New believer advice needed please

[Newtheran]

Hello, my name is Joey. I have a long story but for brevity I am 45 years old and I just now finally understand with great clarity my purpose in life. I feel so excited I can barely contain myself. This behavior is not normal for my "old self" for lack of understanding. This might sound silly but I believe very deeply my purpose in life right now is to lead my family to my state of bliss. But in my excitement i believe I have made them nervous. I want to learn more about what I'm going through and any dangers that are known for people doing their own research. I have a fear or at least I've VERY uncomfortable in a group of people. I've always been a loner and just figured things out for myself. Anyways, I'm getting long winded... If anyone actually reads these I'd sure like some positive advice please. I don't even know what version of Christianity I am. This is my first post on my first ever discussion forum. Please be gentle lol.

Welcome to CF!

Another verse that I find helpful: "He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what the LORD doth require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God" (Micah 6:8).

Sort of a quick summary of the meaning of life.

Someone told me something very wise once: people leak. When you have a religious conversion and receive the holy spirit it can be a very emotional experience. However over time the emotion wears off. Don't make the mistake of confusing the Christian life - which are the acknowledgement of certain truths and facts as well as a way of life in response to them to emotion.

It's also possible to be a little overzealous in wanting your family to come to see the world as you now do.

Finally, one more piece of wisdom when it comes to evaluating where you fit in the Christian world, particularly today:

If it's true, it's not new. If it's new, it's not true

 

[Virious]

Welcome to CF!

Another verse that I find helpful: "He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what the LORD doth require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God" (Micah 6:8).

Sort of a quick summary of the meaning of life.

Someone told me something very wise once: people leak. When you have a religious conversion and receive the holy spirit it can be a very emotional experience. However over time the emotion wears off. Don't make the mistake of confusing the Christian life - which are the acknowledgement of certain truths and facts as well as a way of life in response to them to emotion.

It's also possible to be a little overzealous in wanting your family to come to see the world as you now do.

Finally, one more piece of wisdom when it comes to evaluating where you fit in the Christian world, particularly today:

If it's true, it's not new. If it's new, it's not true

Hi, your last statement really made me think. Now when I was a young boy around 14 years old I had an experience and was saved but I knew nothing and never paid attention. I felt God in me at that time but temptation soon came "Nothing bad" just it came time for me to make a decision and being so young I chose wrong and lost the wonderful feeling I had. I had let God down on my very first day of feeling like a new man. Well life happened and I joined the Military and had many bad relationships and never returned to Church always thinking I was just bad but I've always had this little voice helping me along the way when times got rough. It's just that I now have that feeling back that I had when I failed the first time. I don't want to lose it again. I have changed everything in my life to avoid losing it again. I have shut myself off from everything which was easy since I don't have friends or anything.

 

[Virious]

I thought that might be the case. Church is a place that we, as "aliens and strangers" in this world now .. 1 Peter 2:11, step back out of it (once a week or more) to remember who we are/Who we serve, to be a blessing to others and to receive blessings from others as needed (including protection from our common enemy, from false teaching/teachers, or even unintentional misunderstandings about God, His word and the Christian faith that we all have when we are new Christians), and MANY other wonderful things as well, of course.

It's where we hear God's word preached from God through His underservents (our pastors) directly to our ears, where we worship as a community of believers and pray together, where we find Christian fellowship, and where we normally receive the sacraments, the Lord's Supper (weekly/monthly) and Baptism (once).

You can church shop for awhile. Don't hesitate to call the pastor of each church and/or email him and get him to tell you about his church (pastors like doing that kind of thing ). Check out their website, listen to one of their online sermons, etc., and then come and meet with the other believers who go there and see if you feel at least somewhat at home.

Considering the questions you've been asking, and the direction that it seems the Lord has given you, I would look for a church that teaches that the Bible is inerrant/infallible and holds it, therefore, in very high regard, like God does in the Bible itself .. e.g. Deuteronomy 11:18-21; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; 119:9-11; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17.

God bless you!

