I have wanted to ask this for years

[On the Path]

I was saved when I was 14. I heard the message, understood it, prayed the prayer of repentance, and accepted Jesus as my Saviour.

A couple of years later my friend Debbie was saved. Her experience was totally different. Immediately she was saying "Thank you Jesus" and everyone in church knew she had been saved.

I know in my heart that I am saved. The devil wants me to doubt my salvation and I don't. But I always wondered why I had no emotion when I got saved.

Even today I will go to church and there are some people there who are really "into" it. They praise the Lord, raise their hands during prayers and singing. Some even "get in the spirit", I guess you know what I mean. They are really close to the Lord.

On the other hand, I am uncomfortable doing any of that. I feel like a hypocrite if I raise my hand, etc.

They say they "love the Lord" while I can't say that. I feel nothing. I just have to believe and have faith.

Is there something wrong with me?




.

 

[Faithful Son]

I don't think something is wrong with you I think you are an awesome person. Why? Because we're the same. I was saved at the age of 13 or 14, but I remember when I was 6 or 8 that I already prayed to God. I felt nothing, I didn't feel saved at all. I always doubted my salvation and didn't think that I would go to heaven one day. When I became 20 my life changed dramatically, I realised that I am sinning, living a wordly life and that I must change, I'm 22 now and the last 2 years of my life have been the best. Finding this site, having my usual questions and answers threads, all those things, it makes me believe that I have a God.

If you truly believe Jesus is alive, that He has changed your life, that He is there for you each day, those doubts will go away. I don't go to church, if I do I don't raise my hands either, I'm not an active Christian in the church, when I sing, I sing softly, but I sing in my heart to God.

Don't worry On the Path, you are saved, you are going to heaven. You don't have to worry about the emotion, it comes later for some people. Also remember the commandments Jesus gave. If you don't feel a love for God, pray and ask Him for it

Mathew 22:36-40

36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Much love.
teraside

 

[Word of Life]

I'm not being nasty towards others or your friend here, but these are my own thoughts from my heart.

Even though I can't really answer your question properly, but I will try or hopefully maybe one of our older Christians can shed some more light to your question, as I felt like you, I have got over that now though and worship God in my own way from my heart.

I praise God in my heart, thank Him in my heart, but show my love towards others on the outside. I don't need to express myself or my love for God in front of others, as I feel that means I am seeking attention from man. Maybe I am wrong about that too.

Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Now the reason I quote that scripture, is because I work with a lot of Christians, well they say they go to church, but I don't see a change in them, they don't seek God like I do, spend time with Him, in getting to know Him, building that relationship up with Him. Now I am not boasting here, but every lunch break, I go to my Car to be alone with God, to seek advise and direction. I do what Jesus did, he went to the mountains to be alone with his Father to pray and chat with Him, and I have got myself into that same routine, but go to my car instead of the mountain, to be alone with my Father to get know Him and seek direction.

Now I can't judge your friend or other people on how they worship God, but every day, I am exposed by this by other Christians, coz today when it happened again and they were judging people at Head Office, I stood my ground and said I am not allowed to judge, as its not right.

Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

 

[Faithful Son]

I was talking about this issue a few days ago Word of Life, on an introduction thread one of the new members started. I feel the exact same way as you do, you have expressed my own feelings in your words and I'm glad you quoted those scriptures, it confirms my way of living.

I also don't talk about God to my family or most of my friends, but if the situation arises I gladly come to God's defense. I don't do it always, as I've learned that Christians and non Christians tend to stand firmly in what they believe, so there's no use in me debating, I'd rather talk about God if a question was asked about Him.

May God bless both of you ladies.

Much love
teraside (I run off to the mountains like my Lord has done!)

 

[Dreamer]

On The Path, emotions aren't always a sign of being saved (as you know). Often, church staff and parents expect children to be emotional when they accept Christ, as some kind of "sign". I learned when I was at CEF, that generally, children are not emotional about their decision. They just seem to know what they believe, wholeheartedly pray, and are born again without much fuss. Adults (generally speaking here, again) tend to become more emotional. So they expect children to do the same.

Did you know that 80% of all christians surveyed consistently say that they became born again before the age of 15?

The people jumping up and down are not necessarily the ones who are honoring Christ in their daily life. God bless you.

 

[stephen]

I hear the O.P and I felt deeply for "On the Path" I also hear that the situation is becoming a problem.

You will have to break through this barrier and speak words of praise, thanks, to Jesus.

The moment you do that you will know such release.

Scripture exhorts us to "confess with our mouth" Jesus said to the devil...."It is written" "It is written" "With the heart man believeth, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"

Praying this will be of help

Amen God Bless You

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Re: I've wanted to ask this for years

I've been saved for twenty-three years. A couple of years after I got saved, I felt the Lord telling me that it was time to change churches, to leave the liturgical denomination I grew up in and switch to a non-denominal bible believing church.

In the new church, I found truly spirit-filled believers and their worship is what I would call "active". They sing rather loudly. Some of them raise their hands and shout; not at all like my old church. I was nervous about doing that stuff.But God had warned me ahead of time that he wanted me to change. He made it clear that the stiff-necked denominationalism I had left was not where he wanted me.

So, one Sunday morning I decided to inject myself into the worship. I began to timidly raise my hands. I began to sing a bit more loudly. And when I felt the joy of the Lord rising up in me, I called out somewhat loudly. A process of growth began and eventually I realized that worship is not about me, its about HIM. Worship is about honoring God and thanking him for his many blessings. Its not about how I look and sound; its about coming into his glorious presence and enjoying relationship with him. Its about experiencing HIM.

So, now I am aware of the people who are around me at our services. Many of them are my friends. But I realize that they are not there to analyze me. Their attention is not on me. We are all there for one purpose, to experience God through corporate worship. It is sooooooo awesome!


SLE