most wretched.

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#1
First time making a thread here...I feel so much anger with myself..for sinning and feeling like I'm not even changed at all. Saturday night I was at a festival and I asked God to take my sins away, yet I've sinned so much since then...

Couple weeks ago, I was happy. I thought God has delivered me from my struggles. I thanked Him for this a lot 'cause I felt like I was only able to overcome because of His help.

But no, again I'm still doing the things I hate. I've asked God to help me many, many, many times.. to help me, to fix me, to change me, to take away my sinful desires, to give me the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

I've started to get angry at God for not hearing my prayers, the Lord knows I am willing to change yet why is He not changing me? is He not real, is that why my prayers aren't being answered? If someone is praying to be cleansed from sins, surely that's the one prayer God will for sure answer, right? But when I start to get angry, I think that no it's not God's fault..it's my fault for not obeying.

I feel like the more closer I want to become to God, the more I do that...I'm attacked by the devil and he wins.

I want my faith to be evident that I am born again, that I am God's child. I feel like such a disappointment to God when I don't act the way He would want me to. I know I serve a God that forgives, but sinning knowing it's displeasing to Him, I don't even know how I can do that.

I feel like a fake.

People might judge me now that they know this about me now..but you know..I just really had to vent because I've asked people why God is not answering my cry for help and nobody really has given me the answer. Yes, I know my need for a Savior but does God really want me to sin so grace may abound more? I don't think God wants me to sin.

"Just keep trying." I've said this to people as well when I was doing "fine". I can keep trying but I still hate it. Trust God, yes. but what if He came back this very second and I am sinning? I will be greeting Him while I look down because of my shame. That's not the way I want to greet Him.
 
C

ChristIsGod

Guest
#2
Hi nutella! I'm new but I've noticed that the threads move down fast here because there's certainly a lot of action and it's a big site with lots of members. I saw your thread only because I'm awake and reading different threads to get more acquainted with the site and your thread was starting to head for pg 2. That can happen fast here - I see.

I looked at your profile to see if you put the year that you were saved there. When I joined, I thought we had to fill in all of the blanks, but I reckon we don't have to.

God knows your heart. That's a comfort to me as well as for all of us. I know that Jesus used The Word against the enemy and nothing else. I know that if we "sow to the flesh - we'll reap from it" and if we "sow to the spirit - we'll reap from the spirit".
"Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I not sin against You". I love Psalm 119.

What I'm leading to is - whatever we feed on, that's what we'll reap from. The Word is our spiritual food for strength and growth and protection against those things that would destroy our faith. No one could ever over feed on His Word.
Jesus 'is' The Word of God - so if we love His Words - we are loving Him. How much time we spend in His Word and prayer and what we do with the rest of our awake time matters. But you are correct as well when you say when you want His will the most, that's when you're most attacked. That's why my life verse is Rom 8:28,29. We see that in Job's life - that Satan couldn't do anything to Job without God's permission - so even attacks and trials, have to pass through Him first. It's what pushes us to growth. A life that's always easy, doesn't normally grow. ALL things are working together for the Good of conforming us into the image of Christ Jesus ... Who was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil so that in all things - He lived a truly human life and knows what we go through.

If you have a blank journal, it also helps to write with a pen, any verses that pop-out at you, that build your faith and confidence in Him. Praying before opening your Bible and asking Him to speak through His Word is a blessing as well.
We can't do this walk without His Word. It's what gives us the strength and "renews our minds", so that when the temptation comes - we are filled with The Word that counters those temptations and we stop short of doing what we used to do or are being tempted toward. A verse will come to your mind - that you've deposited into your mind & spirit by reading - and you'll reap the benefit of that verse because it's Spirit & Truth.

The music we listen to. What we watch. Who we hang out with. All of these things may be "sowing to the flesh" - so the flesh is being strengthened rather than the spirit.

We also keep our eyes on ourselves and not on Him and sometimes, whether we realize it or not. If we try to walk down a highway while looking in a mirror - well - I think you see the danger in living life that way. Keep your eyes on Him!

