Hello everyone! I am new to the forums and my name is Kevin Martin.
Can someone please help me with this crisis I am going through?
I am a Christian (Lutheran) and always have been for my whole entire life (I'm 16 by the way). I am a farmer and live on a farm and have always been a farm kid so I see God's work everyday and I am in touch with him everyday. We recently began going to another church because my parents did not enjoy the new things our old church was trying. So we began going to a contemporary church that is casual, laid back, plays modern music, etc. which is nothing like we were used to. The thing I love about this new church that has multi-sites (which we are also not used to) is that the messages and sermons are GREAT and they stick with us the whole entire week. It really seems to help me in my life. However, some people from our old church think this new church is trying to brainwash their followers but the main problem I see with this new church is that I have felt so disconnected from God and Jesus! I do not know why. I am reading the Bible a lot more than I used to and praying a lot more but I don't know why I feel this way. I am hoping it is just the winter blues, but I am afraid there is more to this problem than that. So please, can you help me figure out why I feel so out of touch? Is there anything else I can do to reconnect with God and Jesus? Please, and thank you so much in advance.
God Bless,
Kevin Martin
P.S. - And one of the main questions I have that I never had a problem with before or I never had to ask or think before is How do I know God is real? I know, I know this is TERRIBLE for me to think and ask this and I feel like I am not being a true Christian anymore because I sin. I need help, please help me!
Well first of all look at the fruit of your Church.
Matthew 7:16 "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?"
Also as far as getting brainwashed goes...to be honest its good to get your brain washed to be clean.
Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
Also being a farmer does not make you more in touch with God, nor does being a Lutheran. To be honest I do not know much about the different factions but I know we must be born again and guided by the Holy Spirit as shown in scriptures.
John 3:5 "Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."
Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
As for your unbelief for knowing God is real.
Here are some possibilities that could be why people lose faith.
(Note what faith is)
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
1. Because they cannot see God
John 1:18 "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known."
2. Because they pray for something and it does not come true
Proverbs 15:29 "The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous."
James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
3. Because they read something in Genesis
Some examples
Dude how did giraffes fit in the ark!?!
reason Gen 6:15-16
45 feet, upper middle and lower deck, which could be 15 feet per floor
Some people say giraffes can be longer then 15 feet
Or People just did not live 900+ years
Why did Cain say other people would go kill him? If Noah and his sons were only the the Ark there are no descendants of Cain and no mark of Cain.
People argue about Tower of Babel, different translations and all sorts of stuff.
The earth is the 3rd planet from the sun, I think God made it that way and the Bible says,
1 Timothy 6:3-5 "If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,
he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain."
Matthew 18:3 "And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
The point is, you take God at His Word.
People sometimes do not like to believe simply because they cannot stop sinning, think about it. If it took no effort to have faith and we had no desire to sin we could have faith in almost anything!
2 Chronicles 6:36 "Everyone sins, so your people will also sin against you. You will become angry with them and will hand them over to their enemies. Their enemies will capture them and take them away to a country far or near."
It goes on to say
2 Chronicles 6:37-39 "and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly';
and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name;
then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you."
Just trust in Jesus and let him lead you by the Holy Spirit.
John 3:8 "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
Ecclesiastes 11:5 "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things."
But where would we go?
What would we go do without God?
Sure we could try drugs, go to parties, have sex, hoard money, act cool and indulge in whatever we wanted but you will find that does not last.
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
There is a price to pay for refusing God, rather instead we should store up treasures that last.
Matthew 6:20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Your natural body will not last, God said in Genesis 3:19
Genesis 3:19 "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
You could die in outer space, a heart attack, falling from a great cliff, a car accident, a disease, a stroke, getting shot, your brain or heart fails and it is not wise to live this mortal life with no faith saying this is it, nothing more.
Please believe in God, he is a compassionate Father who loves and he desires a close relationship with you, please strengthen your faith. I will explain how to increase your faith.
Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."
So simply read the Bible and believe, there is a fringe benefit to being led by the Holy Spirit as well, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) but eternal life comes from God!
Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?"
So I plead with you my friend, please re-consider and turn back to God, believe Jesus and have an accepting attitude of him and increase your faith by hearing the good news. In the long term you will not only get abundant life and be glad you did but perhaps you might make a positive impact on anothers life and help make the world a better place.
Jeremiah 3:14 "Return, O faithless children, declares the LORD; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion."
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Hebrews 12:6 "because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
God bless you and good luck.
