How I became a Christian.

Seeking-Christ · Apr 5, 2022

I think I already covered this in my very first post. But I thought maybe I included a lot of extra stuff, and I thought maybe I could come up with a more condensed version. But my testimony isn't a simple "one day I gave my life to Jesus and now I feel complete." I still have doubts about my salvation. I don't think I came to the lord with the right mindset. I'm not even sure that I have the right mindset now. A lot of years have gone by. I originally got 'born again' in 1986. I was only 6 years old.

Only being 6 years old, meant that I had a very limited life experiences. 6 year olds no nothing, or at least they shouldn't know anything, about attraction, lust, and sex. I knew nothing about these feelings. Often wonder, if I did know something about these feelings, would I have still "signed up" with Jesus? Or maybe I wouldn't be as hard on myself. I can only imagine.

I was only able to understand that Jesus loves me, If I want to go to heaven and not hell, I need to pray and say "I understand I'm a sinner, and please forgive me of my sins, I believe you died on the cross for me, please come into my heart amen." I'm sure that I was serious about my prayer because I'm still a believer today at the age of 42! But I think my logical mindset of "I realize life is going to me harder for a Christian but in the end He goes to heaven, and not hell." Has caused a bit of an issue. All these years I've been trying to figure out how to love Jesus back. How do you properly love your ticket out of hell. C.S. Lewis wrote a book called the 4 loves. The problem is, there is more then one kind of love. Jesus is not a mere object.

This started happening to me, more intensely, after puberty. I was aware of "lust" and how the bible puts it in the same category as adultery and then says that those people will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. I was like "oh my" did i just loose my salvation? So I started going to bed at night and praying that God would save me again. I started doing that over and over again, until i reached the age of 19.

At the age of 19, I was talking with my youth pastor, and He lead me in the salvation prayer again. It was that summer that I got water baptized. I told everyone that when you commit your life to the lord, you got to go all the way.

These days I'm still trying to figure things out. But I'm still a believer, and a bit scared of hell. I feel like there isn't much I can do. Either God keeps his promise that He saved me or not. I don't think I will never be "perfect" on this side of heaven. I guess that is what is meant by putting your faith in Christ.

GaryA · Apr 5, 2022

It's not about being "perfect" - it's about believing. And, part of that believing is knowing that God never lies - therefore, He will keep His promises - He will do what He says He will do.

As long as you are/were sincere in your repentance and faith - you are saved - believe it! (Because you believe Him.)

The evidence of your 'rebirth' will be the testimony of the Holy Spirit within you - and, the understanding obtained by faith through the scriptures.

When you see God "changing" you and "growing" you in ways that only He is able [to do] - you will know that you are saved and that you are a child of the Most High God!

1 John 5:

13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Believe it!

GaryA · Apr 5, 2022

By all means - "make sure" - it has to be real - and, God knows the heart - you cannot fool God.

But, if you truly put your full belief, faith, and trust in the Almighty Creator and His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ - you will be truly saved.

And then - you may have complete confidence - no one can take it away from you:

John 10:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Seeking-Christ · Apr 5, 2022

@GaryA

I have prayed about this more times then I can count. I've even asked for help whenever I could. I think I've done the best I can. If God has saved me, He has done it. If not, then I guess I'll just end up in Hell. A person can only do so much. No man can force God to do anything.

GaryA · Apr 5, 2022

Seeking-Christ said:

If you are intending to give the user an alert - don't do it this way - it doesn't work. Instead, simply add the '@' to a text string of the user name.

(If you type the '@' followed by a couple or more characters, a drop-down selection list should appear with matching user names. Typing more characters narrows the selection.)

Seeking-Christ · Apr 5, 2022

GaryA said:

I'm probably on 30 different forums. I got to say this place is a little strange.

GaryA · Apr 5, 2022

What you have been doing is essentially adding a link to the '@'.

GaryA · Apr 5, 2022

Seeking-Christ said:

"Can't deny that!"

GaryA · Apr 5, 2022

(referring to some of the things related to how the site is set up)

Butterflyyy · Apr 6, 2022

Dear SC

Reading your post made me think to ask you this; do you ask God to fill you with His Spirit? Have you searched for Him with all your heart and asked Him to baptise you in His Spirit? I’m hoping this is some help to you. You are obviously acknowledging Him in all your ways; I heard this verse on the radio today,

‘ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.’
‘
A few other verses I find helpful come to mind...

Firstly, it says we please Him by trusting Him which I find always makes me feel a whole load lighter 😅... trust Him to enable you to do what He wants you to do; He won’t ask us to do something impossible, and He sees your heart, that you want to obey Him, that you are faithful in your desire to be obedient...
Paul said he saw to forces at work in himself, the flesh and the spirit, and it says if we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfil the lust of the flesh. It’s like the saying of the two fighting dogs within, and the one that wins is the one you feed the most, so we feed ourselves spiritually, and we starve the fleshly/carnal desires, this crucifying the flesh... lol this is doing me good haha😅

Also I thought these verses may be helpful...