We all need to be praying for one another & even for our enemies -- which also helps us to get our eyes off of ourselves.

Bless you.
Phil 3:7-14
 

Dan58

Senior Member
Nov 13, 2013
1,991
337
83
#3

God hears every prayer, and I believe God answers every prayer. In my experience, His answer is usually "No". Don't be angry with yourself, because everyone sins. God does not deliver us from our struggles, in fact, we are put here to struggle. I don't believe God takes away our sinful desires either, we need to decide not to sin of our own volition.

You wrote; "The Lord knows I am willing to change yet why is He not changing me?" Kind of a oxymoron? If your willing to change, why would God need to change you? God expects us to change and flee from sin, He doesn't do it for us. Pray for strength and pray not to be lead into temptation. Don't be so hard on yourself, overcoming sin is a life-long struggle. jmo
 
U

Ugly

Guest
#4
If your concept is that God is a genie, and all we have to do is make a wish (pray) and all our troubles go away, then i suggest reading the bible a little closer. Especially looking at Paul (who wrote most of the New Testament) where he said things such as 'i do what i do not want to do' or in II Corinthians "Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. [SUP]8 [/SUP]Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. [SUP]9 [/SUP]But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. [SUP]10 [/SUP]That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

You will struggle with sin, in one form or another, as long as your are in this sinful body. And God is not going to come down and magically change you. When God wants change He doesn't just zap us, He puts us into situations where WE have to Deal With the very temptation. If you pray for patience, for example, Gods not going to just give you patience, He's going to put you in situations where you have to practice patience. For YOU to have to work. To test your patience so that you can learn to control yourself. Now God may help, but He's not going to do all the work for you, you have to put in some effort other than just praying.

As far as the 'fake' aspect, or 'hypocrite' if that's what you're getting at, here's how i see it. A hypocrite is a person who preaches one thing and Willfully continues this behavior without regret or a desire to change. This wold be a fake.
A person who preaches something, and though they may not be actively Able to follow it, they are working towards getting past it and taking an active role in changing is not a hypocrite or a fake.
The aspect of wanting to change is what keeps a person from being a hypocrite.
 
G

Gandalf

Guest
#5
Nutella, when Israel was in Egypt for 400 years, it took God 40 years to bring them to a point where they could enter the promised land. We as Christians expect God to take away our sins with a miracle and then sit back with our feet up and say “Thank God for He is awesome…”. Israel still had to go through troubles and tribulations and we normally only focus on the miracles but never on the bad things that happened to them because of them turning away from the salvation of God.

Unfortunately following God is not so easy. Sometimes when God removes sin from our lives it hurts and if we don’t persevere we will turn back to our idol worshipping. Be strong and focus on God and he will pick you up. Moses took 80 years to fully understand God’s will for his life and when God did the miracles in Egypt it still took the first three for him to fully comprehend. Aaron was the one doing the miracles until Moses stepped up to the plate without any compromise and then he was a powerful instrument in God’s hands.
 

john832

Senior Member
May 31, 2013
11,363
185
63
#6
First time making a thread here...I feel so much anger with myself..for sinning and feeling like I'm not even changed at all. Saturday night I was at a festival and I asked God to take my sins away, yet I've sinned so much since then...

Couple weeks ago, I was happy. I thought God has delivered me from my struggles. I thanked Him for this a lot 'cause I felt like I was only able to overcome because of His help.

But no, again I'm still doing the things I hate. I've asked God to help me many, many, many times.. to help me, to fix me, to change me, to take away my sinful desires, to give me the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

I've started to get angry at God for not hearing my prayers, the Lord knows I am willing to change yet why is He not changing me? is He not real, is that why my prayers aren't being answered? If someone is praying to be cleansed from sins, surely that's the one prayer God will for sure answer, right? But when I start to get angry, I think that no it's not God's fault..it's my fault for not obeying.

I feel like the more closer I want to become to God, the more I do that...I'm attacked by the devil and he wins.