--David
p.s. - remember that you don't need to rush into most things. You have the time, so take the time you need, remembering that you came into possession of "eternal life" from the moment that you first believed Here's some of what Jesus has to say about this:

John 5
24 He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
.​

Thank you for understanding me. I just grew up very skeptical of religion due to life events and spent years just doing what I thought was right. It took a long time to "see" and now I feel that the bible and religion has a message but you can't read the message until you understand how to read and interpret what's going on. I believe the bible was written by men but inspired by God. There is good and evil in the world. You just have to be aware and not live on "autopilot" like I have felt for years. Maybe I've become a loner my whole life because I really was different from everyone else in the life of Sin I was comfortable in.

 

[Virious]

It's getting hard for me to keep track of who I responded to. I hope I didn't forget anyone I'm not use to forums. Thank you all for your advice and I only came to this forum to confirm my feelings. Like I said I am doing my own research because I have always been a loner but I am looking now for a Church and I want to get my family involved in that life style.

 

[Virious]

I thought that might be the case. Church is a place that we, as "aliens and strangers" in this world now .. 1 Peter 2:11, step back out of it (once a week or more) to remember who we are/Who we serve, to be a blessing to others and to receive blessings from others as needed (including protection from our common enemy, from false teaching/teachers, or even unintentional misunderstandings about God, His word and the Christian faith that we all have when we are new Christians), and MANY other wonderful things as well, of course.

This inspired me and I feel I accepted God long ago but along the way I became lost and I was on my own or so I thought. I didn’t yet understand fully things like temptation, lust and greed I’ve heard of them but they didn’t help little Joey at that time but he remembered later in life from time to time and teared up but had to keep going forward with the old way of thinking. Because I could figure out a way to make myself comfortable and I would make my own way moving from home to home but God was following me making sure I didn’t stray too far off the path and let me make mistakes and feel the consequences while I was learning. But I wasn’t looking back I was always looking forward. I knew I was lost but didn't know in this way but had adapted to the decisions I made along the way and was comfortable for a long time. It wasn’t until the end that I got kicked so hard that I was forced to look behind me for a place to go. I’m now back with my God.

 

[redleghunter]

It's getting hard for me to keep track of who I responded to. I hope I didn't forget anyone I'm not use to forums. Thank you all for your advice and I only came to this forum to confirm my feelings. Like I said I am doing my own research because I have always been a loner but I am looking now for a Church and I want to get my family involved in that life style.

Welcome brother in Christ. I've read some of your posts and looks like you might be looking for a local church. Any 'luck' yet?

 

[Virious]

No but I believe God is telling me to go physically look since it's not working.

 

[St_Worm2]

It's getting hard for me to keep track of who I responded to. I hope I didn't forget anyone I'm not use to forums. Thank you all for your advice and I only came to this forum to confirm my feelings. Like I said I am doing my own research because I have always been a loner but I am looking now for a Church and I want to get my family involved in that life style.

Hi Joey, no worries about how/how often you are replying. This isn't "chat", so the posts are up pretty much for good now, so that you (and everyone else) can read and reply to them anytime BTW, there's nothing wrong with just doing a general "thank you" to all of your replies on an active thread like this one is at times, especially if you don't have the time or need to reply to every post individually. A place like this wasn't intended to be the regular cause of undue stress for anyone.

God bless you! (Numbers 6:24-26; Isaiah 40:31; Philippians 4:6-8)

--David
p.s. - did you know child of God that there was never a time when He did not love you .. e.g. Jeremiah 31:3? (and that there never will be such a time ) As Pastor/Theologian Charles Spurgeon said in his daily devotional, Morning & Evening,

Everlasting love shall be the pillow for my head this night ​

.

 

[St_Worm2]

No but I believe God is telling me to go physically look since it's not working.

I'll be praying for you about God leading you to the right church.

--David

 

[Albion]

No but I believe God is telling me to go physically look since it's not working.

That's right. I would have hoped that when you reached out to local churches (by email?) that some at least would have gotten back to you. However, going to church to attend services is the usual way to start, so I hope you take that route.

If it is unclear which of several would be the best choice, start by reading some book that compares the denominations or, easier yet, just read and compare the websites that all parishes/congregations maintain. Your first visit may not nail down the right one for you, but it is a start in the process and will no doubt introduce you to much that will help.

