What should I do?

[AxisofOddity]

I've been an on and off Christian since birth, and only last year did I settle firmly into believing in Jesus.

But, recently, I've had a lot of struggles. My illnesses, people lying, my weight gain, etcetera.

I really need a lot of help.

For instance, what should I do about people who aren't Christian who lie about being Christian? Or those who lie in general? I've been treating them kindly lately, and just shrugging off their lies, but it seems very trite and aggravating. Also, are the people at the place I go to (The Center) really Christians (the ones who say they are)?

Also, how should I deal with food? I've cut down on soda to small 250ml cans and I've lost weight. Problem is, I keep going to the grocers to buy snacks. I worry I'm a glutton, and am going to hell for it.

The major issue that I should mention is my mind. I know how dangerous it is. One night I was chanting "Breathe in breathe out" for a little under 30 minutes while watching a competition. I was happy with the results, until a day after, when I heard of two car crashes from celebrities (meaning there may have been many more). What should I do with my mind? Should I keep from chanting, or does that not matter?

You've know me by now, somewhat. What should I do? What do you recommend?

 

[pete56]

AxisofOddity

First let me say that I do not feel that I know you at all, you are still very much a newbie and it takes along time to feel comfortable enough to know what you may be thinking and what may be causing you to behave in any particular manner.

However, I can offer you some very general advice, but must recommend that you take these issues up with someone IRL that you trust and feel comfortable sharing them with (such as atrusted Pastor).

In general terms then:

The issue of liars and lying is always a problem. Satan is the father of all lies and always wants to deceive us in to believing his lies. These people you refer to as saying they are Christian but are not, how do you know that they are not what they say they are? You need to be sure that someone is lying before you accuse them (even to yourself) of this and by being sure you need to have concrete evidence that what has been said is not true! If you do not have that sort of evidence then you are right to extend grace and be forgiving towards them. We are all likely to be deceived occassionally by our enemy but just as Christ has forgiven us we should always try to forgive them.

Next on the issue of weight and food intake - as i said I do not know you so I cannot say whether you really need to lose weight or not, you need to seek medical advice on this matter. If your doctor agrees with you that you do need to lose weight, then the best advice I can give you is not to get obsessive about it, don't try to do it all at once and try to allow yourself the occassional 'treat' so that it does not become something that you are constantly yearning for.

On the 'chanting' issue - you seem to be associating the car accidents with your meditative behaviour, I am not entirely sure as to why, but I assume that you believe your 'chanting' opened a door for some evil to act. I actually believe that it is unlikely that you could have this effect on someone that is totally disassociated with you in every other way. (It is not impossible but is unlikely). Yes you can open a door for evil spirits to enter your own life but to have an effect on someone else requires a lot more than just chanting! (I think the devil is trying to deceive you here!).

chanting is a meditative behaviour practiced for centuries by monks and other contemplative groups. my advice on this would be for you to seek guidance from an experienced Christian practitioner of this sort of meditative technique and to focus your chanting on Christian verses and icons rather than some secular TV programme. Taize uses this type of meditative approach a lot and information can be found on the web.

Most of all (apart from seeking good Christian counsel) sister I suggest that you relax and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you away from the anxieties that you are struggling with.

Let Go, and Let God be your guiding light!

Pete

 

[mick24458]

Whatever you do, the first thing that you have to get firmly planted in your thinking is that: GOD LOVES YOU JUST THEAY YOU ARE.
That doesn't mean that there are not issues that you need to battle with but it is not a matter of od being angry with you or frowning on your struggles.
You have to believe that Jesus' death is massively more than enough to make up for every single failing that you have and that He loves you and wants to enter into the struggle that You have and give you victory.
Matt 11:28-30
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
NIV

 

[wonderwaleye]

Dear AxisofOddity



GOD removed our responsibility to have to JUDGE others.


You MUST keep in mind that the Church is full of nothing but sinners!!!


Say the LORD'S PRAYER slowly and savor EACH word. Then do what you MUST do to be kind to yourself!!!


When you see and feel your own weakness think about others being in the same boat!!!




AWAYS REMEMBER:






X Even though you can't see him, GOD is there!!! O
( click on the x and drag to the O ) ( then see who is with you ) steven

 

[If Not For Grace]

If you do not have that sort of evidence then you are right to extend grace and be forgiving towards them

It is only if you have the evidence that they are in need of forgiving.

It is not up to us to judge. The people you must encounter are not necessiarily those you should chose as friends. Distance yourself (except for purposes of witness) from those whom you can easily see engaging in ungodly behavior and give yourself time to grow and mature before confronting such behavior in others--since this is only to be done in love, perhpas it is best left to the elders.

Your chanting Breath-In/Out did not cause nor prevent anything.

As for overeating, remember as it is in most things Common Sense is not discarded when one becomes a Christian. Use practical weight loss techniques perhpas supplemented by fasting. (See other threads here for more on that topic) (Fasting does not have to be a "complete" fast).

You will not go to Hell because you slip back occasionaly into sin. Your heart is what you must keep pure. This is a process and you will grow.

Stop worrying (tactic of the devil) and feeling responsible for everything (Would you had that much power).

Concentrate on forgiveness and kindness--for yourself and others once you get that perfected call me.

