How do I grow in Christ or..

[Serene Repose]

even know that I belong to Him? And I don't mean..just saying a 10 word prayer to belong to Him. I mean actually belonging to Him, heart mind body and soul. I want to do this, yet I read some posts and I have witnessed in the Bible that it takes more than just words to save. As for the second part..what do I do? I'm so confused. I don't know anymore. I used to think I do, but I need help. God bless.

 

[newlite]

im a new christain to. i find im closest to christ when i read my bible. not just the words, but search for the meaning. and then try to fit it in my life. the world always seems to bring me down. the weight of the world, always tries to drown me, but when i bring it to god, and ask him what he wants me to do, and try to search for what he does, thats when im the happiest and thats when im "on fire" with god. it is a wonderful feeling!!!

as for belong to him, well im knew. at all this really. i used to think i was a christain. i know i now am. i dont quite now how to explain the feeling. i just feel him here. when im down he lifts me up. when something happens, hes the one i turn to. its like a best friend (i think). when your hurt who do you turn to? it will tell you alot to who you belong to.

 

[Dark_Lite]

even know that I belong to Him? And I don't mean..just saying a 10 word prayer to belong to Him. I mean actually belonging to Him, heart mind body and soul. I want to do this, yet I read some posts and I have witnessed in the Bible that it takes more than just words to save. As for the second part..what do I do? I'm so confused. I don't know anymore. I used to think I do, but I need help. God bless.

Are you baptized? If you aren't you should do it soon. Edit #2: Ah yes you are the baptized by desire person .

As for what you have to do to attain salvation? This where many people can falter.

Some will tell you "Oh you don't have to do anything... Just believe!" Not only is that heresy, it can put your soul in danger rather easily.

You need to repent from your sins and lead a moral life at least. Now I'd love it if you converted to Catholicism and received all the sarcraments and such but that's not for this type of forum . If you're genuinely interested in seeing what the Church is about you can PM me.

But anyway. You need to repent and turn from your sins. God forgives infinitely but you have to put work into it. Simply praying for forgiveness and then going out and doing the same sin does not work.

You should also go to a church. Churches are fun.

Edit: Also please note you don't have to have the "JESUSFIRE" to be a Christian. There are plenty of people (like me and possibly you) who do not go crazy with the feelings conveyed by the savior. Now there are plenty of people who do... and I suppose that's ok.. but... You do not need to be experiencing things like you would see at a Hinn crusade or something. It is perfectly acceptable to be semi-normal as a Christian .

 

[Serene Repose]

Thanks for the replies guys..and also for honest answers. Btw..what's a Hinn crusade?

 

[Dark_Lite]

Thanks for the replies guys..and also for honest answers. Btw..what's a Hinn crusade?

Benny Hinn.... His teachings are full of heresy and the man is the most stereotypical evangelist you could think of.

If you want to know about Hinn I think you can search for threads about him on the General Theology forum...

 

[rocklife]

even know that I belong to Him? And I don't mean..just saying a 10 word prayer to belong to Him. I mean actually belonging to Him, heart mind body and soul. I want to do this, yet I read some posts and I have witnessed in the Bible that it takes more than just words to save. As for the second part..what do I do? I'm so confused. I don't know anymore. I used to think I do, but I need help. God bless.

Serene Repose, your honesty is so refreshing. I am a 4 year old Christian, it took me a while to even learn what things God considers sin. As I kept reading the Bible, New Testament, I see that the only good thing to do is follow Jesus, everything else is considered sin because when we live our lives for ourselves instead of our maker and His will, we are not in His will and without Jesus, we don't go to heaven, the greatest hope in this sinful world. Sin starts with the 10 commandments, but we know we can't keep His commandments, we ask Him to help us do what is pleasing. We all have somehow broken His ten commandments, and they were made to teach us what things are sin: lie, steal, have idolatery, lust (Jesus says lust is adultery in the heart) hatred is the same as murder to God, but also magic, rebellion against parents, greed, etc. And when you study Jesus' teachings, He teaches even harder things, like love your enemies, do good to those who mistreat you, love God more than your own life, tell others about Him. All these things are impossible to do in our own strength. I continually have to ask Him to make me obedient to Him and do what is pleasing, like all His children, we are weak sinners. It is through telling Him our weaknesses, confessing them, and asking His forgiveness that starts. But then I personally have to ask Him for the strength to not do it. I even have to ask God to take away my desire to do it. I used to like sitcoms that cuss and have adultery and blaspheme, I asked God to help me stop watching them and not want to watch them. I admitted to God that I did enjoy them, to please change me to not enjoy them. He answered the prayer. Sometimes, I do have to purposely get myself out of the tempting situations though.

