In a rut

[Eclipse]

Hi
Over the past few months I have put absolute emphasise on developing a good routine (prayer and bible study) and implementing new habbits. However, lately I have been feeling somewhat beleaguered and prone to reverting back to my old habbits. To be honest with you I'm concerned that Im not doing enough to implement any real, significant change and I fear that by sinning that I diminish the impact of my prayers. I pray and read the bible everyday without fail, but what else can I do? I just dont feel that I have the 'tools' to do the job. I was thinking perhaps using srcipture, but Im not proficient in that method and find that resoucres on the net are painfully limited. Can anyone offer any suggestions, tips, or anything that could help? Thanks for your time, and pardon my ineptness lol I shut up now ^_^

God bless
RiSo

 

[calluna]

Hi
.... and I fear that by sinning that I diminish the impact of my prayers

Yesterday, I was just talking to a Christian friend of mine, and she was saying how important it is for us to 'empty our tank' each day, to clean out our minds daily by confessing our sin to the Lord. Before even starting to pray about our needs and desires, its good to Praise the Lord, and then confess whatever sin that we know for sure we have committed, the Lord is faithful and forgives us, and then it frees our hearts and our minds to be confident in our prayers.

Hebrews 4:16 'So let us then approach the throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need'

And yes it is good to be disciplined to read the bible daily and pray. But I also think that we have to be careful that we do not fall into a legalistic mindset, if we start making rules for ourselves like for example ... I must read my bible at 6.a.m every morning and I must read the whole book of Genesis in x amount of days. And I must pray for x amount of minutes or hours, we are setting ourselves up for failure, and unneccessary self-condemnation. And we are missing out on the real joy and freedom of having a relationship with the Lord.

Just be gentle with yourself, before reading the bible, just ask the Lord to help you understand, and you may not straight away. Its ok. The Power of God's Word is enough to speak for itself. Other reference and study materials are all helpful of course, but we must still rely on the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to guide us. Believe me I certainly am not proficient at understanding alot, it takes time, a bit a time, a scripture at a time, a bible story at a time.

Hope this helps
Calluna

 

[Dreamer]

have to empty ourselves....so that Jesus can fill us with His light and truth, Holy Spirit, come, Holy Spirit come

 

[stephen]

Hi
Over the past few months I have put absolute emphasise on developing a good routine (prayer and bible study) and implementing new habbits. However, lately I have been feeling somewhat beleaguered and prone to reverting back to my old habbits. To be honest with you I'm concerned that Im not doing enough to implement any real, significant change and I fear that by sinning that I diminish the impact of my prayers. I pray and read the bible everyday without fail, but what else can I do? I just dont feel that I have the 'tools' to do the job. I was thinking perhaps using srcipture, but Im not proficient in that method and find that resoucres on the net are painfully limited. Can anyone offer any suggestions, tips, or anything that could help? Thanks for your time, and pardon my ineptness lol I shut up now ^_^

God bless
RiSo

Hello Brother....so you feel beleagured and prone to reverting back. Not doing enough to implement change......etc. Welcome to the Christian Life.

Have you read "Pilgrims Progress" by John Bunyan? An allegory of a tale but so true to the Christian progress. The "slough of despond" the "giant despair" its years since I read the book but it just comes to mind as I make this post to you.

The great Apostle himself said that "even after he had preached, he had to bring his body into subjection, lest he also became a castoway" MyMy

Writing to the young man Timothy he said "Contend ernestly for the Faith"

It is a battle my friend. And in a battle we have to fight! As we fight we win victories that strengthen us, and which build us up in God, enabling us to progress in our most holy faith.

God Bless You, as you follow Jesus and share with uis on the forums

 

[jculver]

I can totally relate to you, and your struggle right now. I read my bible everyday, and use most of my spare time for serious bible study. I try to pray, fast, and etc in accordance with what I believe the bible to say... and I have been backsliding and coming back and backsliding and coming back for at least a couple of weeks. I even smoked like 5 cigarettes this week after been totally quit for 3 months :X

The posts so far have been very helpful. Sometimes I forget to confess my sins as Calluna suggested, and as Stephen had said it is important to remember the struggle of Christianity as is brilliantly illustrated by Paul in Romans 7. It is tough being fallen, I hope one day I will be brought into Heaven where we can no longer sin or struggle with it.

 

[abigya]

Dear Eclipse,
Let the Holy Spirit minister to you in what ever you do, even when you read pray......
With out the help of the Holy Spirit you will find your self struggling in side. So I will say invite him to control your every thing with in you.


I pray let there be complit deliverance and peace in his daily walk, In Jesus name.

Romans 8:28-30
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.


Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Psalm 84:10


blessings

 

[WingedGrace]

Lovely replies, y'all. I can't offer anything more than this: Cling to God, and He will bring you through. xoxo

 

[DunkedinFire]

Hi Eclipse.

I know what you mean when you say "In a Rut".

We had a whole church 'in a rut' up to recently. God spoke to me very clearly in two scriptures; but that was to me but once I grasped what God was saying through His Spirit breathed Word the whole church started to move forward to a new and fresh understanding and we have been experiencing much individual and church growth. Our youth group membership alone has increased from about 20 to the latest count of 75 since April of this year.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!
(Exodus 14:15)

So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.
(Hebrews 6:1-3)

 

[Eclipse]

Thanks for your replies everyone, its been more helpful then you can imagine ^_^. Lots to do, but I have a spring in my step again

God bless
RiSo

 

[Coconut]

And yes it is good to be disciplined to read the bible daily and pray. But I also think that we have to be careful that we do not fall into a legalistic mindset, if we start making rules for ourselves like for example ... I must read my bible at 6.a.m every morning and I must read the whole book of Genesis in x amount of days. And I must pray for x amount of minutes or hours, we are setting ourselves up for failure, and unneccessary self-condemnation. And we are missing out on the real joy and freedom of having a relationship with the Lord.

Very well said!

Relationship. One single word that makes a whole world of difference! Relationship is about abiding (dwelling with, as with a spouse) not about performance. Our tendacy towards this 'need to perform,' always gets us into a rut. Thank God He only asks us to abide in Him. That means walking and talking with Him thru all the hours of our life. I must confess, I spend more time listening to Him, than I do talking to Him, because I`ve come to recognize I need His wisdom a lot more than He needs my input

God is always worthy and deserving of our praise tho, and I think this is where we fail God, if that word does justice here. If we, the people of God would spend as much time cultivating hearts of worship as we do worrying about our performance, it would turn our worlds upside down. It is worthy of mention, the word PRAISE is found many more times in scripture than pray.
God literally inhabits the praises of His people. The scripture states "But You are holy, O You Who dwell in the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3)

That being said, if you find yourself in a rut, praISE God! Bring God into your dwelling place (even if at the moment you are pretty sure its not a place God would want to dwell)
Praise Him while you work, praise Him while you play, praise Him when there is peace in your home, praise Him when you are surrounded by chaos, praise Him when you are in pain, praise Him when the cupboard is empty, praise Him when the kids are driving you nuts, praise Him your spouse is grumpy PRAISE GOD!
Amen, when the presence of God fills your habitation, He fills your ruts with His glory!