I know I'm considered Lost

[Enow]

As I said in my introduction. I was raised Baptist. My mom still goes to church. My dad was like me until the last year of his life. He started going to church and started believing in God. So as you would say He was saved.

Now I'm not here to bash as Ugly would like you to think. I am actually here to see others views. I have went thru being an atheist in the military cause it was a rough time in my life. But as I got older I have changed my views. I believe there is a Higher Power. A Being that put us here.

I have read the Bible many times. And maybe I just don't have a strong enough understanding of it. But there are things I just can't believe. I won't go into detail, cause I'm not here to bash and try and steer anyone from their beliefs.

I do pray. I pray to a loving being. One that can overlook my disbelief.

Please forgive my ignorance. As I said, I am not here to bash but to read and see what others see. To get an honest view.

Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (Matt 11:28-30)

this invitation is open to you, LostRider. i plead with you to go to Christ, and be reconciled to God.

God cannot overlook our unbelief, but He can grant us belief.

Mark 9:[SUP]23 [/SUP]Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. [SUP]24 [/SUP]And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

 

[ayoung73]

Hello Lostrider, reading some of the posts, including your own, I noticed you said a murderer can receive forgiveness but a homosexual cannot…this is not so, anyone and any sin can be forgiven if TRUE repentance is what you are feeling…platitudes when asking for forgiveness will not be entertained, but true repentance and a person willing to work every day to rid themselves of that sin will enjoy God’s mercy and forgiveness. I could not continue to willingly sin every day and every night ask for forgiveness and receive it. There is no sin, no human weakness, no thought or action greater than God!

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sis and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV, 1 John 1:9).

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, the will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land,” says the Lord. (NIV, 2 Chronicles 7:14).

If a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die,” says the Lord. (NIV, Ezekiel 18:21).

God our Savior…wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (NIV, 1 Timothy 2:3-4).

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (NIV, Romans 10:9).

These are only a few of the passages dealing directly with your query…my only good suggestion is if you’ve never truly read the Bible, be honest with yourself (cover to cover), then read it! You’ll find all your answers in that book and through prayer! I would suggest beginning with the New Testament first, Jesus speaks of the new law and requirements therein. I will pray for your journey, that it is a success and don’t stop asking questions, your journey is difficult, your sin is sin, just like my sins, they need attention, they need prayer and God’s help to overcome. Sex is a big thing for humans, any sex, and intoxicating and we are inundated with sex everywhere we look, from spandex pants to commercials, etc. etc. All sin is hard to avoid and get rid of completely, you’ll fall back over and over before it is overcome…hopefully you’ll be a much stronger servant. Discussions are the seed my friend, you have to cover this seed with the knowledge you obtain from the Bible, God will do the rest and I pray that he sends the Holy Spirit into your heart and creates there a burning desire to know Him and that you will be saved…all you have to do is open your heart to Him.

 

[Depleted]

Coincidence that Lost hasn't returned since this?

First, what's QC? (Never been military, so don't know much military-speak.)

Believing in God and practicing their religion doesn't save anyone. You know what your murderer did that the homosexual couple didn't do? Recognize their sin, felt the weight of it, (death and hell penalty is a very heavy weight. So is gone from God, but harder to miss something you never had), begged God for forgiveness, and repented.

Murderer, homosexual, thief, rapist, gossip, haughty, seller-of-11-donuts-when-promised-12, "lusting after women in my heart," etc. There is no degree of okey--dokey, that's-not-so-bad sin. It carries the same weight.

And if you don't call on the Lord out of true guilt, it doesn't really matter whether you do orgies or simply don't fairly. It's all the same. You seem hung up on homosexuals. I know people caught in that sin that did repent. They ARE saved. (And it is never "all they know." It's something taught in very degrading ways.) They DO follow the Lord. Just as I know cheaters who repented and followed, gossips who repented and follow, and seductresses who repented and followed. All of them are saved. And, yeah, it wasn't like the sin they loved was easy to dump all the time.

Who wants to dump their sins? We sin because it makes life easier and faster for us. BUT it's not right, it's not merely some minor fault, and it's not what we were created to be. We are created by God for a very good purpose.

I'm telling you straight up, whether a murderer, homosexual, or little old lady who used that excuse to stiff her paperboy, it's the same in God's eyes. He saves those who see their sin for what it is (an affront to him and to our neighbors) and follow him. A serial killer who tells God he's sorry in between kills isn't saved. The one who truly repents and seeks God's forgiveness is. The homosexual that likes God enough to go to church with his/her lover, isn't saved. The one who realizes the depths of that sin is and asks God to help is. The gossip cutting a little time out to say, "oops, sorry 'bout that" before hitting the next piece of gossip isn't save. The one who realizes the harm done and begs God's forgiveness is.

