backsliding....help?
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Hi guys,
I decided to post this topic as i found myself struggling tremendously in my walk with God recently, or rather for the past three months. I got back to Christ in the beginning of last year. My reasons for going back were honestly, in search of a better, more peaceful life for myself. Ever since my Os results, my dream of remaining in a jc were dashed simply because of my english language. Even though my overall was ok, good enough to remain in the bottom few jcs, i was unable to purely because of language. Anyway, yar, i went to the a local poly and naturally, i found fault in every single thing, be it my teachers, my course mates or the school in general. Maybe it was because of the mentality that one should follow the well trodden path, do well PSLE, do well in Os, go jc and finally secure a foot in the university. Friends i had also moved on with their life, often finding myself very lonely. CCAs involvement in school were virtually none as i found myself not enjoying anything at all.
Coincidentally i started reading my mum's daily bread and found it soothing and assuring. I found courage to get back to Christ, slowly through a Christian ministry club in school and recently this year, back to my old church, which i have been attending since young. However lately, i have found myself very agigated with every single christian around and even anything related to God. I was like Job, blaming why everything in my life is so downright all time low. Not that things have gotten any better, but i still slowly recovering. I have not been attending bible study for a month now. Also, i find being a christian takes alot, more often than not, obligatary to do things such as "God's work". I love to help people whom i feel they should be helped. And for one, i do not believe in just going to the streets and throw the 4SLs into a stranger's face when i myself have so many issues about my life, and here i am proclaiming Christ. I find it so hypocritical. Yes, Singapore has alot of over zealous christians that put me off right away. For instance, they often "encourage" one to do "God's work" and when you really do not feel convicted to, they will throw you a stupid look like you're not deem to be a child of God. I find it so tiring. I am not saying i am a damn perfect human being, but i find christians in Singapore just immature in the way they do things. Honestly, i am losing my faith in christians as well as the religion. Sometimes, i question my integrity for going back to church. Is it for the underlying subconscious reason for the need of friends? I know some people from church, but i just cannot find myself opening up to them. I fear the need to be so committed in a church.
Help? -
not promoting catholism, but do wander into a catholic church at Mass...
i'm catholic... we don't ask much, and your walk with God is personal unless you want to share it with people
take your time...
and if this inspires you to go to another church, then, it is good... for we all serve and worship the same God -
hi insightist..
Jesus said that his yoke is easy and His burden is light
many of our reaction would be. "you must be kidding!". yes, the walk of a Christian is never easy. that is if we try to walk it in our own strength.
our strength must come from God himself. if we do things out of love for Him, then the things that come along would naturally be easy
don't worry about how others look at you.. but continue to develop your walk with Him at your own pace.. loving God is a personal thing maybe one day, you'll feel that you have to do something for God to show much you love Him. and out of your love, comes your expression
sharing Christ with others is a personal thing.. we all do it differently.. i for one share with friends only when they ask or i just go on living how Christ calls us to be
if there's any advice i can give, it would be this: seek and you shall find.. i hope you'll continue to wait upon God and listen to His voice.. let the Spirit guide you in everything that you do.. do not give up on Him.. -
qt on job. todays: http://www.gospelcom.net/ivpress/bible/qtb.html
Job 20--21
The Problem of Pain
WARS, DISEASE, CONGENITAL deformities, earthquakes and the seismic disturbances in our daily lives--all of these leave us with questions about the goodness of God and his active control of the world. Job himself suffered economic, familial, physical and social disaster, so much so that he despaired of life and longed for death. How could a good God cause all this (as Job firmly believed), or even allow this (as most moderns would say)? The classic way of putting the matter is this: If God is all-powerful, he is not good; if he is good, he is not all-powerful.
Job will not get his answer in these chapters. Indeed, he does not get a satisfying theological answer even in the end when God finally speaks--he will get something even better! But his dialogue with his friend Zophar will push his thinking and praying a step closer to the belief that God's love is not confined to rewards and punishments.
Warming Up to God
What have you witnessed or experienced in life that has made it difficult for you to believe there is a good God running the world?
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Discovering the Word
What words and phrases are used to describe the wicked in chapter 20?
What is Zophar's view of God's righteousness?
