the difference between believing and trusting.

In the summer of 1859, Charles Blondin, a world-renowned tightrope walker, dazzled crowds by walking over Niagara Falls on a tightrope 1,100 feet long and 160 feet above the roaring waters. Thousands of spectators gathered to witness as he performed this incredible feat multiple times, each time adding another dramatic stunt—like walking blindfolded, on stilts, or cooking an omelet. Each time he completed the journey, the crowd erupted in cheers.

At the end of one of his stunts, Blondin took a wheelbarrow and asked the crowd if they believed he could push the wheelbarrow across the rope. Everyone clapped, “Yes, you can do it!” Blondin then said, “OK, who volunteers to get into the wheelbarrow?” at which point the crowd fell silent. It’s one thing to say you have faith—that’s easy. It’s another thing to get into the wheelbarrow.

As one grows and understand more, he is likely to see what has been told about Jesus is true and this becomes the foundation of a growing faith. Once a person has become a Christian, it can be difficult to understand that we are supposed to stop living for ourselves (selfishness) and begin to learn to walk by the Holy Spirit (the selfless loive of Christ). Most Christians are not even aware of this option.

I think you summed me up there

tdidymas · Sep 5, 2025

Bobthebomb said:
Believe me I meant what I was saying. At least, I did in my head. I wanted it, but did I believe it was real?
I fear I am one of those whose heart is hardened, but I will keep talking and see what happens.

The heart is hardened by an addiction to something, such as: fear, chemical dependency, superstitious belief, ignorance, laziness, or any other crimes against God and other people. It's a trap that keeps you in it by wrong beliefs and wrong thinking. Temptation is nothing other than the wrong thinking that sinful pleasures are needed for living life. But it's not true. Jesus said, "you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The only way out of the trap of sin is to realize that only trusting in Jesus and seeking God through the study of scripture will bring your spirit to the truth that will set you free from your sinful behavior.

God may miraculously deliver you from some addiction you are in, or He may not. What matters is that you surrender yourself to God, and devote yourself to pursuing Him. Jesus said, "Whoever comes after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." This means that you must believe that God is for you, that He will fulfill His promise to give you the Holy Spirit, and will be your guide and friend for the rest of your natural life. Is eternal life in paradise worth the miniscule effort?

Bob8102 · Wednesday at 6:18 AM

timf said:
Salvation is by faith (trusting). This illustration is often used to show the difference between believing and trusting.

In the summer of 1859, Charles Blondin, a world-renowned tightrope walker, dazzled crowds by walking over Niagara Falls on a tightrope 1,100 feet long and 160 feet above the roaring waters. Thousands of spectators gathered to witness as he performed this incredible feat multiple times, each time adding another dramatic stunt—like walking blindfolded, on stilts, or cooking an omelet. Each time he completed the journey, the crowd erupted in cheers.

At the end of one of his stunts, Blondin took a wheelbarrow and asked the crowd if they believed he could push the wheelbarrow across the rope. Everyone clapped, “Yes, you can do it!” Blondin then said, “OK, who volunteers to get into the wheelbarrow?” at which point the crowd fell silent. It’s one thing to say you have faith—that’s easy. It’s another thing to get into the wheelbarrow.

As one grows and understand more, he is likely to see what has been told about Jesus is true and this becomes the foundation of a growing faith. Once a person has become a Christian, it can be difficult to understand that we are supposed to stop living for ourselves (selfishness) and begin to learn to walk by the Holy Spirit (the selfless loive of Christ). Most Christians are not even aware of this option.

I’ve heard the story of the wheelbarrow and the tightrope walker, also. To me, it’s not that good an analogy. Just because the tightrope walker can do it, doesn’t mean he will never make a mistake; he’s only human, after all. And why should someone in the crowd leave their solid ground that they are standing on to take that risk? Why do they even want to go to the other side of the chasm at all? If two things could be changed in this story, I think it would be a better analogy. One, the rope walker should be superhuman, like Jesus, and unable to make mistakes. Two, add an approaching fire in the woods behind the spectator(s). If a guy does NOT take the ropewalker up on his offer, he is soon to be burned to death by the fire that is coming.

The gospel is a compelling offer because of both the danger (hell) and the promise (eternal life).

Bob8102 · Wednesday at 6:36 AM

Bobthebomb, I empathize with you. I first heard and believed the gospel of Jesus Christ in sixth grade. I am now 67 and have only come to assurance of salvation in relatively recent days. I spent over forty years, most of the time figuring I was not a Christian and the past 14 years seeking salvation, seemingly unsuccessfully. If you were to read some of my posts on this forum from years back, you would see some of my struggles. I basically have spent my life knowing the gospel and understanding I was not going to heaven. Knowing that the Essence was missing from my life was a terrible burden. Only recently have I surrendered to Christ in such a way that I know I belong to Him. His promises will keep me, including Ephesians 1:13-14.

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