‘Apart from Him we can do nothing’

‘Through Him all things are possible’

‘Those that are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God’

‘If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins’

‘For a righteous man may fall seven times, and rise again,
But the wicked shall fall by calamity.’

‘Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy’

He said He sent us the Helper, the Holy Spirit... so yes, we do our part and repent but we need His power to live a holy life.

The Word is a light to our path.

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice

I’m certain that, if you keep seeking Him about this, and trusting Him to help you, you will get the victory through Him.
Sometimes I ask Him to speak to me even whilst I’m sleeping and also in difficult times and He does.

Psalm 16 v7 says:

‘I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons’

I really appreciate your honesty, and your desire to please God and be holy like He tells us to be, for without it, the Bible says, we won’t see God.

Lust cost Samson and King David dearly, but the blood of Jesus is enough to pay for sin repented of. Making mistakes is part of learning and God is so faithful so please never think you are not saved, but go on to fight the good fight of faith, keep trusting, keep looking to Him, and He will lift you up.

God bless you brother. 🙂

Magenta · Apr 6, 2022

Butterflyyy said:

Proverbs3-5-6

Seeking-Christ · Apr 6, 2022

Butterflyyy said:

I read all of this, but it's only the very top part I feel the need to respond too.

"Reading your post made me think to ask you this; do you ask God to fill you with His Spirit? Have you searched for Him with all your heart and asked Him to baptise you in His Spirit? "

This is why I think that We really don' t know if we are saved or not. We don't know, the proper way to become a Christian. Don't get me wrong, it isn't that the Bible doesn't tell us. It's just that we don't all interpret what it is saying in the same way.

Now I come from a Bible believing Family, and all the Churches I have ever attended or been apart of since I've been alive, all call themselves "Bible Believing" And yet, there are often times little disagreements between Bible believing Churches on this matter.

The primary way I have been taught, is that when you ask Jesus into your heart, which I did more than once in my life, then the holly spirit comes in. But some Bible believing Churches make asking for the holy spirit, and asking Jesus to come in, to be like two separator things. One of the Churches I used to be a part of believed in the "Second Work of Grace" That meant, that you didn't get the holly spirit until later on. That's just one simple example. i was at another Church that taught, from the Bible, that asking Jesus into your heart was a 5 step process! Which also included Water Baptism. I once listened to debate on Water Baptism for Salvation, the whole debate went on for 4 hours! Two Guys who know the bible better then I do, comparing scripture back and forth, back and forth for 4 hours! I know which one I think is right.

I got no idea on how to back up all these views from scripture. But I guarantee you, that almost all of these different Churches can find you a verse or passage, here or there, to make a case for their views. If not that then they go on someone's experience.

With all of that being shared. The only thing that truly makes sense to me is, Pray, Ask Jesus into your heart, and then just do the best you can....

As far as lust goes? YIKES! I listen to almost all my books. Every Man's Battle is 6 hours and 45 minutes long, and that is all on the subject of Lust, and how to deal with it. I have another book called "The Great Sex Rescue" which looks at things from a slightly different angle. And it is 7 hours and 9 minutes long. I realize that some might say to me: "Oh those books are written my men or women. They can't be trusted. Just read the Bible." That is a topic in of it's self. But the point I'm trying to make by this, is the subject of Lust is not a simple subject when you really look into it. I got stuck on the subject which is why I tried listening to these authors. I came away saying, yeah the subject of lust and what the Bible means by it, is a very complicated subject.

i admit that I think that the subject of Lust seems to effect men more than it effects women. Keyword: Seems. In reality we all lust after different things for different reasons. "The Great Sex Rescue" introduces the concept that attraction and lust are two different things. I think for the most part, they have convinced me on that. If you think about it, if attraction and lust were put into one thing like Every Man's Battle seems to interpret the Bible. Then every time a man saw a woman, he lusted after her. Even if He saw a woman that He wanted to get to know to marry. Until He married her, He was lusting after her. In other words committing sin with her from day one! But if attraction and lust are two different things, then that is not the case at all. Then that makes Lust a choice, because it detaches Lust from the sex drive.

You see, when I asked Jesus into my heart at the age of 6, I didn't have a sex drive, so I had no desire for Women. But Jesus says, that for a man to look at woman with lust is the same as committing adultery in his heart. i always thought that doesn't make sense. My sex drive isn't a heart choice. It was put on me at the age of 13. Get rid of the sex drive, and then you get rid of lust. I actually prayed more than once, to have my sex drive removed! Of course I didn't get an answer to that prayer. I mean why would God remove something He created with a purpose? That is why I say, yeah I think authors Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, and Joanna Sawatsky are PROBABLY right about this.