I want my faith to be evident that I am born again, that I am God's child. I feel like such a disappointment to God when I don't act the way He would want me to. I know I serve a God that forgives, but sinning knowing it's displeasing to Him, I don't even know how I can do that.

I feel like a fake.

People might judge me now that they know this about me now..but you know..I just really had to vent because I've asked people why God is not answering my cry for help and nobody really has given me the answer. Yes, I know my need for a Savior but does God really want me to sin so grace may abound more? I don't think God wants me to sin.

"Just keep trying." I've said this to people as well when I was doing "fine". I can keep trying but I still hate it. Trust God, yes. but what if He came back this very second and I am sinning? I will be greeting Him while I look down because of my shame. That's not the way I want to greet Him.
Hi nutella, take a look at this and think about it for a while...

Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Why would we need to ask for forgiveness daily (actually three times a day Psa 55:17) if forgiveness was a one time thing? We sin daily and must ask forgiveness daily. God is merciful and kind and does forgive...

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

(Now remember here that the epistles were letters and were not divided in chapter and verse when they were written, so continue reading...)

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus Christ's job description for the last two thousand years...

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
 

JesusLives

Senior Member
Oct 11, 2013
14,551
2,171
113
#7
First time making a thread here...I feel so much anger with myself..for sinning and feeling like I'm not even changed at all. Saturday night I was at a festival and I asked God to take my sins away, yet I've sinned so much since then...

Couple weeks ago, I was happy. I thought God has delivered me from my struggles. I thanked Him for this a lot 'cause I felt like I was only able to overcome because of His help.

But no, again I'm still doing the things I hate. I've asked God to help me many, many, many times.. to help me, to fix me, to change me, to take away my sinful desires, to give me the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

I've started to get angry at God for not hearing my prayers, the Lord knows I am willing to change yet why is He not changing me? is He not real, is that why my prayers aren't being answered? If someone is praying to be cleansed from sins, surely that's the one prayer God will for sure answer, right? But when I start to get angry, I think that no it's not God's fault..it's my fault for not obeying.

I feel like the more closer I want to become to God, the more I do that...I'm attacked by the devil and he wins.

I want my faith to be evident that I am born again, that I am God's child. I feel like such a disappointment to God when I don't act the way He would want me to. I know I serve a God that forgives, but sinning knowing it's displeasing to Him, I don't even know how I can do that.

I feel like a fake.

People might judge me now that they know this about me now..but you know..I just really had to vent because I've asked people why God is not answering my cry for help and nobody really has given me the answer. Yes, I know my need for a Savior but does God really want me to sin so grace may abound more? I don't think God wants me to sin.

"Just keep trying." I've said this to people as well when I was doing "fine". I can keep trying but I still hate it. Trust God, yes. but what if He came back this very second and I am sinning? I will be greeting Him while I look down because of my shame. That's not the way I want to greet Him.
I think the question is Do we really understand salvation? I know I did not and I felt lost for 56 years of my life even though going to church part of that time and being baptized. When you determine to follow God and give your life to him then satan will rally the troops and come after you too.... So it is easy for us to fall and fail over and over again. But the very Good News is that Jesus Saves.

First you and I have/had a problem in that we were/are focusing on ourselves and our mistakes/sins and not focusing on Jesus. I poured out my heart in prayer to God telling Him I am not good enough and I will never be good enough and God answered me and said I was right that I was not good enough and would never be good enough. He then said but Darlene that is why I sent My Son Jesus to die for your sins, past, present and future and when you give me your heart and ask for Me to come in and save you I no longer see the wrongs you have done/committed I then see My Son Jesus perfect life as His blood covers you and your sins.

So we need to look to Jesus and have faith and trust in the sacrifice that He has made for our sins and quit looking at ourselves. I asked God is it just that simple? His answer was Yes and at that I cried like a baby as I realized that I was saved by the blood of Jesus just as you are saved by His blood. All you have to do is accept His free gift of salvation and ask God to send the Holy Spirit to dwell in your heart and the Holy Spirit will help you to be an overcomer. Accept Jesus and the peace He has to offer your soul and rest assured that you have been saved by the blood of Jesus.
 
