No peace and no rest.

[LittleLion]

I wake up in the morning. I get dressed, make my bed. I take the Bible, coulour pencils and my notebook. I read. I underline. I copy some verses into my notebook so as to repeat them over the day and memorize them. I pray before I eat. I pray before I go to bed.

Since I live out in the country, I don't have the option to go to church. In the town, there are only Catholic churches and I am reluctant to go there as I surely have no intention to become a Catholic.
I don't have anyone else to talk about God than the people on internet forums.

I want to resolve my problems, better myself, seek help -- and I am instructed to turn for help to God.

Alright. But will God help *me*? What reason to *I* have to hope for help from God?
I pray, and I stop and wonder: What right to I have to ask God for anything? Do I really believe in God? How do I know I am not merely indulging a wishful thinking? Are not my words an abomination before God (Proverbs 15:8)?

So I ask people here, post threads on the topics in question.
And what do I get? Theology. Several theologies. Apparently, the Bible is not clear enough.

I have found myself in the middle of the war between those who believe in predestination and those who don't; in the war between Calvinists and those who aren't.
So, apparently, if I want to move on, I have to resolve these two positions ... An absurd task.


I try hard to stay calm, but I barely manage it. I live in a mental torment, every minute is filled with insecurity.
Will God help?
Well, according to Calvinism, maybe. According to some other theologies, it is all up to me. If it is all up to me, why pray then and ask God at all ...


And so it goes, and there is no end in sight. No peace and no rest.

 

[sabby4life]

I will pray for you.

 

[sabby4life]

double post

 

[Nightfire]

I wake up in the morning. I get dressed, make my bed. I take the Bible, coulour pencils and my notebook. I read. I underline. I copy some verses into my notebook so as to repeat them over the day and memorize them. I pray before I eat. I pray before I go to bed.

And the fruit of all these things will become evident when they are finally grafted into the branch that gives them life.

Since I live out in the country, I don't have the option to go to church. In the town, there are only Catholic churches and I am reluctant to go there as I surely have no intention to become a Catholic.
I don't have anyone else to talk about God than the people on internet forums.

I want to resolve my problems, better myself, seek help -- and I am instructed to turn for help to God.

Alright. But will God help *me*? What reason to *I* have to hope for help from God?
I pray, and I stop and wonder: What right to I have to ask God for anything? Do I really believe in God? How do I know I am not merely indulging a wishful thinking? Are not my words an abomination before God (Proverbs 15:8)?

God gave you the right to approach Him, when He sent Jesus into the world to intercede for anyone considered a "sinner" (or "uncirumcized", by the Jews) who wish to do just that. To call on God requires faith, and I don't see how anyone would think there is anything wrong with that.

So I ask people here, post threads on the topics in question.
And what do I get? Theology. Several theologies. Apparently, the Bible is not clear enough.

People have different opinions about what the Bible says. Not because it is unclear, but because it allows different interpretations. And there are no inspired or "official" interpretations, there are only educated ones and uneducated ones.

I have found myself in the middle of the war between those who believe in predestination and those who don't; in the war between Calvinists and those who aren't.
So, apparently, if I want to move on, I have to resolve these two positions ... An absurd task.

This is a self-appointed dilemma. You don't have to solve other people's arguments. Especially considering the "great" problem of predestination or not, you cannot be threatened by either unless you let your faith hang on premises that would make one threatening. For instance, believing God hates you will make predestination seem to teach you have no hope for salvation. But this is utter nonsense, because then you would have left the realm of the Bible and entered a different paradigm: one that excludes the gospel of Jesus and the ministry of God.

You cannot let any theology contradict the Bible, and believers know this. That is why the arguments continue: they have to reconcile their interpretations with all of scripture, because scripture challenges it.

Because no amount of speculation about the difficult questions will make the answer change: and the Bible is clear enough that Christ was God's answer, God's promise and God's salvation. No Calvinist will contest this, and no Arminian will contest this. They may differ about the way the answer applies, or how one may come to that answer logically (even in the Bible there is more than one way), but whether Jesus is the Lamb of God or the suffering Servant, there is no doubt that He applies to both. For those who believe in unconditional election, He is the elected, and for the outcast sinner, He was cast out for the sake of their sin.

I try hard to stay calm, but I barely manage it. I live in a mental torment, every minute is filled with insecurity.
Will God help?
Well, according to Calvinism, maybe. According to some other theologies, it is all up to me. If it is all up to me, why pray then and ask God at all ...