How does Job's reality check in chapter 21 contrast with Zophar's view (20:29)?
Job 21:14-15 expresses the spiritual question the wicked might ask: "What would we gain by praying to him?" On the basis of the discussion thus far, how do you think Zophar would answer that question?
How would Job reply?
Applying the Word
It has been said that Job and the others were trying to fit together the pieces of a puzzle without having all the pieces. How can the discoveries Job is making (consider the last study too) help you deal with the problem of pain?
What have you learned in this study about helping people find answers to questions about the goodness of God?
Responding in Prayer
Ask God to help you grow in your understanding of who he is and how he works in the world. -
I think that many christian are very mistaken about the credits/reward they will earn when they get to heaven. Many of them play the number game of how many converted souls=better rewards or God will have more favour on you. I can identify with what you're feeling concerning the christians around you.
However, I would like to point out something. Firstly, is your faith based on the grace of God who sent Jesus to save you or on the christians around you? If the answer is Jesus, then there shouldn't be a chance that you should be thinking of backsliding. The beauty of salvation is when we feel the gratefulness towards Jesus for saving us from our sins. If you got that, good on you. Paul mentioned that it is impossible to lose our faith after we have tasted the goodness of God. Have you tasted the goodness of knowing that He saved you from death? I never understood that as little boy until my father almost killed me with a knife when I was 16yrs old. By divine intervention, God saved me that I didn't have to die. It was a physical experience that helped me understand what I should be experiencing in the spirit. I'll never forget that revelation and it has always left a deep impression in my life.
You also mentioned that you are not perfect, right? Let's look at it this way, so are these christians around you. Churches are full of imperfect christians. That includes pastors, church leaders, etc. What's more important is your relationship with Jesus. Without it you are not a child of God. God didn't save us so that he could have us to work for him. He saved us so that we can be reconciled with him to have communion with him.
We are all hypocritical people in one way or another. Many times we don't tell our fellow brothers how we are feeling because it is so 'unchristian like'. We smile, greet, hug the ones next to us who is a stranger because the song leader/pastor tells us to do it not because we want it. We call each other brother and sister in Christ but how close are we to them or how much we know them? Perhaps its time we evaluate ourselves how truthful are we towards each other before the Lord. I think its christian like not to want to greet someone we don't know and also to speak the truth in love for some greatly mistaken people.
Dear friend, the life of Christ is never smooth and don't expect it to be so. The good book tells us to rejoice when we'r persecuted for our good works. I remember that I had a hindu sergent in army who slapped me in front of everybody at the cookhouse. I turned the other cheek to him. He of course too advantage of that and slapped me on the other side. I walked away that day knowing that I had honoured God in my testimony to live as the bible said I should live. After that incident, I saw him with his friends at far east plaza. 4 guys surrounded me and they threaten to beat me up because I was a christian. I looked straight into the sergent's eyes and told him that my time was not up yet and I walked straight pass them leaving them dumbfounded. Through my testimony in army, quite a number of my platoon mates are christians now. It was not through my preachin to them, in fact I hardly share with them. They saw Christ through my imperfect life that they believed in later years. I'm glad it was God who gave the increase.
It is not what God can do for you but rather what you can live for God. -
WORRY AND ANXIETY - DESPAIR OF THE SOUL
First, it was September 11. Then, localised terrorist acts. In recent months we were plagued with the SARS virus. Lately, some have been laid off from their work. Others are facing impending job retrenchments. We are into stressful and difficult times. The picture has been gloomy these days. We are living with much uncertainty. We are crowded with deep anxiety and worry in our minds. Our souls cry out in despair. What must be done? How do we get out of this situation?
The Psalmist also faced such deep anxiety and worry. David penned this in Psalm 62 to express the despair of his soul.
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. How long will you assault a man? Would all of you throw him down – this leaning wall, this tottering fence? They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and honour depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge (Psa.62:1-
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The NIV Life Application Bible aptly puts it:
Placing all hope in God, knowing that God is in control allows us to wait patiently for him to rescue us. True relief does not come when the problem is resolved because more problems are on the way! True relief comes from an enduring hope in GodÂ’s ultimate salvation. Only then will trials be resolved.