S

Sanashankar

Guest
#8
A
First time making a thread here...I feel so much anger with myself..for sinning and feeling like I'm not even changed at all. Saturday night I was at a festival and I asked God to take my sins away, yet I've sinned so much since then...

Couple weeks ago, I was happy. I thought God has delivered me from my struggles. I thanked Him for this a lot 'cause I felt like I was only able to overcome because of His help.

But no, again I'm still doing the things I hate. I've asked God to help me many, many, many times.. to help me, to fix me, to change me, to take away my sinful desires, to give me the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

I've started to get angry at God for not hearing my prayers, the Lord knows I am willing to change yet why is He not changing me? is He not real, is that why my prayers aren't being answered? If someone is praying to be cleansed from sins, surely that's the one prayer God will for sure answer, right? But when I start to get angry, I think that no it's not God's fault..it's my fault for not obeying.

I feel like the more closer I want to become to God, the more I do that...I'm attacked by the devil and he wins.

I want my faith to be evident that I am born again, that I am God's child. I feel like such a disappointment to God when I don't act the way He would want me to. I know I serve a God that forgives, but sinning knowing it's displeasing to Him, I don't even know how I can do that.

I feel like a fake.

People might judge me now that they know this about me now..but you know..I just really had to vent because I've asked people why God is not answering my cry for help and nobody really has given me the answer. Yes, I know my need for a Savior but does God really want me to sin so grace may abound more? I don't think God wants me to sin.

"Just keep trying." I've said this to people as well when I was doing "fine". I can keep trying but I still hate it. Trust God, yes. but what if He came back this very second and I am sinning? I will be greeting Him while I look down because of my shame. That's not the way I want to greet Him.
Becoming holy or being born again doesn't happen in one day .it is a process . The purpose of living in the dark world is to understand and learn what is right and wrong. We appreciate goodness only when we know badness.

No single person is righteous in this world. Humans are weak, we are sinning machines. It is only the grace of God that teaches us to be good and holy (titus 2:11-12) .we ourselves cant do anything.

Guilty feeling is painful but it reminds us how weak we are and God is our only salvation. What u are undergoing is that!!!you are in the right path, if not u would not have worried about sin. Guilt is the first step towards change. Don't hurt urself but be strong and have faith in God. Do not cease praying.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
113
#9
If only a simple sincere prayer worked....we would all be sinless christians.
The flesh must go all right...painfully.
God brings us to the end of ourselves each time...that our full dependency is on Him.
 

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#10
Hi nutella! I'm new but I've noticed that the threads move down fast here because there's certainly a lot of action and it's a big site with lots of members. I saw your thread only because I'm awake and reading different threads to get more acquainted with the site and your thread was starting to head for pg 2. That can happen fast here - I see.

I looked at your profile to see if you put the year that you were saved there. When I joined, I thought we had to fill in all of the blanks, but I reckon we don't have to.

God knows your heart. That's a comfort to me as well as for all of us. I know that Jesus used The Word against the enemy and nothing else. I know that if we "sow to the flesh - we'll reap from it" and if we "sow to the spirit - we'll reap from the spirit".
"Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I not sin against You". I love Psalm 119.

What I'm leading to is - whatever we feed on, that's what we'll reap from. The Word is our spiritual food for strength and growth and protection against those things that would destroy our faith. No one could ever over feed on His Word.
Jesus 'is' The Word of God - so if we love His Words - we are loving Him. How much time we spend in His Word and prayer and what we do with the rest of our awake time matters. But you are correct as well when you say when you want His will the most, that's when you're most attacked. That's why my life verse is Rom 8:28,29. We see that in Job's life - that Satan couldn't do anything to Job without God's permission - so even attacks and trials, have to pass through Him first. It's what pushes us to growth. A life that's always easy, doesn't normally grow. ALL things are working together for the Good of conforming us into the image of Christ Jesus ... Who was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil so that in all things - He lived a truly human life and knows what we go through.