Love D

 

[rocklife]

for renewing your mind and stop chanting (I think you should stop, there's better things you can think of), I recommend listening to bible on tapes, or some other way of bible study. Renew your mind with Scriptures.

For the christians/non-christians, you can follow Matthew 18:15-17 prayerfully, I suggest you look up those Scriptures. You may not be able to get all the way to kicking anybody out of church, but do what you can, do your part in talking truthfully with others. There are many churchgoers who lie and don't know Jesus, we can't fight them all and be offensive, but don't be close friends with those kinds. Don't have much to do with them at all. If that cuts down your friends, that's okay, let Jesus be your friend. Popularity isn't really godly anyway.

for the food, try to do some outdoor activity every day, even something small, the fresh air helps too. I cut down to mainly drinking water now, its the healthiest thing and so simple. soda is like a luxury thing now, just tiny bit here and there with ice cream or something. I balance pretty good, have plenty of whole grain foods and fruits, veggies, and also eat any junk I want, but it is balanced, I am not sure what else to say about that.

Just try to focus, probably bible study is best, first thing. www.amazingfacts.org has some free bible studies online you can watch preachings and read along. also www.wayofthemaster.com has some preachings (they are not boring) Click on "Get Equipped" to hear several. And I like bible on tapes and reading bible also as great bible study. Be in Bible every day, even little bit is okay, forcing is okay too. God will help you enjoy it if you keep trying.

 

[w00dy]

if other people tell lies its entirely up to them. as with many other things its between sinner and lord.

i dunno but i doubt you'll go to hell for snacking, espially if your sorry for doing it. but it does raise a question how your weight is maybe an exageration your mental state (in my mind). thats is a symtom of another illness

ok then, this belief that you are reponisable for peoples car crashes, because you watch competitions while chanting, is either of satan or the lord has placed a very heavy burden on your shoulders (and im sure you will find scripture says the lords burdens are light). no matter how real these feelings are (hey ive walked around my housing estate in my underpants so mi5 wouldnt shoot me, and affected weather patterns across the globe by making god happy, so i know what im on about) all they are, are feelings. get them off your chest talk to people who will listen, the lord, a priest or a doctor or a fellow sufferer. dont suffer needlessly in silence shacked in satans chains of bondage

 

[malckiah]

Hello friend, wow.....i read your question and it sounds like you have a mountain of worries on your shoulders! i am so glad that you decided to follow Jesus, However you have to go the next step.....Give your life to Him...that includes all your worries, all your problems, all your shortcomings.....as The Bible says...cast your burdens upon The Lord, because He cares for you. Think of it like this....you can maybe lift 50 to 150 lbs, right? Well, The Lord can lift anything!..And that definetly includes your burdens! Stop worrying and start trusting! As it says in Proverbs 3:5-6 " Trust in The Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in ALL you do acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." So you see the problem is that right now you are focusing on yourself and your problems...kinda like Peter when he started to walk on water and then saw the big scarry waves and started to sink...that's because He took his eyes off Jesus. My advice, keep your eyes on Jesus and He will keep you safe! May The Lord bless you with eyes that see only Him! amen. Oh, and don't worry about hell either...remember Jesus paid for ALL of your sins....not just most of them! Remember, He knows all things and He accepted you and forgave you even knowing all the bad things you would still do.

 

[sistakrista]

If you think you need to chant - get a certain verse from the Bible & meditate on that, it will help to renew your mind!

Weight loss should be under a doctor's care! Do try to drink less soda & MORE water!

Liars.... well, they aren't going away. God will guide you in how to deal with them. People always disappoint - ONLY GOD is true!

GOD BLESS YOU!

 

[jsimms615]

I've been an on and off Christian since birth, and only last year did I settle firmly into believing in Jesus.

But, recently, I've had a lot of struggles. My illnesses, people lying, my weight gain, etcetera.

I really need a lot of help.

For instance, what should I do about people who aren't Christian who lie about being Christian? Or those who lie in general? I've been treating them kindly lately, and just shrugging off their lies, but it seems very trite and aggravating. Also, are the people at the place I go to (The Center) really Christians (the ones who say they are)?

Also, how should I deal with food? I've cut down on soda to small 250ml cans and I've lost weight. Problem is, I keep going to the grocers to buy snacks. I worry I'm a glutton, and am going to hell for it.

The major issue that I should mention is my mind. I know how dangerous it is. One night I was chanting "Breathe in breathe out" for a little under 30 minutes while watching a competition. I was happy with the results, until a day after, when I heard of two car crashes from celebrities (meaning there may have been many more). What should I do with my mind? Should I keep from chanting, or does that not matter?

You've know me by now, somewhat. What should I do? What do you recommend?

I'm sorry that I have not read some of your others posts to know more about you. I don't think it is up to you to judge whether or not a person is a believer or not. If they say they are, then that is between them and God. As far as food, I understand your problem there, but your not going to go to hell because you eat too much. As far as the issue with your mind, I don't really get what your talking about there. Why are you chanting? Are you trying to constantly control every single thought? Sounds kinda legalistic to me.

 

[AxisofOddity]

Thank you all for your guidance and support. I will take your advice, rocklife, to reinforce words of the Bible into my life as guidance. Thanks.