Feeling like it's time

[Tellyontellyon]

Hi, I've been reading the Bible, praying regularly, and watching videos, sermons and asking questions on here, but it still doesn't click with me.
From what people are saying it is to do with grace and that doesn't seem to be happening with me.
I do much wish it could have been real for me, but it just doesn't feel like the truth for me. I don't feel saved. I don't feel forgiven. No redemption. No new life in Christ.
What else can I do? I don't want to waste your time anymore and I feel guilty for taking your time, you did try, I know.
I don't know what to do anymore. Anyway thank you for your lovely answers and time, and for your consideration. Love to you.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Um it doesn't really have to be the end. Not unless you somehow really want it to be.

Conversations are a two way street, and some of your questions give people a chance to reflect on their own life, and that can be beneficial for them. Like right now (just today), I'm taking up some journaling to help myself with a problem or two, but some of your questions can have an affect like therapeutically etc. even if that wasn't necessarily your intent.

 

[Direct Driver]

I divide the world into three groups: Lost sheep, found sheep and goats.

I was a lost sheep and became a found sheep in 1980 at age 27. You are either a lost sheep or a goat. If you are a lost sheep, you will come around. If you are a goat, you won't. If you are a goat, Ecclesiasts describes your life. Like an animal, you will live your life by your values and morals, and then you will die, like the rest of the biological animals that populate the planet.

But if you are a lost sheep, you will become a found sheep eventually. Then, your body will still die, but you will have been given a spirit which will carry on after the meat bag it occupies dies.

And don't worry about all that hell talk. That is just designed to scare people to church. That's not how Jesus does it. Goats, at death, simply die. The second death is only about the soul - the person that occupies the biological meat bag we call a human body also dies. The end - as The Doors would say.

 

[Minister Monardo]

I don't feel forgiven. No redemption. No new life in Christ.

Are you willing to offer forgiveness to others?
Matthew 6:
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This is where the new life in Christ manifests, not in you feeling forgiven.
Your redemption is in understanding the power of forgiving others.

 

[Dave G.]

It's not over till you croak out. Just sayin.

But we're here if you have more questions.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Life including the spiritual life is a journey. I take it whatever led you to take a look at Christianity is still present. We often don't get the answers and things we seek right away. So you may be pausing your journey a bit, but I don't really see it as over until you draw your last breath.

 

[Halbhh]

Hi, I've been reading the Bible, praying regularly, and watching videos, sermons and asking questions on here, but it still doesn't click with me.
From what people are saying it is to do with grace and that doesn't seem to be happening with me.
I do much wish it could have been real for me, but it just doesn't feel like the truth for me. I don't feel saved. I don't feel forgiven. No redemption. No new life in Christ.
What else can I do? I don't want to waste your time anymore and I feel guilty for taking your time, you did try, I know.
I don't know what to do anymore. Anyway thank you for your lovely answers and time, and for your consideration. Love to you.

When I was first really reading well in the Bible some 30 years ago, the thing I read was the words of Christ. Not other parts, at that time. Because I wanted to hear what He said. And then I began to do as He said to do, starting with "love your neighbor as yourself". (Matthew chapter 22 -- "...All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”)

I don't know how many main ways there are to move closer towards God, but this is a very good way. If you want to seek, ask, knock (Gospel of Matthew), it will be needed to be humble and wanting to find what is good and trying, I think, and then (after you are doing as He says) if you seek with "all of your heart" (without reservation), then (with that truly humble seeking) what He says will happen will happen. So, I'd not just 'read the bible' anywhere, but instead I'd read the words of Christ only, in the 4 gospels, listening to His words. It's enough to read 1 or 2 things He says on most days. The key isn't to read a lot, but instead to truly listen and hear. I think I read about 5 things on as many days over a month or 2, and then began to do the first one, above. So, when I set out on my journey, I'd read only a handful of verses (though I did re-read them a couple of times).

 

[TzephanYahu]

Hi @Tellyontellyon

I'll be honest, I have seen many of your posts in here and whilst I initially would respond, I quickly saw that the questions were endless. Forgive me for putting it bluntly, but it was like someone going through the terms and conditions thoroughly before signing a contract.

but it still doesn't click with me.