The way to fight sin is ask God for His help through Jesus CHrist, and learn what Jesus Christ actually teaches in the Bible, and find ways to do them. For "love your enemies" I mail tracts to registered sex offenders. This is an act of love (to enemies, but most importantly to God), because before I was converted, I would have been sending these evil people hate mail, not tracts and Gospels of Johns. Forgiveness of others is another one. Also loving people. Find ways to help someone else out, even if it's small. God will multiply it and the seeds can be planted. There is a lack of love nowadays. Give someone a present out of the blue, or clean up your brothers room, or make thank you notes and give them away for unexpected things.

Replace bad with good. Look at Jesus teachings and ask God to show you what you can do to obey them. Even if it seems small, do something and the snowball affect seems to come. He honors action. Write your testimony and mail it to some people. Do something for God. Helping needy people is a good thing too, but we need more witnesses of Jesus Christ. Find ways you can witness. The Way of the Master has a great sermon called "How to find God's will for your life" on their free audio here, #4 http://www.wayofthemaster.com/freeaudio_more.shtml

Look to Jesus Christ, He is the only way to God, the only hope in this evil world. Find what He teaches and do them. Ask God to help you obey Him. I have to ask Him to help me obey Him all the time, sometimes many times a day. Even when I feel like I am such a failure, I know God loves me, because Jesus has taken my punishment on the cross for my sins, and I do the best I can with what I got, and I am doing all I can to please Him according to what the bible says, especially New Testament. God knows we are weak, and as long as we seek to love Him and follow Jesus with all we can, our heart, our mind, all our strength, and all our life, He promises us His Holy Spirit to guide us. God doesn't need us to be so busy that we don't have any time for Him, make sure you at least give Him some time every day, force yourself if needbe. Ask Him to give you a love of the Bible, and be persistent. He answered that prayer for me a year and a half after I continually prayed it, but now I love the bible and continue in it every day, and I continually learn more of Jesus CHrist as I obey what I can with His help. It's not easy, but He helps us.

 

[Serene Repose]

Sometimes I look at my life and I see sin. The sin seems to clot together and it all together ruins my day or week. Sometimes it's stopped me from sleeping, scared the world would end and I wouldn't have Jesus. I'm scared of a lot of things..and I'm scared that maybe I've done too much sin while I'm a 'Christian' to have Him look at me and forgive me. I feel as if I've marred what He's done for me in the dirt, as if I'm dirty and I'm worth nothing. Is this normal? Can anyone give me scripture to help? God bless, and thank you.

 

[rocklife]

Serene, are you purposely sinning and out of God's will right now? What are you talking about? A christian sins on accident, if you are purposely having adulterous sex or breaking the law like doing cocaine, then you can't have assurance you are making God happy and on the way to heaven. Jesus Christ says His way is hard, and many do not know Him, even if they pretend they do.

Do you want to be specific? You do need to stop purposely sinning against Him, knowing about God isn't the same as loving Him wholeheartedly.

It is not a good idea to try to get approval from people, there is someone out there who will tell you lies that you want to hear. God's approval will clear your conscience. Keep looking to the New Testament, especially Jesus' words. Do them. If you are sinning, ask Him to help you stop, and do your part to love Him wholeheartedly.

 

[Serene Repose]

Thank you for the answer. I sin purposely, but at the same time..I don't want to. Does that make sense? It's like almost overwhelming sometimes, but yet I know I could turn away from it if I asked God to help me. I don't know what to do. In the case of getting approval from people, it's become somewhat of a habit. I feel as if I'm simply lost in the fling of things. Some things that most people say I can't see.. I don't see it in the Bible. Some of the things that cause a lot of confusion are baptism, Sabbath and other things such as that. I don't know if I'm making sense. I'm sorry if I'm not. God bless.

