Please Pray

[Limone]

Right now I am having a very troubled time in my faith. I was raised as a Christian, and I go to church and to a Christian school, but at home I really don't see much of how a Christian should be acting- some members of my family are more like Christian in name only.
I've read the Bible and I know that God exists. There's no doubt in my mind that the Bible, and the creeds (Apostle's, Nicene, Athanasian) are true. And I know that God loves all of His sheep dearly and wants all to be saved. I hate to sin, and I feel terrible when I do. The weird thing is that, in light of all this, I don't feel like I am a Christian. But I really want to be a Christian, and I know it's the only way to salvation.
I don't really know how to explain this, so I'll try to illustrate what I'm trying to say. God is the shepherd, and Christians are His sheep. They blissfully live in their little pen. I am also a sheep, but I am not in the pen. I really, really want to be in the pen, but there is something (I have no idea what) that stops me from getting in there.
What really gets me though is this Bible passage, Hebrews 6:4-6:
"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."
These verses terrify me. Since I was raised as a Christian and went through Confirmation, I feel like I was "once enlightened" but have "fallen away" due to doubting, temptation and all that and because now, although I know that Christianity is the right and only way, I don't even know if I am a Christian or not. I don't want to crucify God again or shame Him at all!
Couldn't I be the prodigal son here, or is that a completely different matter? I know I don't want to be condemned to eternal hellfire, and I know that God's way is the only way- what is preventing me from joining/being part of His flock?

Please pray for me as soon and as often as you are able because this truly is a matter of life or death and I desperately want to be God's child!

-Limone

 

[restore]

I pray the lord will show u Himself, Lord u will go and let the eyes see and open, so that they can really be sure of u. amen

 

[ryangrom]

God will restore you and place you on high ground again. You are hungry for him again and he will not dissapoint you. I was raised a christian and fell away into drugs, sex, hate, pride, and almost every sin in the book as a lifestyle. I turned my back on God and betrayed him in the worst way imaginable. He took me back with open arms. He always does! His unfailing love endures forever. I am going to dig up some scripture for you right now.. one story that comes to mind immediatelly is the prodigal son. He ran to the field with open arms to welcome home his son who left him to sin to his hearts content. God is love. He loves you so much. That is echoed throughout the whole bible. Dont let that one verse make you think otherwise. That verse shows you the dangers in following your own path but God will always forgive you.

 

[ryangrom]

2 Timothy 2:13: If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

1 John 1:9: But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Psalm 86:15: But you, O Lord,are a God of compassion and mercy,slow to get angryand filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

Romans 8:38-39
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 3:16-18: I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

The story of the lost sheep. Luke 15:3-7:
3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

And the story of the prodigal son. It is not only talking about those who never knew God. Think about how the son that left home knew his father before he left.
Luke 15:11-32
11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

I am praying for you! The bible says you are back in the "pen". Trust God that you are because he said you are, and he cant lie

 

[rocklife]

praying

be a doer of Jesus, learn His teachings and ways and follow His Spirit, that is some christian advice I can add, and be careful of just listening to preachers, there are many New Testament warnings about them, learn the true Jesus yourself and not just other's interpretations.

 

[sahjacq]

I pray for the lords strength for you and that he protects you from the accusers arrows so that your doubt and fear will be gone, as the lord stands and pulls you close to his side because being a lamb and child of god, he never lets you wander to far out of site, just waits for your return, be blessed and free in the father. amen.

 

[HisArrow]

Father, please help Limone. Encourage Limone today and give some answers. Thanks. Amen

 

[gloryseven]