How to be saved? Overwhelmed.

[Glow]

I know this is long. Sorry.

I've been putting on a "strong face" online, but the truth is, I am fighting a battle lately with whether or not I am truly saved. God seems so distant, and even though I started out having the joy of salvation when I "was saved," I am now starting to just...slip away. I'm getting angrier at God lately, I've been blaming Him, accusing Him in my mind (which I realize is an attribute of Satan himself, to my shame), and feeling like I'm just not close to Him.

Problem #1: Everything I do for Him that is an inconvenience to me is burdensome. For instance, I enjoy going to church because I love hearing the word of God, and I love doing Bible studies -- but as soon as you mention doing a Bible study to me while I'm busy doing something fun, such as spending time on a fun forum website (which I've been doing lately), then I will quickly say, "No thanks. Not right now." Anything that "inconveniences" me is a burden, and it bothers me because Jesus Himself said that we must take up our cross daily and follow Him. Jesus also prayed, in the garden of Gethsemane, that God's will might be done, despite the fact that He knew what was coming. Yet I can't even give up a forum site to do a Bible study? Aren't His commandments not supposed to be burdensome?

Problem #2: Many of the things I do seem to be because "I don't want to go to Hell." Instead of doing things out of a pure love for God, and out of just wanting to serve Him from the joy of being saved, lately I've been doing everything out of fear of Hell.

Problem #3: I have become entangled in legalism. a) I got rid of all of my instrumental dance music (no lyrics, no evil content, just instruments) and all of my Christian music (except for the "hymns" and soft-sounding ones because the other songs weren't "Christian" enough); b) I completely destroyed an innocent and very expensive program that my father bought for me to help me create/produce music (which he doesn't know about); c) My supposed convictions tell me that I am not allowed to watch sermons online in video format -- only in audio format -- because it's a sin to do anything "unnecessary"; d) I feel like I am not allowed to take vitamins for my hair to grow, because anything that is done for you yourself is a sin; among others.

It's tiring. I believe it's a mixture of demonic activity with my obsessive compulsive disorder. But sometimes I wonder if I am saved, because it just feels too much like I am the one doing everything, and not just my mind. I see so many Christians who seem so content with their circumstances. They're always joyful, even in the bad situations. I want to be like them, and to know Christ the way they do, and I just...feel so out of place compared to them.

And another thing. Although I know that we are saved not by good works or self-righteousness, but by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, what does that really mean? I understand everything, and I know we can do nothing to save ourselves. But sometimes I feel frustrated because I know that we cannot save ourselves, and it seems like God is going to condemn me to Hell. What does it mean to put your faith in Jesus? What does it mean to trust Him? I thought I knew already, but this question is just in case I don't.

Thank you to all who respond.

 

[Brad Huber]

The mind can be a terrible thing. Through it we can choose to have faith in Christ (truly wonderful) or whatever else we wish to trust in. Its all about choice. Loving us so much, God wanted us to choose to love and follow Him and we can only do it through freedom of choice. A part of you is finding fault with your faith, and its not your faith itself, its not the faith that you loved and that God loved in you, its the doubt, and the new faith in things as much as Christ which are conflicting. Now that being said, there is nothing wrong with time doing fun things, as long as there is something good about it. I play games online often, when I could be studying scripture or praying. Is that best? Not as good as the latter of course, but as long as those games are not things the Lord would be ashamed of in me, and I still spend time studying scripture and praying regularly, I don't feel it is wrong in God's eyes. Anyone who gives us the ability to have such great pleasure in intimate unions is not a burdensome Lord. The Lord Himself said His burdens are light. It is the burden of doing the will of the Holy Spirit that is our LIGHT burden. Know the voice of the Holy Spirit, beware the voices of the enemy who would take your joy and turn you away from the Lord in your heart.

 

[spirit1st]

Salvation is simple even a child can do it !

but God requires we accept what Jesus did for us and Him as LORD from our heart [Spirit]
we must want Him as Lord and master and that means we are willing too obey Him !

after all ? HE loves us more than we love ourselves and He wants us happy and doing well !

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

He always wants the best for us and He alone sees the future and knows what we need to do to live in love and peace and joy !

