What I wish I Knew then that I know now.

[Abandoned Barns]

I'd like to propose a thread in which mature (or maturing) Christians post advice to the new Christians in the form of "I wish I knew then what I know now " type statements. I did this one on another site and I think it was both fun and helpful to those who participated.

Mine would be: I wish I knew that there was a "honeymoon" period when first except Jesus. A time during which you are so on fire with your new found faith that literally nothing can get you down. That this elation is meant to stabilize. That we simply aren't designed to live our lives in that heightened state of euphoria for all of our days. That it doesn't mean you are loosing your faith, but rather only becoming more comfortable with it.

 

[1watchman]

Good thought! Yes, there is a "honeymoon time" usually, when one considers they have the Lord Jesus living in one, and ALL IS WELL FOREVER. It does settle down, however, to like a normal marriage relationship. The new believer is now a part of "the Bride of Christ" ---precious thought always.

Just walk and talk with the Lord Jesus daily as your best Friend (like a man and wife perhaps), and you will be glad everyday. Others could keep this thread going.

 

[jannikitty]

I wish I knew earlier that God's delays are not His denials and so not to lose hope or faith when things don't go as expected and prayers don't seem to be answered. It's for me to pray..the results are God's response and his Action..He always hears and answers accordingly regardless of how it may look especially early in the prayer journey. And that sometimes He cares enough to Not answer my prayers but does even more than I ever imagined possible. Father knows best. I wish I had accepted that early.

 

[Steeno7]

That we can never distrust ourselves too much.

 

[1watchman]

Yes, and I take that to mean as the Apostle Paul said: "Have no confidence in the flesh" and "Make not provision for (fleshly ways)" (Rom. 13:14).

 

[AGTG]

Mine would be: I wish I knew that there was a "honeymoon" period when first except Jesus. A time during which you are so on fire with your new found faith that literally nothing can get you down. That this elation is meant to stabilize. That we simply aren't designed to live our lives in that heightened state of euphoria for all of our days. That it doesn't mean you are loosing your faith, but rather only becoming more comfortable with it.

It's true, Father God takes great care with His newborns in Christ. As we get older, just like children growing up, we are expected to walk our faith with maturity and confidence in His help.

 

[aiki]

I wish I had understood as a new believer that salvation is not a thing but a Person: Jesus Christ. God saves me by giving me of Himself in the Person of His Son. Jesus is my salvation. And this is how the rest of the Christian life is, as well. When I ask God for more patience, or faith, or joy, or love, I am asking for more of Him.

Selah.

 

[joey_downunder]

On a personal note I wish I had:
1. been more discerning RE genuine and fake Christians i.e. those who walked the faith, not just talked it.
2. cared more about obeying God than about my own feelings and experiences.

 

[sunshineforJesus]

I'd like to propose a thread in which mature (or maturing) Christians post advice to the new Christians in the form of "I wish I knew then what I know now " type statements. I did this one on another site and I think it was both fun and helpful to those who participated.

Mine would be: I wish I knew that there was a "honeymoon" period when first except Jesus. A time during which you are so on fire with your new found faith that literally nothing can get you down. That this elation is meant to stabilize. That we simply aren't designed to live our lives in that heightened state of euphoria for all of our days. That it doesn't mean you are loosing your faith, but rather only becoming more comfortable with it.

I wish I knew that too,I would always look for that high and was so disapointed when it cooled off

 

[jannikitty]

Cared less about pleasing people and more about pleasing God no matter how difficult a situation was.

 

[2B4gotN]

I wish I had known when I was younger that both Objective and Subjective Justification are true.

 

[parsley]

What a brilliant idea for a thread.
I'll ditto your OP, and add that it's good to know the feeling of His presence doesn't have to always be there.

It took me a long time to realize that when I was disturbed by injustices going on in Christian settings, that it was God working with me to see that-- He was not defending their actions (as they insisted He was).

Even when God showed me that, it took a good year to sink in and not feel guilty for questioning.

 

[Peripatetic]

That we are too addicted to certainty. That it's OK to wrestle with difficult sections of the Bible and seek different perspectives and interpretations - even if it knocks down part of some complete "system" that I'm trying to build. That sometimes we just have to accept and embrace the mystery.