If you have a blank journal, it also helps to write with a pen, any verses that pop-out at you, that build your faith and confidence in Him. Praying before opening your Bible and asking Him to speak through His Word is a blessing as well.
We can't do this walk without His Word. It's what gives us the strength and "renews our minds", so that when the temptation comes - we are filled with The Word that counters those temptations and we stop short of doing what we used to do or are being tempted toward. A verse will come to your mind - that you've deposited into your mind & spirit by reading - and you'll reap the benefit of that verse because it's Spirit & Truth.

The music we listen to. What we watch. Who we hang out with. All of these things may be "sowing to the flesh" - so the flesh is being strengthened rather than the spirit.

We also keep our eyes on ourselves and not on Him and sometimes, whether we realize it or not. If we try to walk down a highway while looking in a mirror - well - I think you see the danger in living life that way. Keep your eyes on Him!

We all need to be praying for one another & even for our enemies -- which also helps us to get our eyes off of ourselves.

Bless you.
Phil 3:7-14
Thanks for the reply and not ignoring my thread! I waited quite a bit for someone to reply lol. Anyways, the thing is I do ALL those things. That's what sucks even more, because I am doing the things I'm supposed to do yet I end up sinning anyway. I try to read my bible day and night, I pray before reading, I avoid situations where I could be tempted to sin, I only listen really to christian music. Job is one of my favorite people in the bible ever since I was little. I always thought I wanted to be the person that even if everything is taken away from me..that I will still be on God's side. I have always been kind of confident of that..and I'm actually in that season where I don't have anything really (but I do have health and safety and food and etc. that's necessary) so I feel like I am being tested. I want the Lord to always be proud of me like He was proud of Job. I'm not righteous like Job..I don't think my works make me righteous, only Jesus dying for my sins makes me righteous..but I really do want to please the Father. P.S. I was catholic until 2 years ago (born again christian now).
 

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#11

God hears every prayer, and I believe God answers every prayer. In my experience, His answer is usually "No". Don't be angry with yourself, because everyone sins. God does not deliver us from our struggles, in fact, we are put here to struggle. I don't believe God takes away our sinful desires either, we need to decide not to sin of our own volition.

You wrote; "The Lord knows I am willing to change yet why is He not changing me?" Kind of a oxymoron? If your willing to change, why would God need to change you? God expects us to change and flee from sin, He doesn't do it for us. Pray for strength and pray not to be lead into temptation. Don't be so hard on yourself, overcoming sin is a life-long struggle. jmo
Good thoughts. I do believe we won't achieve sinless perfection until we are glorified in heaven. And believe me, I try very hard to flee from sin..which is why I don't get why I still fail. But really, I think I can really only do things with the help of God. I can't do it on my own..and that's why I ask for help. Couple weeks ago like I said, I would pray to be not lead into temptation and everytime I did overcome temptation, I would thank God for giving me the strength. But it seems I'm on my own again.
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,173
2,536
113
#12
Dear nutella(Btw I love that stuff lol) sometimes it takes some people longer and in some cases much longer to be free of the things they did in the past or to stop sinning as much me being one of them. You are being waaaay to hard on yourself, God is not some all powerful being just waiting for you to screw up to throw his lightning at you.

Jesus died on the cross so you could be covered in grace. being in grace gives us freedom and a much lighter burden. because of grace and the love of God no matter how much we sin or screw up if we repent and keep trying to do better then we are clean in his eyes. This of course leads ppl to believe we can sin all we want because of grace which is not true we cannot use grace to splurge in sin. But you seem to need to learn about the grace of God my friend
 

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#13
If your concept is that God is a genie, and all we have to do is make a wish (pray) and all our troubles go away, then i suggest reading the bible a little closer. Especially looking at Paul (who wrote most of the New Testament) where he said things such as 'i do what i do not want to do' or in II Corinthians "Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. [SUP]8 [/SUP]Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. [SUP]9 [/SUP]But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. [SUP]10 [/SUP]That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

You will struggle with sin, in one form or another, as long as your are in this sinful body. And God is not going to come down and magically change you. When God wants change He doesn't just zap us, He puts us into situations where WE have to Deal With the very temptation. If you pray for patience, for example, Gods not going to just give you patience, He's going to put you in situations where you have to practice patience. For YOU to have to work. To test your patience so that you can learn to control yourself. Now God may help, but He's not going to do all the work for you, you have to put in some effort other than just praying.