What would you say is the real issue why? You could probably list off many, but if you had to say one thing or the main reason why? Forget all other issues, big and small, difficult and strange, and look for the main point or feeling.

I'd be happy to hear back from you on that and even perhaps offer help.

Perhaps it is time for you to settle the matter in your heart, one way or the other, so you can progress further in the respective direction.

Again, forgive me if the response seems too blunt.

Love & Shalom

 

[bèlla]

Are you okay with resting in the truth whatever that may be right now? You don’t have to hear a booming voice or experience a supernatural event.

Telly, God loves you. It’s okay to be uncertain. To lack the answers. To acknowledge the feelings aren’t there. Not knowing is okay. Because no one knows everything.

If you can hold on to that nugget you’ll be fine. You’ll weather the storms and uncertainty without panicking. You’ll be okay when you don’t feel His nearness or presence.

You’ll stand when you doubt. When you’re in the valley and the mountaintop. Because knowledge isn’t your anchor nor a feeling. You trust Him with yourself. Even when you don’t understand. The trust remains as does the love.

~bella

 

[BobRyan]

Hi, I've been reading the Bible, praying regularly, and watching videos, sermons and asking questions on here, but it still doesn't click with me.

Let's make it easy then.

Success breeds success.

Take a very close - careful, long look at two success-story videos

First one - where an Atheist (Chinese, communist meets Christ and becomes a Christian)

Ask God to intervene in your life -- part 1

 

[BobRyan]

Ask God to intervene in your life -- part 2.

Must See Amazing Story! Saved from homosexuality, drugs, suicide, demon worship, and a muslim faith.

From: Found Rest

 

[Mark Quayle]

Hi, I've been reading the Bible, praying regularly, and watching videos, sermons and asking questions on here, but it still doesn't click with me.
From what people are saying it is to do with grace and that doesn't seem to be happening with me.
I do much wish it could have been real for me, but it just doesn't feel like the truth for me. I don't feel saved. I don't feel forgiven. No redemption. No new life in Christ.
What else can I do? I don't want to waste your time anymore and I feel guilty for taking your time, you did try, I know.
I don't know what to do anymore. Anyway thank you for your lovely answers and time, and for your consideration. Love to you.

Just know, if God has chosen you, you cannot fail to come to him. That doesn't mean your will has nothing to do with it, but he is not mocked by pretense. Talk to him!

"He that comes to me I will by no means cast out!"

 

[AK1982]

From what people are saying it is to do with grace and that doesn't seem to be happening with me. I do much wish it could have been real for me, but it just doesn't feel like the truth for me.

What, in your understanding, should the 'grace' look like/be like, for you to be convinced to be happening with you? Do you have any expectation/opinion in mind as to how it is supposed to be in order to be real or in order to make you "feel" real?

Answer the questions to yourself Telly. I understand your pain/dilemma. But remember, you, "knowing" God is no coincidence. It was the moment ordained by God to reach you. You are in his chosen list. The enemy is also real, trying to distort your understanding about God in every possible way. Both God and the enemy are vying for your soul, but of-course the former for giving you eternal life and the latter for separating you eternally from God. Life and death are set before you Telly, choose life!

Feelings can deceive us. Base yourself on truth and that truth will set you free from the bondages of doubt & unbelief.

What else can I do?

Mark 9:24 - Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

and that exactly should be your prayer.

God bless!!

 

[R.J. Aldridge]

Hi, I've been reading the Bible, praying regularly, and watching videos, sermons and asking questions on here, but it still doesn't click with me.
From what people are saying it is to do with grace and that doesn't seem to be happening with me.
I do much wish it could have been real for me, but it just doesn't feel like the truth for me. I don't feel saved. I don't feel forgiven. No redemption. No new life in Christ.
What else can I do? I don't want to waste your time anymore and I feel guilty for taking your time, you did try, I know.
I don't know what to do anymore. Anyway thank you for your lovely answers and time, and for your consideration. Love to you.