 

[jannikitty]

That God sees the whole picture and knows what is best..no matter how it can seem at times when we are being attacked by someone or something and feel insecure because of a current situation and what is happening to us personally. Still need to learn this again and again..it is a trust issue.

 

[Cordelia]

I'd like to propose a thread in which mature (or maturing) Christians post advice to the new Christians in the form of "I wish I knew then what I know now " type statements. I did this one on another site and I think it was both fun and helpful to those who participated.

Mine would be: I wish I knew that there was a "honeymoon" period when first except Jesus. A time during which you are so on fire with your new found faith that literally nothing can get you down. That this elation is meant to stabilize. That we simply aren't designed to live our lives in that heightened state of euphoria for all of our days. That it doesn't mean you are loosing your faith, but rather only becoming more comfortable with it.

This is great advice! I wish I'd known that daily, prayerful Bible reading is essential, to stay plugged-in to God's presence. But that, then again, trying to just read books from cover-to-cover can be confusing. I'm doing a Bible in a Year reading plan now, which is an excellent refresher for faith.

 

[Bible2]

Cordelia said in post 15:

I wish I'd known that daily, prayerful Bible reading is essential, to stay plugged-in to God's presence. But that, then again, trying to just read books from cover-to-cover can be confusing. I'm doing a Bible in a Year reading plan now, which is an excellent refresher for faith.

One great way to read the whole Bible, over and over, is to think of it as 7 volumes:

1. Genesis to Deuteronomy
2. Joshua to Esther
3. Job to Song of Solomon
4. Isaiah to Malachi
5. Matthew to Acts
6. Romans to Philemon
7. Hebrews to Revelation

You can read a chapter in each volume every day. This will keep you current in every part of the Bible. After a while, there won't be any part that you haven't read recently enough to remember what it teaches. When you reach the end of a volume, simply start again at the first chapter of that volume. In this way, you will be cycling through smaller volumes like #6 and #7 much more often than larger volumes like #2, but the smaller volumes are so much more dense with doctrine that it is profitable to read them over and over more often.

Also, you can listen to recordings of people reading the Bible out loud whenever you need to keep your eyes on something else while you listen (such as keeping your eyes on the road while you drive, or on a cutting board while you are preparing food, or on your clippers while you are trimming a hedge). In this way, you can listen to the Bible throughout the day, whenever you don't need to be thinking about something else (such as at your workplace or school). Also, you can listen to the Bible even while you are going to sleep, so that it will become part of even your subconscious mind.

 

[Cordelia]

One great way to read the whole Bible, over and over, is to think of it as 7 volumes:

1. Genesis to Deuteronomy
2. Joshua to Esther
3. Job to Song of Solomon
4. Isaiah to Malachi
5. Matthew to Acts
6. Romans to Philemon
7. Hebrews to Revelation

You can read a chapter in each volume every day. This will keep you current in every part of the Bible. After a while, there won't be any part that you haven't read recently enough to remember what it teaches. When you reach the end of a volume, simply start again at the first chapter of that volume. In this way, you will be cycling through smaller volumes like #6 and #7 much more often than larger volumes like #2, but the smaller volumes are so much more dense with doctrine that it is profitable to read them over and over more often.

Also, you can listen to recordings of people reading the Bible out loud whenever you need to keep your eyes on something else while you listen (such as keeping your eyes on the road while you drive, or on a cutting board while you are preparing food, or on your clippers while you are trimming a hedge). In this way, you can listen to the Bible throughout the day, whenever you don't need to be thinking about something else (such as at your workplace or school). Also, you can listen to the Bible even while you are going to sleep, so that it will become part of even your subconscious mind.

That's great to know, thank you!

 

[Sketcher]

Don't put words in God's mouth. Rather, learn the Word he already gave us.

Not every problem in your life is because of God holding back on you.

Just because you don't recognize something doesn't mean it's bad. Go to the Word to find out if it's good, bad, or not mentioned.

The OT Law wasn't given to Gentiles, ever. I wouldn't have been beholden to eat kosher or keep Sabbath or any of that if I had lived before Jesus's day. Jesus's coming, death, and resurrection did not change that. Certain universal commands were always expected of Jews and Gentiles (do not murder, do not steal, no sexual immorality, no blasphemy, no idolatry, worship God only, have courts of justice). These all reappear in some form in the New Testament anyway.