You seem hung up on the gay agenda. What about you? What are you guilty of doing that you absolutely know is wrong but can't stop yourself or you think you're more important than others so let yourself slide? What about your guilt? Because, honestly? God isn't hung up on who we are quite as much as he is on what he's done/is doing/will continue to do to fix us. And we desperately need to be fixed! (And not the kind of fix where a dog is neutered. lol) We're broken, and God is the fix. And he fixes us out of love, compassion, and authority.

 

[Deacon_D]

Do you understand what the srarment “It’s better to be a livedog than a dead lion” means? It means its not over til it’s over. Go to a Jesus name Pentecostal church and you’ll be saved.

 

[Deacon_D]

Do you understand what the srarment “It’s better to be a livedog than a dead lion” means? It means its not over til it’s over. Go to a Jesus name Pentecostal church and you’ll be saved.

 

[brighthouse98]

Lostrider, I understand where you are at, I also served for 2 tours in Vietnam and trusting anyone was never one of my strong qualities! The perfect remedy for people such as us brother is just keep seeking!! Jesus found me in a mop closet in college at age 22!! You might say I was a late bloomer!! LOL

You might say I was a doubting Thomas of sorts!!( John 20:24-31!!) Also belief is not an instant process!!example!( mark 9:23-24!) I struggled a great deal after Jesus came into my life! Believing in Jesus is no easy fix. BUT!!!! IF, and I say if you allow Holy Spirit to teach you ( rom 8:14-15)and are willing to preform the same discipline you had in the service,to now be in his service( please read 2 Tim it is only 4 chapters but written for people like us bro,then the rewards which you have dreamed about, having total peace of mind and always strong hope,will indeed rest upon you!! ( Phil 4:7-8) and rom 15:13)

Jesus has no problems with our questions,because in our questions, this should lead us to an area of our life lostrider to seek answers! This lesson which was the hardest for me to follow in, the lesson of waiting! HOW to wait as well!!( Isaiah 40:28-31)

I am now some 34 and a half years in our Lord brother,and the price I paid to discipline my sorry flesh and cause my mind to become renewed by the very Word of God, has not gone unrewared!! I am sure not perfect!( phil 3:12-14!!!!)But I have pressed on as you can! This choice is left up to each of us!

Stay where one is, or dare to trust Jesus in every area of his or her life!( matt 14:28-33) Like Peter I looked around me at times,and began to sink,and Jesus endured me to pull me up again and again! Yes I got rebuked as well!! LOL verse 31. It was then Holy spirit inside me said,"can you just picture what Jesus must of said to the rest who did not even get out of the boat to start with??"( Rev 3:19-22!!) LOL

Jesus does not hold a candle in one hand and a bat in the other bro! His discipline increases belief,not hides it!( matt 5:13-16!!) I hope this give you the kick in the pants some of us needs,rather then be told you poor soul,do something about it!!( James 1:22)

When I was told this bro,I did do something about it!! What did I have to lose!! I had nothing to start with! You know in the military enduring is tough,so you have a big head start on that knowledge,but that knowledge means nothing unless one puts it to use! The tools are there!! Now it is our turn!! Use them, or sit there while nothing gets fixed in ones life!( 2 peter 1:3-11!!!!!!)

My life got fixed!!! Yours can to!! Blessing bro!! Jesus does not love me more then he does you!( rom 2:11 and acts 10:34!) We are out of excuses and into being convinced!!( rom 8:31-39!!!!)

We are a work in progress bro( Phil 1:6) But if we never get into the race to start with and understand what being accountable is and means,we will never finish the course prepared for us all to WIN!! ( 1 Cor 9:23-27!) You decide! I am just telling you while I myself am still running to get out of the grandstands and start running with us! lol

 

[LostRider]

Sorry for my absence. But gave social media and computers a break for a while to concentrate on whats important to me. My family. But I'm back Lynn. Can't scare me off that easily

 

[Mel197010]

Hey Rider! I commend you for sharing with honesty, I trust God enlightens as you seek to know him more. Please be reminded that all is spiritual, so your willingness to open up spiritually to the truth of God and providing that you truly want to know, it's more like you being receptive then there is clarity of God's message.