 

[rocklife]

Your honesty and openness is much appreciated, Serene Repose. I pray God will open your eyes to His ways. They will open the more you follow Him. The Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ opens eyes as you follow Him. Otherwise, you are very correct that the bible won't make sense. Without wholehearted love and obedience, you won't truly know God and you won't have a clear conscience. Sin reaps death eventually. I used to love sin, but at the same time, my sin brought me great misery. Living in adultery with my second husband, I cried and hated my life. I cried all the time, I took showers just to hide the fact that I was crying. I loved my sinful ways, adulterous living, smoking, doing drugs, being rebellious against authority (police, parents and God) but my sinful ways were torturing me inside, not including the reality of the cost of all my actions, abortion, jail, hateful marriage, etc. I am thankful God led me to HIm and gives me inner peace, which comes from knowing Him and knowing eternal life with Him is at the end for those who love Him and serve Him in truth. It's not just church service, it is God Himself who satisfies. Church service and other good deeds comes from a thankful heart, but by itself is not the saving factor.

Yes, Jesus ways are hard, but that's God's answer. Until you repent, turn from sins, and do what the Savior of sins says (love God wholeheartedly and etc), you will only continue to reap the consequences of your ways. Choose life.

Dear God through Lord Jesus Christ, please continue to work on this dear person's heart. THank you for Serene Repose's openness, please continue to give this person a searching heart and not be content until she finds Living Water and Life Eternal. Sin brings only death, help this dear one continue to seek truth. Help her to break away from sin and hate evil and turn to Jesus Christ. In Your time and Your way, please help this dear one come to YOu in wholehearted love. In Christ Jesus' name I pray, not my will but Your's be done, amen.

 

[newlite]

"I sin purposely, but at the same time..I don't want to. Does that make sense? It's like almost overwhelming sometimes, but yet I know I could turn away from it if I asked God to help me. I don't know what to do."

it makes all to much sence....

 

[Serene Repose]

Thanks for the encouraging words, and the prayers. =) I feel better today, as I know that I need to turn to God to encourage me, give me peace and the fruit of the Spirit. I'm trying my hardest to turn away from the sins, though they seem to plague me. Pray for me, please, to continue to struggle, instead of giving in. God bless.

 

[Endure2]

im nobody, and i dont have any authority, but when you speak of people like Benny Hinn, you need to be careful becuase even if your right, you arent allowed to scorn anyone, it will remove the blessing of God off your life.
its nothing but grace that makes you any diffrent from the worst of men.

though i personally feel benny hinn is true.



Serene repose

just understand that God is spirit, the bible says that it is not by might nor by power, but by the spirit of God... paul said that the letter of the bible breeds destruction, but the spirit brings life... Jesus not to go about "vain repetitions" or that means not to be so "tediuos" with our words... when we pray.

the holyghost comes into our lives and fills us with a power and joy and peace that is not our own... there is nothing you can do, say, or think, that will create peace or power or joy in you.

God just has to give it.

this is why david asked God to "create in him" a clean a heart.
he couldnt clean it himself.

you just ask the holyspirit to come and meet with you and give you peace, and joy, and power to stay in Christ.
its when he takes us and covers us and fills us that we know that this isnt us at all, that we could never do this, that this wasnt our doing, and this is when we have power to live diffrently and power to be happy and joyful and content and at peace and full of power.

we cant be happy or satisfied or steadfast in Christ by ourselves, we are too weak... but the bible says the holyghost helps our weaknesses.
with his assistance... we can have these things.
with his assistance rivers and living water flow out of us, and ohh it is glorious! it is wonderful! ITS SO FULL OF JOY! but i cant replicate it or keep it... i just have to stay before the Lord at all times so i can keep receiving it!

ask him to come and refresh you. and hell come and doit.

thats all there is too it...

though there are a few principles you need to understand that help the process.

1. God comes on the wings of worship.
learn to really get free and sincere in worship, and God will here your worship and see your sincerity, and he will come. the door way to presence of God, is ALWAYS up the blood stained path of Jesus mercy, and through the door way of WORSHIP. only worshippers really know God. and when you walk and talk with God, you are in him, and your soul is filled with peace and joy, and you are secure in him.

2. begin your secret time alone with him by welcoming the holyspirit.
the father is in heavon, Jesus is too, but the holyspirit is here.
he is what gives your prayer time life and energy and fullfillment, begin your prayer and worship by simply asking him to come, welcome him to spend time with you.