 

[Glow]

The mind can be a terrible thing. Through it we can choose to have faith in Christ (truly wonderful) or whatever else we wish to trust in. Its all about choice. Loving us so much, God wanted us to choose to love and follow Him and we can only do it through freedom of choice. A part of you is finding fault with your faith, and its not your faith itself, its not the faith that you loved and that God loved in you, its the doubt, and the new faith in things as much as Christ which are conflicting. Now that being said, there is nothing wrong with time doing fun things, as long as there is something good about it. I play games online often, when I could be studying scripture or praying. Is that best? Not as good as the latter of course, but as long as those games are not things the Lord would be ashamed of in me, and I still spend time studying scripture and praying regularly, I don't feel it is wrong in God's eyes. Anyone who gives us the ability to have such great pleasure in intimate unions is not a burdensome Lord. The Lord Himself said His burdens are light. It is the burden of doing the will of the Holy Spirit that is our LIGHT burden. Know the voice of the Holy Spirit, beware the voices of the enemy who would take your joy and turn you away from the Lord in your heart.

I agree. The mind can be very horrible at times. One thing that confuses me though is...although God gives us the ability to have fun, and to enjoy ourselves, sometimes I get a feeling (possibly wrong) that we're only supposed to enjoy doing things that are for Him, and not for ourselves. For instance, playing a sport for the sake of having fun as being wrong, as opposed to playing a sport for the sake of witnessing to others. Are we allowed to have hobbies?

 

[Glow]

Salvation is simple even a child can do it !

but God requires we accept what Jesus did for us and Him as LORD from our heart [Spirit]
we must want Him as Lord and master and that means we are willing too obey Him !

after all ? HE loves us more than we love ourselves and He wants us happy and doing well !

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

He always wants the best for us and He alone sees the future and knows what we need to do to live in love and peace and joy !

But how do I get the desire to obey Him? How do I make myself have that desire? See, my problem is I just can't do it. I sincerely want to do the right thing, but I can't ever seem to follow through with it. (I know that legalistically trying to force myself to follow the ten commandments won't give me salvation, since the New Testament says we are under the law of loving God with all our hearts and loving our neighbors as ourselves, but I'm just talking about obeying rules that my conscience tries to condemn me with. My conscience has been my greatest enemy in all of this, since I deep down know I can do something but keep doubting when I try to do it.)

 

[Brad Huber]

Yes, its fine to have hobbies, play sports, for fun. As long as those hobbies aren't playing violent gruesome video games, mixing poisons, spying on people, see what I mean... things that are more obviously bad. Its easier to say what we shouldn't do than what we can do. Pick the top 10 things you might like to do, and I imagine we can tell you if they are okay, we use the Holy Spirit to help us make those decisions, and if you are unsure of the spirits speaking to you now to be of the Lord or lying guilt ridden spirits, perhaps we can help.

 

[spirit1st]

The Most joy and greatest happiness I ever known in my LIFE times 1 Was just talking back and forth with HIM !

Nothing on this planet can even come close! ! thought i would bust apart , my joy was so great !

Why ? Because He what we were made for ! He our purpose for LIFE !

 

[Glow]

Yes, its fine to have hobbies, play sports, for fun. As long as those hobbies aren't playing violent gruesome video games, mixing poisons, spying on people, see what I mean... things that are more obviously bad. Its easier to say what we shouldn't do than what we can do. Pick the top 10 things you might like to do, and I imagine we can tell you if they are okay, we use the Holy Spirit to help us make those decisions, and if you are unsure of the spirits speaking to you now to be of the Lord or lying guilt ridden spirits, perhaps we can help.

Hmm, well these are the things that I have been struggling with lately. I hope some light can be shed on them:

1) Play a video game called Minecraft, where you build things. There are enemies you can fight, but they aren't human (exploding green blobs, spiders....). But I've been wondering whether God would want me to play a game like that, since some optional things in the game involve magic.

2) Listen to instrumental dance music.

3) Produce instrumental dance music.

4) Write fiction stories that have good values but aren't necessarily "Christian" fiction.

5) Go to a forum website that involves dressing up a character, but where many of the items you can wear involve magic. (Not to actually wear the magical items, but to dress appropriately and use the forums.)

6) Watch movies and television shows that have good values but aren't necessarily labeled as "Christian."