Prayer can release our tension in times of emotional stress. Trusting God to be our rock, salvation, and fortress will change our entire outlook of life.
What is the antidote for worry and anxiety?
Pray, pray and pray. Pray Until Something Happens – P.U.S.H.
Cast all your anxieties on Him, for He cares about you (1Pet.5:7).
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well (Mt.6:33).
Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil.4:6-7).
Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Heb.12:3)
A prayer of submission to God :
Father, I thank You for being my God - merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, and just in all Your ways. I worship You and submit in obedience to You, in spirit, soul and body. I surrender fully my mind, will and emotion, spirit and body to your total control. In the name of Jesus, I reject every thought of worry and anxiety in my mind, will, emotion and spirit. In JesusÂ’ name, I take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. In JesusÂ’ name, I command worry and anxiety to leave me now. Amen. -
CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit (Psa.51:10-12).
David fell from his sin of adultery with Bathsheba. In his sincere repentance, he sought the Lord not to remove his Holy Spirit anointing as king over Israel. He knew perfectly that he could not rule over the kingdom without GodÂ’s empowerment.
He pleaded with God to create a clean heart and a right spirit within him. How often have we served God with a defiled heart and a wrong spirit. A defiled heart tainted with secret sins. God knows every motive and intention of men. Through His word we know where we stand before God.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb.4:12).
David was convicted by the word of the prophet Nathan. He came to his senses and repented promptly. How often do we repent promptly and immediately? Or do we justify our actions instead?
We are also in danger of serving God with a wrong spirit. Such a wrong spirit comes through different causes. For King Saul, it was caused by his rejection and insecurity. For King David, it was his abuse of power and authority. Both kings fell into sin. But what was the difference between them?
Saul was not repentant and went on to do more harm to himself and to others. He practiced divination and sorcery (1Sam.2. He died an angry and defeated man. His episode revealed the making of a defeated man from the time of his call into kingship until his death.
On the other hand, King David was repentant and made restitution for his sins (2Sam.12). David was not a perfect king. He had several failures as king over Israel and as father to his sons. Yet deep down inside him was a shepherd’s heart. His life episode was epitomised by these words: “a man after God’s own heart.” (Acts.13:22)
How much more for us today as GodÂ’s people that we long for His presence and anointing in service. We must come before the Cross and lay down all our laurels and pride. We must surrender our self-centeredness. Rebellion is the sin of divination. These sins of the flesh have no place in the kingdom of God. The Lord is concerned with our heart and attitude. By what spirit are we making a daily offering to Him?
This hymn speaks clearly to us: Is Your All On the Altar?
You have longed for sweet peace and for faith to increase,
And have earnestly fervently prayed;
But you cannot have rest or be perfectly blest,
Until all on the altar is laid.
Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart does the Spirit control?
You can only be blest and have sweet rest.
As you yield to Him your body and soul.
Lay everything on the altar of sacrifice to God. Let Him take us through our failure and success. What kind of sacrifice does God want?
For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased. The sacrifices to God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise (Psa.51:16-17). -
soory, im not a christian..
but i found that the things u guys wrote are inspirational and encouraging.
btw, who's job? -
most welcome!Originally posted by Qoo`~`:soory, im not a christian..
but i found that the things u guys wrote are inspirational and encouraging.
btw, who's job?
Job is a man mentioned in the Old Testament book of Job. He is considered a 'looser' in modern context because several mishaps befall on him. These disasters came from God because satan tell God tt Job obey Him because God bless him....satan challenged that if God struck Job down..he will surely curse God in His face...
so after many disasters that includes loss of properties and family members' lives...Job though he complained continues to seek God and obey Him. In the end of the whole thing, God blesses Job several times much more than he had before the test. -
hi qoo.. there's no need to apologiseOriginally posted by Qoo`~~`:soory, im not a christian..
but i found that the things u guys wrote are inspirational and encouraging.
btw, who's job?
the very purpose of this forum (eternal hope) is to be a source of encouragement, for both believers and non-believers
do come here often. and if you ever need help, do let us know -
yeah....backsliding is a sign of spiritual lethargy ...take a rest and sort things out because the devil ur enemy prowls like a lion waiting for something to devour.