Hello, I am not familiar with your history on this forum, but you seem to be genuine in your pursuit.
You say that "grace doesn't seem to be happening with you." Forgive me if I am wrong, but I would assume that there have been many people that have been gracious enough to answer your questions whether their answers satisfied you or not. In fact, I would assume that those who answered your questions did so because they wanted to help others along. Yet you have expressed guilt as if you caused a problem by wasting their time. Perhaps you simply have not received the grace that has most assuredly been given to you.

Believe it or not, there are many Christians, including me, who wish their new life in Christ felt more real. Words like grace, forgiveness, and redemption seem like religious jargon, and I want the deeper meaning to be fleshed out. At some point, we come to the end of ourselves, and our attempts to intellectually attain salvation have failed. Now what do we do? We give thanks to others. We love others. We forgive others, and perhaps one day we will take a good look at Christ and the cross and realize how He "fleshed out" the meaning of those not so hollow religious words, and our lives can bear the fruit of His righteousness as receive the gift He gave us, and then turn and offer the same "fleshed out" gift to others.

 

[disciple Clint]

Hi, I've been reading the Bible, praying regularly, and watching videos, sermons and asking questions on here, but it still doesn't click with me.
From what people are saying it is to do with grace and that doesn't seem to be happening with me.
I do much wish it could have been real for me, but it just doesn't feel like the truth for me. I don't feel saved. I don't feel forgiven. No redemption. No new life in Christ.
What else can I do? I don't want to waste your time anymore and I feel guilty for taking your time, you did try, I know.
I don't know what to do anymore. Anyway thank you for your lovely answers and time, and for your consideration. Love to you.

Thank God that it is not necessary to feel like you are saved because I think many of us who know for a fact we are saved do not feel that way at times. Being saved is not about feeling, it is about knowing. Knowledge is a prerequisite for faith. You have to know that God is real. Now if that is the part you are having trouble with, we can help you, express your doubts regardless of how strange or foolish the question may be, I bet that more than one of us has had the same question or doubt. There are plenty of people on here that can answer your questions, some have more formal education than others and some have a better relationship with the Holy Spirit than others but that is the beauty of a forum, you get answers from different perspectives. So instead of giving up and walking away, ask questions. The relationship with God is just like any other relationship, the more you know about God the closer the relationship becomes. Stick with it we are here to help.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

So, I'd not just 'read the bible' anywhere, but instead I'd read the words of Christ only,

I will try that, thank you.

 

[1watchman]

Hi, I've been reading the Bible, praying regularly, and watching videos, sermons and asking questions on here, but it still doesn't click with me.
From what people are saying it is to do with grace and that doesn't seem to be happening with me.
I do much wish it could have been real for me, but it just doesn't feel like the truth for me. I don't feel saved. I don't feel forgiven. No redemption. No new life in Christ.
What else can I do? I don't want to waste your time anymore and I feel guilty for taking your time, you did try, I know.
I don't know what to do anymore. Anyway thank you for your lovely answers and time, and for your consideration. Love to you.

Grace speaks of the mercy and care of God for His children, so first we MUST become a "child of God" as shown in John 3:16; John 14; etc. Have you done that, friend? Many in the world say they believe in a god, but salvation and blessings is in a RELATIONSHIP with God, which is in the Lord Jesus, "the Christ of God". I hope this helps, friend!

 

[Sketcher]

Hi, I've been reading the Bible, praying regularly, and watching videos, sermons and asking questions on here, but it still doesn't click with me.
From what people are saying it is to do with grace and that doesn't seem to be happening with me.
I do much wish it could have been real for me, but it just doesn't feel like the truth for me. I don't feel saved. I don't feel forgiven. No redemption. No new life in Christ.
What else can I do? I don't want to waste your time anymore and I feel guilty for taking your time, you did try, I know.
I don't know what to do anymore. Anyway thank you for your lovely answers and time, and for your consideration. Love to you.

The time window for when you can come to Christ is bigger than you seem to be assuming. I've enjoyed engaging with you during your time here, however long ago that was, but that's a very small window compared to what Christianity says you have. As long as you're still breathing and as long as Jesus hasn't physically returned, you have a chance. Keep seeking Christianity, and if you need to take a break from it, be sure to start seeking it again.