 

[St_Worm2]

Hi Joey/@Virious, considering what you said in your OP about where you believe the Lord is leading you right now, I thought you might enjoy this short, encouraging praise song, sung by Kari Jobe (because it's based principally on Matthew 5:14 and the short passage as a whole, Matthew 5:14-16). It's one of my favorites actually

--David

 

[SuZQ154]

Hello, my name is Joey. I have a long story but for brevity I am 45 years old and I just now finally understand with great clarity my purpose in life. I feel so excited I can barely contain myself. This behavior is not normal for my "old self" for lack of understanding. This might sound silly but I believe very deeply my purpose in life right now is to lead my family to my state of bliss. But in my excitement i believe I have made them nervous. I want to learn more about what I'm going through and any dangers that are known for people doing their own research. I have a fear or at least I've VERY uncomfortable in a group of people. I've always been a loner and just figured things out for myself. Anyways, I'm getting long winded... If anyone actually reads these I'd sure like some positive advice please. I don't even know what version of Christianity I am. This is my first post on my first ever discussion forum. Please be gentle lol.

Hi Joey! Welcome!

Obviously, the Holy Spirit is working in you, and your desire for your family to be saved is heartwarming. God is in you.

Some things help mature us and some do not. The Bible, church sermons, Bible studies, and mature believing mentors help us understand our faith. Taking a day at a time and "listening" for the Spirit's promptings encourage being grounded in Truth. Whereas, talking too much and about things which are not supported by Scripture sometimes gets me sidetrack from Truth.

So glad you are here and sharing! Please keep posting.

 

[Virious]

Hi Joey! Welcome!

Obviously, the Holy Spirit is working in you, and your desire for your family to be saved is heartwarming. God is in you.

Some things help mature us and some do not. The Bible, church sermons, Bible studies, and mature believing mentors help us understand our faith. Taking a day at a time and "listening" for the Spirit's promptings encourage being grounded in Truth. Whereas, talking too much and about things which are not supported by Scripture sometimes gets me sidetrack from Truth.

So glad you are here and sharing! Please keep posting.

I get embarrassed when I try to explain things the way I see them. Before this I just lived life. I didn't discuss what I believed with anyone not even my wife. I was just happy battling life and trying to fit in and figuring things out for myself. So after writing down everything that comes to my mind for the past week or more I just kept educating myself that way. And eventually I just saw and compared my notes with verses from this site and things I remembered as a kid going to church with my grandmother. Everything just started making sense of why I was failing and my kids were failing. I'm going to a church this coming Sunday just a random church with my family and we are going to start listening and finding out what church thinks like we do. The embarrassing part is realizing everyone else already knew this because they have been talking to each other for years and already knew. But thank you for not judging me and understanding where I am coming from; from your own unique experiences.

 

[SuZQ154]

I get embarrassed when I try to explain things the way I see them. Before this I just lived life. I didn't discuss what I believed with anyone not even my wife. I was just happy battling life and trying to fit in and figuring things out for myself. So after writing down everything that comes to my mind for the past week or more I just kept educating myself that way. And eventually I just saw and compared my notes with verses from this site and things I remembered as a kid going to church with my grandmother. Everything just started making sense of why I was failing and my kids were failing. I'm going to a church this coming Sunday just a random church with my family and we are going to start listening and finding out what church thinks like we do. The embarrassing part is realizing everyone else already knew this because they have been talking to each other for years and already knew. But thank you for not judging me and understanding where I am coming from; from your own unique experiences.

Hi Joey! Just wondering how the church service was and how you are feeling?

 

[Virious]

Hi Joey! Just wondering how the church service was and how you are feeling?

The Church service went very well, everyone was really nice and we didn't feel out of place. The only issue so far is that during the service they started telling a story about how a poor couple gave their entire savings account to the church and they were blessed with unexpected money for doing so. I thought here we go. A money making scheme. I just wanted the message.

 

[St_Worm2]

The Church service went very well, everyone was really nice and we didn't feel out of place. The only issue so far is that during the service they started telling a story about how a poor couple gave their entire savings account to the church and they were blessed with unexpected money for doing so. I thought here we go. A money making scheme. I just wanted the message.