Seeking-Christ · Apr 6, 2022

GaryA said:

That is how I used to do it on Social Anxiety Support. It seemed to work that way on that site. And I think I've done that one some other sites too. And this is the first time anyone said anything to me about it.

Butterflyyy · Apr 6, 2022

Seeking-Christ said:

I read all of this, but it's only the very top part I feel the need to respond too.

"Reading your post made me think to ask you this; do you ask God to fill you with His Spirit? Have you searched for Him with all your heart and asked Him to baptise you in His Spirit? "

This is why I think that We really don' t know if we are saved or not. We don't know, the proper way to become a Christian. Don't get me wrong, it isn't that the Bible doesn't tell us. It's just that we don't all interpret what it is saying in the same way.

Now I come from a Bible believing Family, and all the Churches I have ever attended or been apart of since I've been alive, all call themselves "Bible Believing" And yet, there are often times little disagreements between Bible believing Churches on this matter.

The primary way I have been taught, is that when you ask Jesus into your heart, which I did more than once in my life, then the holly spirit comes in. But some Bible believing Churches make asking for the holy spirit, and asking Jesus to come in, to be like two separator things. One of the Churches I used to be a part of believed in the "Second Work of Grace" That meant, that you didn't get the holly spirit until later on. That's just one simple example. i was at another Church that taught, from the Bible, that asking Jesus into your heart was a 5 step process! Which also included Water Baptism. I once listened to debate on Water Baptism for Salvation, the whole debate went on for 4 hours! Two Guys who know the bible better then I do, comparing scripture back and forth, back and forth for 4 hours! I know which one I think is right.

I got no idea on how to back up all these views from scripture. But I guarantee you, that almost all of these different Churches can find you a verse or passage, here or there, to make a case for their views. If not that then they go on someone's experience.

With all of that being shared. The only thing that truly makes sense to me is, Pray, Ask Jesus into your heart, and then just do the best you can....

As far as lust goes? YIKES! I listen to almost all my books. Every Man's Battle is 6 hours and 45 minutes long, and that is all on the subject of Lust, and how to deal with it. I have another book called "The Great Sex Rescue" which looks at things from a slightly different angle. And it is 7 hours and 9 minutes long. I realize that some might say to me: "Oh those books are written my men or women. They can't be trusted. Just read the Bible." That is a topic in of it's self. But the point I'm trying to make by this, is the subject of Lust is not a simple subject when you really look into it. I got stuck on the subject which is why I tried listening to these authors. I came away saying, yeah the subject of lust and what the Bible means by it, is a very complicated subject.

i admit that I think that the subject of Lust seems to effect men more than it effects women. Keyword: Seems. In reality we all lust after different things for different reasons. "The Great Sex Rescue" introduces the concept that attraction and lust are two different things. I think for the most part, they have convinced me on that. If you think about it, if attraction and lust were put into one thing like Every Man's Battle seems to interpret the Bible. Then every time a man saw a woman, he lusted after her. Even if He saw a woman that He wanted to get to know to marry. Until He married her, He was lusting after her. In other words committing sin with her from day one! But if attraction and lust are two different things, then that is not the case at all. Then that makes Lust a choice, because it detaches Lust from the sex drive.

You see, when I asked Jesus into my heart at the age of 6, I didn't have a sex drive, so I had no desire for Women. But Jesus says, that for a man to look at woman with lust is the same as committing adultery in his heart. i always thought that doesn't make sense. My sex drive isn't a heart choice. It was put on me at the age of 13. Get rid of the sex drive, and then you get rid of lust. I actually prayed more than once, to have my sex drive removed! Of course I didn't get an answer to that prayer. I mean why would God remove something He created with a purpose? That is why I say, yeah I think authors Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, and Joanna Sawatsky are PROBABLY right about this.

The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen.
John 16:13 🙂

Butterflyyy · Apr 6, 2022

Seeking-Christ said:

I read all of this, but it's only the very top part I feel the need to respond too.

"Reading your post made me think to ask you this; do you ask God to fill you with His Spirit? Have you searched for Him with all your heart and asked Him to baptise you in His Spirit? "

This is why I think that We really don' t know if we are saved or not. We don't know, the proper way to become a Christian. Don't get me wrong, it isn't that the Bible doesn't tell us. It's just that we don't all interpret what it is saying in the same way.

Now I come from a Bible believing Family, and all the Churches I have ever attended or been apart of since I've been alive, all call themselves "Bible Believing" And yet, there are often times little disagreements between Bible believing Churches on this matter.