3. learn to wait on the lord.
sometimes you will be praying, and you wont feel a response from God quickly.
but wait... keep worshipping him, keep seeking him, keep crying out in sincerity, and he will come... let him know your waiting patiently... and he will come... but sometimes it may take about 10-15- 30 mins of prayer and worship before you really feel the spirit of God come to you. but he will, he always does, and you will find rest for your weary soul.

Growing in Christ,
is getting to the PERSON of God, in a relationship.
ask the Holyspirit to come to you, and hell come and bring you peace and all understanding.

 

[Serene Repose]

Thank you. =) I appreciate the replies and the explanations.

 

[Endure2]

yeah, and oh, about sinning purposely.
david was a man after Gods own heart, but david prayed asked God to cleanse him of "...presumptuos sin.." too.

 

[Serene Repose]

yeah, and oh, about sinning purposely.
david was a man after Gods own heart, but david prayed asked God to cleanse him of "...presumptuos sin.." too.

You've given me a shred of hope. Thank you for that. God bless you!

 

[Endure2]

yeah, just remember, the bible says the life is in the blood.
like the life that surges through us in our blood stream.

in Christ, the life is in the blood of Jesus, not anything else.
if youll just stay on your knees living a life of continual repentance and seeking his mercy and grace and forgivness, pleading and depending on the blood of Jesus, you win by default.

the life is in the blood.

and if your struggling with sin, do all you can to stop, and ask God to CREATE in you a clean heart. and he will.

 

[Heathos33]

All great answers so far. Yet I'm surprised nobody has mentioned anything about spiritual warfare.

Serene Response, this might be a little too much information (and I'm sorry if it is), but right after I got saved (junior high 10 years ago) I fell into a huge struggle with lust and pornography. Disgusting, I know. It wasn't until 2 months ago (when the girl I thought I was going to marry left me because even though I told her about my struggle so she could help me with it, she just couldn't maintain the relationship because of the pain it caused her that I couldn't defeat it) when God began to change my life that I started to try and live in His will.

I say that to say this: I realize now that I WAS saved that long time ago when I "said the prayer" and asked Jesus to come into my life. However, I had such a small understanding of what it actually meant to be born again, that only now am I going through that. satan is a tremendously successful deceiver, and used my addiction, and the guilt and doubt that it caused me in terms of my salvation, to cripple me and keep me from going to church and being a light which Jesus shined through. For 10 years (!) I struggled with being afraid to die because I was so scared of not knowing where I'd spend eternity. Yet that's just satan trying to cripple us with his flaming arrows. He will do WHATEVER he can to prevent us from glorifying God. He doesn't even really care about us, it's that when he sees us about to take steps in God's direction that he'll heap upon us doubt and guilt and shame and make us forget that if we asked Jesus Christ to come into our heart's and admitted that he is the Christ and God is our father and ask Him to forgive us of our sin, then He will. No, you don't have to have a 'feeling' to do this. It's about faith, and believing that you have. I could write pages about my struggle with this, but I'll save it because this might be getting too long.

I pray, s. response, that God will show you clarification, and that you'll realize that the doubt you experience isn't your fault, we live in Satan's world for now, and some of us can't comprehend (not to say that I can) the spiritual plane and the warfare that is going on there.

Lastly, this verse helped me some, and I hope it helps you:
Deuteronomy 4:29-31 "But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have hapened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath."

God bless.

 

[Serene Repose]

Thank you. =)!

 

[Dmckay]

even know that I belong to Him? And I don't mean..just saying a 10 word prayer to belong to Him. I mean actually belonging to Him, heart mind body and soul. I want to do this, yet I read some posts and I have witnessed in the Bible that it takes more than just words to save. As for the second part..what do I do? I'm so confused. I don't know anymore. I used to think I do, but I need help. God bless.

If what you said above is the true desire of your heart, you have no reason to worry, you do belong to Him.What do you do now? You can't trust and have faith in someone you don't know. Your first step, and all the steps after that are to grow in your knowledge of Him. Start by reading the Gospels until like that old favorite CD of yours you instinctively know what the next song/Passage is going to say. Once you become that familiar with the text of the Gospels begin studying the rest of the New Testament.
Next you need to find yourself a good Bible-based and Bible teaching church and get involved with the work of the ministry. As you do this you will develop long term relationships with other Christians, and they will help you along on your path to Christian maturity.