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Going to church alone does not make you a Christian. It is how you live your life out on the other 6 days aside from sunday (5 if you go to a midweek bible study or service as well, like I do).
Being a Christian is not always easy. Anyone who says that your life is only going to be good once you start following Jesus is spreading the prosperity gospel. The enemy will attack you even more as you start to follow Jesus. The more you give over to Christ, the more people will hate you. But, if you follow Christ in the good times, it prepares you for the rough storms. If you follow Christ in the storms and valleys, He will help prepare you to lead and be responsible when things improve. The best thing is for a consistant heart of grattitude and thanks for what we have in life for His love that never stops loving even though we often put our circumstances/sitautions and let them dictate our relationship.
The Salvation part of being a Christian is easy. Christ already did everything necessary. All we must do is believe God! "Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord ... and you shall be saved"
The "Lordship" part of Christianity is where most people have a problem. "Lordship" is about one submitting their life to Christ. Just because one claims that "Jesus is Lord" .... does not make Him THEIR Lord. That comes only through actually following Christ in obedience.
My thought after reading this thread is why people have a nagging desire to analyze other people's walk with God. Everyone's relationship with Christ is individual and personal and of course they are all different just as we are all very different, having come from different experiences, mental capacity, life circumstance, etc... It's a waste of time to compare yourself to others.
I couldn't have said it any better, Heartsong. From my own experience, being a Christian doesn't make my life any easier. I'm still exposed to the same temptations and failings as anyone. It's my faith that gives me strength to try and be the kind of person God wants me to be.
I've also learned (and it took me a while to do it) that if I'm still and wait for an answer to something that's going on in my life, He will answer me and the resolve will be a good one.
I couldn't have said it any better, Heartsong. From my own experience, being a Christian doesn't make my life any easier. I'm still exposed to the same temptations and failings as anyone. It's my faith that gives me strength to try and be the kind of person God wants me to be.
I've also learned (and it took me a while to do it) that if I'm still and wait for an answer to something that's going on in my life, He will answer me and the resolve will be a good one.
Thank you for a timely reminder. I'm waiting for an answer right now about something very important. I know some major change is coming in my life but I'm not sure what it is yet. So I am waiting for God to lead. It is good to wait upon the Lord.
Thank you for a timely reminder. I'm waiting for an answer right now about something very important. I know some major change is coming in my life but I'm not sure what it is yet. So I am waiting for God to lead. It is good to wait upon the Lord.
And He will answer. I think we often have trouble accepting His answer when it's no. It's interesting, though. I've noticed that later on, no was the perfect answer even if I didn't think so, at the time. After that happened to me a few times, I finally learned the lesson to wait and to accept His answer. I hope He answers you very soon and it is positive for you.
I would recommend that anyone who has a voice in his head telling him to do something, to go talk to his pastor or priest and get a second opinion. God does speak to His followers thru His Word and Spirit, but I doubt that He is audibly talking to you. I remember an aquaintance I had when I was younger, who told me that 'spirit talks to me'. Guess who that might be.
Interesting comment about not hearing an audible voice. A few years ago, His voice spoke to me. It was as clear as if someone had spoken it to me but it was coming from inside me. Not my head but my heart; a small voice. I heard, "Don't do this, it's not going to work out well for you." I didn't listen and went ahead and did it. He was right. It didn't work out well for me. That was the last time I ignored that voice. Some people might say it's their conscience speaking to them but if their faith is strong and they trust that God truly guides their life, they know where it's coming from and Who spoke.
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