As far as the 'fake' aspect, or 'hypocrite' if that's what you're getting at, here's how i see it. A hypocrite is a person who preaches one thing and Willfully continues this behavior without regret or a desire to change. This wold be a fake.
A person who preaches something, and though they may not be actively Able to follow it, they are working towards getting past it and taking an active role in changing is not a hypocrite or a fake.
The aspect of wanting to change is what keeps a person from being a hypocrite.
No, I do not think God is a genie at all. I actually tell people God is not a genie. But I supposed that if there's any prayer that God will grant is taking our sins away. He hates sin, I hate sin, so why not? I do know about Paul and those verses, but it still doesn't change the fact that I hate I still sin. I want to always act like a daughter of God. Cool thing though this morning before reading my bible and obviously feeling ashamed of my sins, I asked God to show me the truth, to talk to me through His word..and I actually happened to read the parable about the prodigal son and also about the lost sheep. So, that was cool. I am no longer worthy to be called His daughter..but I never was worthy and I never will be worthy. But He rejoices if one repents. I'm just struggling to believe He will keep taking me back over and over and over.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#14
Our salvation is immediate. Our walk with Christ, sanctification, is life long. We will stumble along the way but God pities us like a Father pities His children. Growing takes time and a proper diet. Feast upon the word of God. Fill yourself with Gods word and associate yourself with believers of like mind.

We walk with our Savior we do not run ahead of Him. Time spent waiting on God is not wasted time.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#15
Nutella, when Israel was in Egypt for 400 years, it took God 40 years to bring them to a point where they could enter the promised land. We as Christians expect God to take away our sins with a miracle and then sit back with our feet up and say “Thank God for He is awesome…”. Israel still had to go through troubles and tribulations and we normally only focus on the miracles but never on the bad things that happened to them because of them turning away from the salvation of God.

Unfortunately following God is not so easy. Sometimes when God removes sin from our lives it hurts and if we don’t persevere we will turn back to our idol worshipping. Be strong and focus on God and he will pick you up. Moses took 80 years to fully understand God’s will for his life and when God did the miracles in Egypt it still took the first three for him to fully comprehend. Aaron was the one doing the miracles until Moses stepped up to the plate without any compromise and then he was a powerful instrument in God’s hands.
Yes, they were in the wilderness for 40 years, but that was really because they were sinning and didn't trust God. What if God came back today and I was in sin? I don't know if He's coming back in 40 years or today. I think the amazing thing about that story though is that throughout all these years and the people worshipping idols, God stayed with them through it all. It's the same thing as the story in the book of Jeremiah. God put them in trials yet He blessed them in the end. I just don't wanna think I have 40 years to practice, I want to be ready any time Jesus comes back. Thank you for the reminder that Moses and Aaron sinned against God yet God used them.
 

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#16
Hi nutella, take a look at this and think about it for a while...

Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Why would we need to ask for forgiveness daily (actually three times a day Psa 55:17) if forgiveness was a one time thing? We sin daily and must ask forgiveness daily. God is merciful and kind and does forgive...

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

(Now remember here that the epistles were letters and were not divided in chapter and verse when they were written, so continue reading...)

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus Christ's job description for the last two thousand years...

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Thank you, I don't think there's any advice better than the Word of God. Those verses from John are currently tugging at my heart. I do wish I would be like Jesus in that no matter what the devil did to tempt Him, Jesus never gave in.