The primary way I have been taught, is that when you ask Jesus into your heart, which I did more than once in my life, then the holly spirit comes in. But some Bible believing Churches make asking for the holy spirit, and asking Jesus to come in, to be like two separator things. One of the Churches I used to be a part of believed in the "Second Work of Grace" That meant, that you didn't get the holly spirit until later on. That's just one simple example. i was at another Church that taught, from the Bible, that asking Jesus into your heart was a 5 step process! Which also included Water Baptism. I once listened to debate on Water Baptism for Salvation, the whole debate went on for 4 hours! Two Guys who know the bible better then I do, comparing scripture back and forth, back and forth for 4 hours! I know which one I think is right.

I got no idea on how to back up all these views from scripture. But I guarantee you, that almost all of these different Churches can find you a verse or passage, here or there, to make a case for their views. If not that then they go on someone's experience.

With all of that being shared. The only thing that truly makes sense to me is, Pray, Ask Jesus into your heart, and then just do the best you can....

As far as lust goes? YIKES! I listen to almost all my books. Every Man's Battle is 6 hours and 45 minutes long, and that is all on the subject of Lust, and how to deal with it. I have another book called "The Great Sex Rescue" which looks at things from a slightly different angle. And it is 7 hours and 9 minutes long. I realize that some might say to me: "Oh those books are written my men or women. They can't be trusted. Just read the Bible." That is a topic in of it's self. But the point I'm trying to make by this, is the subject of Lust is not a simple subject when you really look into it. I got stuck on the subject which is why I tried listening to these authors. I came away saying, yeah the subject of lust and what the Bible means by it, is a very complicated subject.

i admit that I think that the subject of Lust seems to effect men more than it effects women. Keyword: Seems. In reality we all lust after different things for different reasons. "The Great Sex Rescue" introduces the concept that attraction and lust are two different things. I think for the most part, they have convinced me on that. If you think about it, if attraction and lust were put into one thing like Every Man's Battle seems to interpret the Bible. Then every time a man saw a woman, he lusted after her. Even if He saw a woman that He wanted to get to know to marry. Until He married her, He was lusting after her. In other words committing sin with her from day one! But if attraction and lust are two different things, then that is not the case at all. Then that makes Lust a choice, because it detaches Lust from the sex drive.

You see, when I asked Jesus into my heart at the age of 6, I didn't have a sex drive, so I had no desire for Women. But Jesus says, that for a man to look at woman with lust is the same as committing adultery in his heart. i always thought that doesn't make sense. My sex drive isn't a heart choice. It was put on me at the age of 13. Get rid of the sex drive, and then you get rid of lust. I actually prayed more than once, to have my sex drive removed! Of course I didn't get an answer to that prayer. I mean why would God remove something He created with a purpose? That is why I say, yeah I think authors Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, and Joanna Sawatsky are PROBABLY right about this.

We need to know what the Bible says for ourselves don’t we... because, as you said, these Bible Teachers are mere men afterall. 🦋

Butterflyyy · Apr 6, 2022

Seeking-Christ said:

When I have had anxiety this verse in Philippians 4 has helped me:

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Recently I was having a very bad time with it and in the middle of the night the words of instruction came to me,
“Do not be anxious” 😀

Butterflyyy · Apr 6, 2022

Seeking-Christ said:

I have to say, SC, I know for a fact that I am His Child; I have been in a real relationship with Him for 26 years and in some ways all my life. I have had some amazing experiences of Him and once He spoke audibly to me. He has proved Himself to me over and over again, and I am moved almost to tears writing that.
I have blessed assurance that Jesus is mine, I am His sheep, one of His flock.
I will always trust in His payment on that cross for me, after what He did, it’s the least I can do.
It sounds like you’re life has been pretty intense, spiritually, and that you have a sensitive personality, and yet you still have the desire to be faithful to Him.
I’m sad to hear that you don’t have this assurance that you belong to Him and I would urge you to seek Him for this because, as the Bible tells us, He IS a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

I wanted to also mention, that it may not necessarily be true that men are more susceptible to the sin of lust, but I tend to think that women are not as open about it.

Anyway I hope you realise you are His Child and He will never forsake you🙂

Seeking-Christ · Apr 6, 2022

Butterflyyy said:

I'm critical of all the books I read or listen too. But most have some signal within the noise. I think that the book "The Great Sex Rescue" is a good book for a married woman. As long as you use discernment as you read it. They share one woman's story about her struggle with Lust. It is true that even women get hooked on porn sometimes. Usually it comes in the form of written porn, like a romance novel that causes her to wish she had a relationship like the people in the book. Anyways that is my thought on that. Most stuff I write is just my opinion.

Magenta · Apr 6, 2022

Butterflyyy said:

When I have had anxiety this verse in Philippians 4 has helped me:

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Recently I was having a very bad time with it and in the middle of the night the words of instruction came to me,
“Do not be anxious” 😀

Philippians 4:6, 7, & 19

GaryA · Apr 6, 2022

Seeking-Christ said:

How exactly are you doing it on CC? What steps are you taking that result in the link being used instead of just text?

How I became a Christian.

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