You will not find hope in Calvinism or in any theology, only in Christ. Calvinism only threatens you because you are still prepared to believe that God might not love you, which has nothing to do with Calvinism. It's simply your belief clashing with Calvinism, and the Bible is left on the side of the debate. But it's not the "correct view" that ever saves you, it's Christ himself.

Your insecurity is only justified if you don't believe Christ is who He said He was, because He is the only way anybody could claim to know - "For [God] chose us in him" (Eph. 1:4). Your salvation is not up to you, because that would amount to salvation by works. It is not by works, "but by him who calls" (Rom. 9:12), "so that no-one can boast" (Eph. 2:9).

Will God help? Yes, because He already promised it: his help and his promises are contained in Christ. He is our hope: "we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, and especially of those who believe" (1 Tim. 4:10) - many are invited, but few are chosen because they were not ready.

 

[heron]

Littlelion, let's pray that God will bring other Christians into your life, that you can pray and talk with. A church doesn't have to be a formal building, but simply a group of believers that support you in your walk with Him. These might be some of the devout Catholics who have a solid walk with God, or new believers with questions, or missionaries...God knows who's there and how to find them!

As nightfire said, God gave you the right to approach Him, and this is solid truth. If Jesus' resurrection can cover a mass-murderer's sins, surely He can cover yours. As you read the Bible, try to repeat any verses that give you this confidence...usually we put the fear of rejection on ourselves. And remember your adversary the devil will be the first one to plant those thoughts in your head, so be wary of guilt and worthless feelings.

God has covered this, and has offered you sonship in His family. This is a solid truth. This is the gospel, and anything else robs Jesus' redemptive act of its power.

We're sorry that the forum so easily becomes a struggle...some of us are overly fortunate to have so many Christians around us, and pick on petty details.

 

[Adstar]

Good posts.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[Harlan Norris]

Have patients, Life is so short. We think our trouble will never end, but it's bound to. If you have truely come to Christ, you have little to worry about. Your decision to avoid the Catholic church is sound, in my opinion. Go about your days, with the knowlege that God has a purpose for you. Listen for that still small voice. You will hear it. I'm the only believer at my house, although I do have a church to attend. I haven't taken advantage of the opportunitys there, though. Frankly I'm concerned about their doctrine, so when I'm satisfied, I may get involved. Meanwhile this forum serves quite well. Hang in there!

 

[LittleLion]

Thank you all for your responses.


I think not having much personal contact with believers leaves me too much to my own critical self, which can be very disturbing.



Harlan,


"Have patience, life is so short" -- I will have this as my signature! I hope you don't mind.

This is the best sentence I have heard in a long time! And just today I was wondering about what to have as my signature.
Wonderful.

 

[heron]

Sometimes we find that the weak areas we find in our churches are the gaps we were personally intended to fill. Maybe you should start something small?

 

[Eruliel]

Littlelion,
What I can say now is find out as much about God as you possibly can. Read the Psalms, read them outloud, there's some beautiful praises to God in that book. One of my favorites is Psalm 13. Read the Gospels and the Book of Acts. Find out more about God. You know what your problem is. So now discover more about the cure to that problem. I also believe it will help you focus on the one that needs to be focused on in this confusing time in your life...Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. After you look on him it doesn't matter what people say. Get your life from him.
If you want some good Christian literature I would suggest anything by CS Lewis. The first book in the Chronicles of Narnia (The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe) is an allegory about the salvation of man from evil. It's a beautiful book. I would also recommend Mere Christianity and the Screwtape Letters. If you can't get to a good church, do the next best thing and read books by Christian authors. It's like fellowshipping, only with pages instead of a face.
I will pray for you dear sister,
Slainte!
Eruliel

 

[Johnnz]

You need more support and information. And, it is not easy being a solitary Christian.

If you can get some good books that will give you reliable teaching and information. Any books with published by IVP (Intervarsity Press) are usually well written and intelligent. Your islotation may make this a bit difficult, but you will need to do something constructive.

John
NZ

 

[Harlan Norris]

Thank you all for your responses.


I think not having much personal contact with believers leaves me too much to my own critical self, which can be very disturbing.



Harlan,


"Have patience, life is so short" -- I will have this as my signature! I hope you don't mind.

This is the best sentence I have heard in a long time! And just today I was wondering about what to have as my signature.
Wonderful.

Of course I don't mind. I'd be honored. Peace.