Hi Joey, unfortunately, what you said in bold above raises more than one red flag for me. The health and wealth prosperity "gospel" isn't the Gospel at all. I recommend caution, and if you find out that's what this church teaches, then I think it's definitely time to look for another church (and if they ask to see your tax returns .. RUN).

Praying for you.

God bless you!

--David

 

[D.A. Wright]

Hello, Brother Joey! I just showed up here at CF today, myself. Realistically speaking, it is nearly impossible to study the Bible today without the influence of well-meaning mentors. Case-in-point: of the latest 150 threads in this topic, yours has garnered the marked highest response rate, no doubt, because you specifically plead for advice. You will surely not lack a multitude of counselors. I reiterate, all well-intentioned, but one advocating Sola Scriptura, and the next recommending the latest reputable Christian thought leader. Then there will be desert fathers offered for review, the maxims of many revered saints urged, and the list goes on.

I could recommend helpful resources from my own denominational influences, but I feel certain I would be looked upon as a sheep-stealer. So I will simply recommend general guidelines. The over-arching message of the Bible is that God is Love, and that that love was (at its pinnacle) manifest to us in the self-sacrificing love of Jesus Christ--God, The Son--in the very centerpiece of time and space: The Blessed Calvary Event. Most works authored during the first three Great Awakening periods that keep this event clearly in focus are very helpful in bridging the literary gap between modern/post-modern society and the Hebrew and Greek conventions of scripture. Folks like John Wesley, G.K. Chesterton, Charles Spurgeon, Andrew Murray, E.M. Bounds, J.C. Ryle, Edersheim, although certainly not without denominational ties, were not afraid to call sin by its right name, even (and perhaps especially) if it be found amidst their own communion. They have stood the test of time, as well, which gives their readers an advantage over modern works.

One word of warning: Excitement and enthusiasm can wane, making a new believer feel that they were mistaken in their experience. This is a favorite snare of the devil. You may not experience this at all, but most do. And if you do, cling to God tighter than ever before. Tell the devil to flee, and that you have committed your keeping unto Him Whose righteous right arm is strong to save. Wrestle with God as did Jacob and cry out to Him that you will not let go of Him until you have His blessing and peace. The Lord is honored by such demonstrations. Fear not, for He will never leave you, nor forsake you. Believe it because The Lord Omnipotent Who reigns has spoken it, and has also promised that His Word shall not return unto Him void, but will accomplish that thing for which purpose He has sent it.

Finally, evangelizing within the home is something upon which I can speak authoritatively since, in my excessive anxiety and zeal to gather my dear ones into the fold of God, I failed quite marvelously, and have now been reaping the rewards for thirty years. And, although in many ways there have been many, many successes since, I could have saved my family and myself much heartache had I simply made it a rule to always spend more time upon my knees pleading with God to make me a humble servant than in parroting the urgency of conversion upon my household. I trust and pray this will not be the case with you, My Brother. I commend you to learn what it is to lift up Christ, Who has promised to draw all unto Himself. May God bless you in your walk with The Good Master. I will be following and praying for you in all confidence, My Friend.

 

[Virious]

Hello, Brother Joey! I just showed up here at CF today, myself. Realistically speaking, it is nearly impossible to study the Bible today without the influence of well-meaning mentors. Case-in-point: of the latest 150 posts in this thread, yours has garnered the marked highest response rate, no doubt, because you specifically plead for advice. You will surely not lack a multitude of counselors. I reiterate, all well-intentioned, but one advocating Sola Scriptura, and the next recommending the latest reputable Christian thought leader. Then there will be desert fathers offered for review, the maxims of many revered saints urged, and the list goes on.

I could recommend helpful resources from my own denominational influences, but I feel certain I would be looked upon as a sheep-stealer. So I will simply recommend general guidelines. The over-arching message of the Bible is that God is Love, and that that love was (at its pinnacle) manifest to us in the self-sacrificing love of Jesus Christ--God, The Son--in the very centerpiece of time and space: The Blessed Calvary Event. Most works authored during the first three Great Awakening periods that keep this event clearly in focus are very helpful in bridging the literary gap between modern/post-modern society and the Hebrew and Greek conventions of scripture. Folks like John Wesley, G.K. Chesterton, Charles Spurgeon, Andrew Murray, E.M. Bounds, J.C. Ryle, Edersheim, although certainly not without denominational ties, were not afraid to call sin by its right name, even (and perhaps especially) if it be found amidst their own communion. They have stood the test of time, as well, which gives their readers an advantage over modern works.

