On again, off again.

[Matthew9:9]

I'm confused.

I accepted Christ some years ago, and find that I am an on again, off again Christian.

It seems sometimes that my heart hears Jesus, but I have so many problems with the Bible and Christianity. I have so much trouble believing that the Bible is inerrant, but if it is full of human decisions, how can we trust any of it as being inspired by God? I mean, all religions claim that their holy books are the word of their God.

At this point, I am feeling drawn back to Christ, but I have repented so many times that I am starting to feel that there is no point to trying again.

 

 

 

[GraftMeIn]

You feel like you're being drawn back because Christ is calling you back! The best place to start growing closer to God is by reading His Word, and praying for understanding. The Holy Spirit will teach and guide you in His Word.

Don't worry about the teachings of others, or look to them. Only God can teach what you need to draw closer to him, and he does it by sending the Holy Spirit to teach us. We just need to ask for him for it.

 

[Matthew9:9]

I spent several years as a practicing Pagan and Witch (as Clergy), and the Goddess still exerts a strong pull on me as well.

It's as though they are each calling to me, though without animosity towards each other. That's how it feels.

 

[GraftMeIn]

Sounds like a very difficult struggle, Ask God to deliver you from them, and he will. God has power over them and can send them away from you. Nothing is too hard for Him, Just call out to him for help. Don't be afraid to rebuke them in the name of Jesus, each time you hear them calling. Remember they have no power over your life anymore as long as you belong to Jesus.

I will be holding you up in prayer.

 

[Memory's Flame]

(((HUGZ))) I feel that same way many a time!! In fact more so now than ever... so I wish you the best of luck and know that the Lord will guide you the way you need to be!

 

[MizDoulos]

Matthew 9:9, I have moved your thread to this forum for advice and prayer (moved from QAC). May God draw you toward Him as you seek His guidance.

 

[GodOwnsMe]

wow.........I'm having big trouble in understanding the bible aswell....but yeah I 'actually' do believe it is all true.
well I used to read the bible a lot, I even cried over some stuff, God would always always get me out and I still feel he's providing though things are going pretty pretty weird...........
Try to place all your doubts & questions in God's hands.............
it's pretty hard to really see thru stuff.....but I still believe in Jesus in my heart, I see what Gods doing in my life

Hey don't give up it's worth a try each new time cause God won't mislead you keep asking Him, talking to Him.......
I'll be praying for both of ya (Matthew 9:9 & JacqueB

 

[Mr.Cheese]

I am intellectually satisfied with the truth of Christ. Granted, there is a WHOLE LOT of stuff in the bible we misunderstand. But The gospel accounts of Christ are something I have decided are true.

I was the same way. Never give up though. It sounds like there is something in your life you haven't dealt with and you keep ending back up where you started. Well, that's how it worked in my life.

 

[HesMyAll]

Hang in there.  Spend some time each day praying and reading your Bible.

We are not called to understand why the Bible is the inerrant word of God, only to believe that it is.  We walk by faith, not by sight. 

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

God can deliver you from anything...only believe.

 

[Blessed-one]

when you keep stumbling, drawing back and yet coming up again to the Lord, He's calling you! as GraftMeIn said.

The best way to go about this is to ask God to identify the problem, so that you can then pray and take actions about the solution.

Don't ever think that it's no point in trying! if there was no point in trying, then why is God calling you? the Holy Spirit's definitely at work in you. God's patient, look at the Old Testament, how He spent years after years trying to call His people back, even though they went through the cycle of sin, repentence again and again.

i'm reading a book, "The Christian's secret of a happy life" by Hannah Whitall Smith, in it, i'll take out this illustration.

"I wish you would try to imagine yourself acting in your human relations as you do in your spiritual relations. Suppose you should begin tomorrow with the notion in your head that you could not trust anybody because you had no faith. When you sat down to breakfast you would say 'I cannot eat anything on this table, for i have no faith, and i cannot believe the cook has not put poison in the coffee.'
When your friends met you with any statements, or your business agent with any accounts, you would say, 'I am very sorry that i cannot believe you, but i have no faith, and never can believe anybody.'"

"Is it possible that you can trust your fellow men, and cannot trust your God; that you can receive the 'witness of man,' and cannot receive the 'witness of God'; that you can believe man's records, and cannot belive God's record."

If i could trust my dad on earth, if i could trust Him to do what He promised to do, how much more should i trust in my heavenly Father, whose love never fails and who holds all the power of the universe?

praying for you.

 

[Kirisutokyoo-shinja]

Originally posted by Blessed-one
when you keep stumbling, drawing back and yet coming up again to the Lord, He's calling you! as GraftMeIn said.

The best way to go about this is to ask God to identify the problem, so that you can then pray and take actions about the solution.

Don't ever think that it's no point in trying! if there was no point in trying, then why is God calling you? the Holy Spirit's definitely at work in you. God's patient, look at the Old Testament, how He spent years after years trying to call His people back, even though they went through the cycle of sin, repentence again and again.

i'm reading a book, "The Christian's secret of a happy life" by Hannah Whitall Smith, in it, i'll take out this illustration.

"I wish you would try to imagine yourself acting in your human relations as you do in your spiritual relations. Suppose you should begin tomorrow with the notion in your head that you could not trust anybody because you had no faith. When you sat down to breakfast you would say 'I cannot eat anything on this table, for i have no faith, and i cannot believe the cook has not put poison in the coffee.'
When your friends met you with any statements, or your business agent with any accounts, you would say, 'I am very sorry that i cannot believe you, but i have no faith, and never can believe anybody.'"

"Is it possible that you can trust your fellow men, and cannot trust your God; that you can receive the 'witness of man,' and cannot receive the 'witness of God'; that you can believe man's records, and cannot belive God's record."

If i could trust my dad on earth, if i could trust Him to do what He promised to do, how much more should i trust in my heavenly Father, whose love never fails and who holds all the power of the universe?

praying for you.

 

AMEN!! That sounds like an awesome book.  That is very effective way to show how things work hmmmm...I need to get a copy of that one of these days. Thanks for sharing.