7) Take vitamins for reasons involving personal appearance.

 

[Brad Huber]

Hmm, well these are the things that I have been struggling with lately. I hope some light can be shed on them:

1) Play a video game called Minecraft, where you build things. There are enemies you can fight, but they aren't human (exploding green blobs, spiders....). But I've been wondering whether God would want me to play a game like that, since some optional things in the game involve magic.

2) Listen to instrumental dance music.

3) Produce instrumental dance music.

4) Write fiction stories that have good values but aren't necessarily "Christian" fiction.

5) Go to a forum website that involves dressing up a character, but where many of the items you can wear involve magic. (Not to actually wear the magical items, but to dress appropriately and use the forums.)

6) Watch movies and television shows that have good values but aren't necessarily labeled as "Christian."

7) Take vitamins for reasons involving personal appearance.

1. As long as the character you are controlling isn't casting spells, and your always have your character do what is right and good. Killing fictional monsters is no big deal IMO. 2. Nothing wrong with listening to instrumental music. As long as your thought process is peaceful, it sounds good. 3. Creating instrumental dance music is fine as long as you don't encourage provocative dance. 4. As long as the fictional stories have good Christian values, its not critical they be specifically Christian fiction. 5. Would that be a SIMS program? Again, as long as the motives are good and the dress is respectful, its not so bad. 6. Yes, I like to watch Sci-fi at times, and a good movie with good moral values regardless of it being Christian. But I don't like those vampire shows. My spirit tells me its wrong, I don't care if they have some good vampires and bad vampires, anything undead like the mythical vampire is unholy. 7. Taking vitamins for helping the skin or nails, etc is fine. Hope this helps

 

[spirit1st]

It our Inward man that becomes the child of God 1 we just accept by faith Him as LORD1 Then HE starts changing Us 1 we do not change ourselves !

You know we as parents , start teaching our kids and molding them by example and telling them the things that we hope will take hold and make them the person we want them to be ! Well God greater at this and knows perfectly what to teach us and how to do it !

we really do not ! we try hard , but it seems it never works out perfectly ! Because we just do not know how!

that why in every area of our lives , we ask HIM to help us and guide us and guess what ? HE WILL if we only ask HIM !

This is GOD desire for you and me !

3Jn_1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.


But we must seek that loving Relationship first !

Listen if our kids leave us and never want to talk with us or tell us what wrong in there lives ? How can we help them ?

well it the same with GOD ! He will not force HIMSELF upon you !

I love you and want the best for you ! The close we get to Him ? the less these things of life mean too us !
funny how they will always work out Good for us ! when we have the perfect relationship with HIM ! He fixes them !

Just as we want our kids happy ! but we do not know or have the power to please them ! HE CAN without any trouble !

Mat_6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Luk_12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.


When i used to have big problems ? I would go into my back yard and make up a song and start singing it to Him ! after a short time the problem no longer bothered me and every time He fixed it !
I am no better or even more important to the LORD than YOU ARE ! He is NO respecter of person ! It sad that some think they are more important ! They are Not !

I am only telling you this because You are So important to our LORD JESUS !

Act_10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:


Luk_15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

He LOVES us All so much !

Luk_9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

My little girl saw the dead come back and some other miracles and went too school telling the other kids and they mocked her and made fun at Her and now she wants nothing to do with God or church or the bible ! she was not born again yet!

Anyone willing to pray for Her ? I would be very happy !
Bless all that will ?
I believe in others praying !

 

[Brighthouse]

sure praying for you sister.

 

[Glow]

Hallelujah! Thank you God! I feel so relieved right now! God has shown me that the way of salvation is not what I originally thought! Even though I "knew" that salvation is by faith alone, my heart hadn't truly grasped it, and I was adding in my own "self-righteousness" in order to "prove" to God that I should get into Heaven when Jesus was right there the whole time! My assurance has leaped up tenfold!

Thank you everyone for your prayers. These past several weeks have been such a struggle for me, but now I am sure I understand the Way now. It is Jesus, and I was trying to "earn" my way by my own supposed "reading the Bible" and "doing this" and "doing that" and attempts at severing sin by my flesh alone.

I am very happy right now. Thank you all, and most importantly, thank you God!