I do agree that I will still sin no matter what. I guess I just would rather at least sin in things I have not asked forgiveness for. I feel bad asking for forgiveness for something and doing the same thing again. Why can't I just cleansed from my past sins and have my eyes opened to sins I didn't know I had? Continually growing and being perfected.
 

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#17
I think the question is Do we really understand salvation? I know I did not and I felt lost for 56 years of my life even though going to church part of that time and being baptized. When you determine to follow God and give your life to him then satan will rally the troops and come after you too.... So it is easy for us to fall and fail over and over again. But the very Good News is that Jesus Saves.

First you and I have/had a problem in that we were/are focusing on ourselves and our mistakes/sins and not focusing on Jesus. I poured out my heart in prayer to God telling Him I am not good enough and I will never be good enough and God answered me and said I was right that I was not good enough and would never be good enough. He then said but Darlene that is why I sent My Son Jesus to die for your sins, past, present and future and when you give me your heart and ask for Me to come in and save you I no longer see the wrongs you have done/committed I then see My Son Jesus perfect life as His blood covers you and your sins.

So we need to look to Jesus and have faith and trust in the sacrifice that He has made for our sins and quit looking at ourselves. I asked God is it just that simple? His answer was Yes and at that I cried like a baby as I realized that I was saved by the blood of Jesus just as you are saved by His blood. All you have to do is accept His free gift of salvation and ask God to send the Holy Spirit to dwell in your heart and the Holy Spirit will help you to be an overcomer. Accept Jesus and the peace He has to offer your soul and rest assured that you have been saved by the blood of Jesus.
Wow, I must say this got me teary eyed. I do see that you went through the same things I'm going through. Same thoughts, etc. I don't think I'll ever be good enough and I thank Jesus for dying for my sins because I am a sinner that needs Him. It's just a struggle to be in love with a Savior yet disobeying Him, it doesn't feel right to me. I am just scared that I'm just trying to act like I'm born again but I'm not. I'm scared I wasn't really changed. I'm scared I didn't really repent hard enough. I'm scared I wasn't saved in the first place. I'm scared God will tell me "I never knew you"
 

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#18
A

Becoming holy or being born again doesn't happen in one day .it is a process . The purpose of living in the dark world is to understand and learn what is right and wrong. We appreciate goodness only when we know badness.

No single person is righteous in this world. Humans are weak, we are sinning machines. It is only the grace of God that teaches us to be good and holy (titus 2:11-12) .we ourselves cant do anything.

Guilty feeling is painful but it reminds us how weak we are and God is our only salvation. What u are undergoing is that!!!you are in the right path, if not u would not have worried about sin. Guilt is the first step towards change. Don't hurt urself but be strong and have faith in God. Do not cease praying.
Thanks. I have been guilty a lot, asked for forgiveness, and still doing the same things. I do know that I guess I'm a little better than I used to be. Just hoping that God will not give up and continue His good work that He began in me.
 

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#19
If only a simple sincere prayer worked....we would all be sinless christians.
The flesh must go all right...painfully.
God brings us to the end of ourselves each time...that our full dependency is on Him.
Haha, I wish!! That IS the question, why doesn't God just make us like Him when we start deciding to be a follower of Christ? It'd be so evident that we are His sons and daughters. I know we can now..but I wish it was all the time that we act like Him.
 

nutella

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2014
21
0
1
#20
Dear nutella(Btw I love that stuff lol) sometimes it takes some people longer and in some cases much longer to be free of the things they did in the past or to stop sinning as much me being one of them. You are being waaaay to hard on yourself, God is not some all powerful being just waiting for you to screw up to throw his lightning at you.

Jesus died on the cross so you could be covered in grace. being in grace gives us freedom and a much lighter burden. because of grace and the love of God no matter how much we sin or screw up if we repent and keep trying to do better then we are clean in his eyes. This of course leads ppl to believe we can sin all we want because of grace which is not true we cannot use grace to splurge in sin. But you seem to need to learn about the grace of God my friend
amen, my righteousness/cleanness doesn't come from my works. I believe in grace, I just don't wanna use it to splurge in sin like you said.