 

[Endure2]

hey littlelion

im kinda in the same mess your in, i just stopped believing in God becuase of it all.
but when i was a christian i knew calvinism was simply absurd, becuase the bible is very clear that God wants ALL people to be saved and come to a saving knowledge of the truth, and he wants none to perish, peter and paul said both of those things.
regardless of the ifs ands or buts and how to explain all the other things, one thing is clear in the bible, that Jesus does want all people in heavon becuase he paul told timothy that Jesus died as a ransom for ALL and desires that ALL come to salvation and the truth, and peter said that he desires that NONE perish.

some people make strange hopeful farfetched debates over what those words REALLY MEAN....the words all and none... but its crasy to me. they try so hard to find reasons to believe that some people have no choice but to burn in hell...? whats wrong with them?
and some people take romans 9 where it says people are vessels fitted for destruction and say that means God simply made some people for hell.
but read it again, paul spoke of these people and said he sorrowed terribly over them said that he himself wished he could suffer obimation and death from God if it would save them, he said that in the same context of scripture... does paul love people more than God? is paul disagreeing with Gods decision?

certainly not.

well my stand wasnt really a theology just what the book plainly said.

i personally am not a christian anymore, but maybe i helped you with your understanding. i hope i did.
and i do hope you find peace from your struggles eventually, i know how terrible it can be, i made the decision that i did.
i wish you the best of luck with yours, and if God is real i truely hope you can continue to live as a christian happily and enduringly for the rest of your life.
and a bit of advice, dont ever let what you dont know or dont completely understand torment you, we arent meant to be walking calculators or a living mess of procedures and methods to find out and understand everything, as idealistic as understanding everything may be or seem... it is a miserable way to live. becuase we will forever have faults and weaknesses and limitations and in the mind of the calculative, they doom your love, happiness and peace for and in yourself to the grave.

dont think about things TOO much, it isnt worth it.
there is a more enjoyable way to live, and its just trusting in who you are and what you know and feel, or if God is real leave it up to him to show you.
becuase in light of your own human limitations, a life of perfection or a search for perfect understanding is a terrible thing to try.
it is tormenting...
i remember it well, it pains to the soul.
if you try to know it all or fullfill it all, youll never be happy.

best wishes.
Lee.

 

[AmiracleComputers]

Littlelion, having fellowship with believers is definitely important. But use your place in the world as God's gift. Since you are live in a remote area, God opens up large doors for you to minister over the internet. Continue posting on message boards and giving words of encouragement in the Lord. You, like I once did, could write letters to those in prison - they are at the ends of their shackles and are the most willing to accept Jesus and grow in testimony to Him.

You have the choice, the one gift that you can call unique to being a human. Choice is all we have, so choose wisely. Is there no outer towns that have a church that you can attend? Just a suggestion, you could be a little daring and go to the Catholic church - nothings says you have to agree with the denomination. You many even find others that believe the same as you and you could do a private Bible study with them.

The internet is a GREAT tool for the Lord and is huge in spreading the Gospel. Use message boards and blogs, chat with those that need to hear God's voice. You could use Google's new chat program which places an emphasis on voice over internet. Or you could call me - I'll talk to you =)

In Christ,
Erik Fritsch

 

[ModernDayMoses]

Christianity isn't about theology or repeating and memorizing bible verses, so don't concentrate on that. It is about a relationship with God that goes deeper than paper and ink. If you look for it you will find it.

I will pray for you.

 

[BeAchBaBe473]

Through God all things are possible; have faith, I believe your doing everything in your power to get closer to God and other believers, be patient and it will come in God's timing..I hope everything works out for you God bless.

 

[dvd_holc]

LittleLion, you have been here awhile. You have asked many questions. I am glad you still continue on. I am praying for you. Let me give you a passage that means a lot to me.

Phil 4:4-9
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Take up your cross everyday and renew you devotion to God. We might not understand how everything works...but we can renew ourselves to good and holy things which is where peace is found.

 

[DIVA_for_Christ]

Hi LittleLion I pray all is well with you.

First things first - you are praying to God, reading and studying the word of God but have you taken the first step. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour? Do you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who took on all of your sins and died for you then God raised Him from the dead 3 days later. And if you believe this, have you confessed it with your mouth?

I'm lead to ask you these things because in your seeking, reading, studying and asking for Christian advice and friends to share your beliefs with , you are posting in the Non-Christian section of this forum.

None of us can get to God without taking that first step. At lot of your confusion, lack of peace or rest will be resolved once your truly take that first step - then acknowledge that you are a Christian and not label yourself as a Non-Christian who is struggling, but a Christian who is struggling for a higher level of understanding of who God is.

Be Blessed, encouraged and know that you are not alone.

 

[Followers4christ]

It sounds like your on the right path.I will pray for you to find peace.God Bless