One word of warning: Excitement and enthusiasm can wane, making a new believer feel that they were mistaken in their experience. This is a favorite snare of the devil. You may not experience this at all, but most do. And if you do, cling to God tighter than ever before. Tell the devil to flee, and that you have committed your keeping unto Him Whose righteous right arm is strong to save. Wrestle with God as did Jacob and cry out to Him that you will not let go of Him until you have His blessing and peace. The Lord is honored by such demonstrations. Fear not, for He will never leave you, nor forsake you. Believe it because The Lord Omnipotent Who reigns has spoken it, and has also promised that His Word shall not return unto Him void, but will accomplish that thing for which purpose He has sent it.

Finally, evangelizing within the home is something upon which I can speak authoritatively since, in my excessive anxiety and zeal to gather my dear ones into the fold of God, I failed quite marvelously, and have now been reaping the rewards for thirty years. And, although in many ways there have been many, many successes since, I could have saved my family and myself much heartache had I simply made it a rule to always spend more time upon my knees pleading with God to make me a humble servant than in parroting the urgency of conversion upon my household. I trust and pray this will not be the case with you, My Brother. I commend you to learn what it is to lift up Christ, Who has promised to draw all unto Himself. May God bless you in your walk with The Good Master. I will be following and praying for you in all confidence, My Friend.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to me. I did take my family to a Church for the first time last Sunday. I promised God that I would surrender myself in public and I did. I've been making so many changes cleaning up my life and my efforts are being noticed by others. I do feel reborn and forgiven. God has put me in a very unique situation in life. With my social anxiety I've learned how to do things by myself and i have gotten rather good at it until I noticed that my home life was "under attack". I was helpless as I watched my children struggle mentally even though they had everything they could ever want or need. I was missing something. That's what I'm working on right now. I was missing God in my home. The issue I'm having at the moment is trust. Like I stated above I handled everything by myself and in doing so I got to the point that I could only trust myself. I know that there has to be good people out there and I'm trying to find them. I just don't want to be taken advantage of like people have tried in the past. I just want a good honest life like those that practice the Buddhist way of life.

 

[D.A. Wright]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to me. I did take my family to a Church for the first time last Sunday. I promised God that I would surrender myself in public and I did. I've been making so many changes cleaning up my life and my efforts are being noticed by others. I do feel reborn and forgiven. God has put me in a very unique situation in life. With my social anxiety I've learned how to do things by myself and i have gotten rather good at it until I noticed that my home life was "under attack". I was helpless as I watched my children struggle mentally even though they had everything they could ever want or need. I was missing something. That's what I'm working on right now. I was missing God in my home. The issue I'm having at the moment is trust. Like I stated above I handled everything by myself and in doing so I got to the point that I could only trust myself. I know that there has to be good people out there and I'm trying to find them. I just don't want to be taken advantage of like people have tried in the past. I just want a good honest life like those that practice the Buddhist way of life.

You mention the Buddhist faith and lifestyle. There are many things to admire in religious adherents the world over, and God is pleased when we are insightful enough to recognize this. You will probably have occasion to examine Christianity (and all of the warts and blemishes with which we adorn it) more closely than you might have Buddhism, so try not to become discouraged. It is not unheard of for the Lord to send a new believer to a struggling church to help revive them. If, at some point in the future, you suspect this has happened to you, remember that you will need to be prepared to devote yourself to an extraordinary amount of Bible study, prayer, and scripture-centered meditation. I would encourage you to become one with the Word, in any case. It is now your food, and you should consciously avoid starvation, malnutrition, indigestion, and gluttony. Visit the old, rugged cross daily, and you may rest assured that God will show you a clear path as you trust Him. I remain your prayer supporter and servant.

 

[Radagast]

during the service they started telling a story about how a poor couple gave their entire savings account to the church and they were blessed with unexpected money for doing so

Big red flag. No good church would do that.