Sincere Christians Only please - my faith is being tested and shaken

Explanation: Uhmmm?

It seems that the OP'er doesn't care about faith at all ... since what they want is to 'know' and therefor have some map by which they can become safe and saved by.

Personal Disclosure: Jessie Duplantis says it best ...

Pastor Jesse Duplantis once said "the Bible does not make sense. It makes faith!"

... and I agree with him fully on this matter, because you will need every ounce of it to believe 100% what is written in it.

reply to post by lr7gmx


If you are a Bible reader then you have to believe the Marduk/Nibiru theory because the same thing is called Wormwood in the Bible.

Originally posted by AttilaTheHun
reply to post by lr7gmx

 

If you are a Bible reader then you have to believe the Marduk/Nibiru theory because the same thing is called Wormwood in the Bible.

Almost exactly the idea of the ancient alien theory (forget the show). In my *belief* it'll happen, whether it's now or 5 years from now.

Originally posted by actualfactuals

Originally posted by AttilaTheHun
reply to post by lr7gmx

 

If you are a Bible reader then you have to believe the Marduk/Nibiru theory because the same thing is called Wormwood in the Bible.

Almost exactly the idea of the ancient alien theory (forget the show). In my *belief* it'll happen, whether it's now or 5 years from now.

Do you mean the ancient astronaut theory?

Here you go www.youtube.com...

Originally posted by lr7gmx
With everything that is going on in the world I am becoming more and more frightened. New Agers or scientists are preaching the Marduk theory and that messes with my mind. I am a conservative Protestant Christian and am struggling to maintain my faith. Is there anyone listening to my pleas?

Mick

2 Timothy 3:1-5

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Originally posted by canDarian

Originally posted by lr7gmx
With everything that is going on in the world I am becoming more and more frightened. New Agers or scientists are preaching the Marduk theory and that messes with my mind. I am a conservative Protestant Christian and am struggling to maintain my faith. Is there anyone listening to my pleas?

Mick

2 Timothy 3:1-5

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Hi lr7gmx///

I also agree with canDarian on the scripture passage he gave.....
The reason you are feeling this way is, it was foretold.....Don't think that it is going to get any better....
Say a prayer each night or whenever you feel this way....
An early Church prayer is the Jesus Prayer.......''Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
Have mercy on me a sinner''
......It is a prayer where you continuesly say it in your mind...it becomes like one of those songs you cant get out of your head!
quote///''The Jesus Prayer is a prayer of marvellous versatility.
It is a prayer for beginners,
but equally a prayer that leads to the deepest mysteries of the contemplative life.
It can be used by anyone, at any time, in any place:
standing in queues, walking, travelling on buses or trains; when at work; when unable to sleep at night; at times of special anxiety when it is impossible to concentrate upon other kinds of prayer''..................Here's the LINK to the Jesus Prayer~

ICXC NIKA

reply to post by actualfactuals


Thanks you for your statement. I appreciate that you can empathize without having the theological beliefs (or lack thereof) that I do. I truly did not mean to offend anyone with my original post. I decided to post it on ATS because ATSers are more "think outside the box" than many Christian forums. I enjoy the discussions that go on here and how ATSers in general are willing to look at things at different angles. Thanks for the support. Blessings and happy thoughts to you

Mick

reply to post by lr7gmx


I also think that a lot of my anxiety and spiritual discomfort is due in part to having a bi-polar type II diagnosis with Schizoaffective and Borderline traits. Sometimes with the smallest thing I turn a mole hill into a mountain.

Originally posted by lr7gmx
reply to post by solarstorm

 

But you are sounding like one of them when you say that! I asked for a Christian response. Please respect that!

if you want a Christian response, go to a Christian website or a church or bible group....

This is ATS, not the christian humane sociaty...

Thks.

I've never had faith, no matter how much I've tried. It's just not in me, I guess.

That being said, I was raised strict Roman Catholic. My parish ended up with a priest who turned out to be one of the most amazing people I've ever known. He's intelligent, wise, open-minded, and caring -- and, not to mention, hilarious. He was the guy who got me into Monty Python and Mystery Science Theater 3000 when I was a teenager.

That being said, whenever we had gone through Confirmation, he made us continue going to class on Sunday nights. At first, we were pretty upset about that. However, he said "I'm not going to lie to you -- Catholicism isn't for everyone in this room. Half of you probably got Confirmed because your parents made you, and the other half because you never questioned your faith. Questioning your faith is either going to make it stronger or help you see what your path to God is. Because there are many paths to God, and it's important that you find the one that's best for you." Every week, he brought in a member of his interfaith group -- all religious leaders in the community who would meet with each other regularly and discuss how to better address and meet the needs of their various congregations. He did this so we would learn, question, and ultimately grow.

All these years later, I appreciate what he was doing because he was absolutely right. So, OP, maybe you shouldn't be looking at this as a crisis of faith. You could see it as an opportunity to either make it stronger or recognize what actually bothers you the most.

Why is Christianity still alive and thriving.... "Jesus" lived years after "A.D" and Christianity has been proven to be created as a mock religion..

Believe in yourself because you and your mind are stronger than any religious beliefs you may possibly hold.

reply to post by Hyaena

?
Why is confimation a huge task? Can't it it be siplified?

Hi.

I'm not a sincere christian so I really can't post. But being a former sincere christian, i can say something that might make you feel better, sincerely. That means, I'm gonna mean what I say.

So here goes: I feel great. This feeling is spectacular: freedom. The recognition of this free will thing and how it must be held with great responsibility is great; for all sentient beings have rights and we just have to be careful not to tread on any of those rights.

So I hope that calms you down. I, we, feel great. Been there, done that. As for my loved ones still in a very similar position as you are, well, time will make them realize. Otherwise they die SAD.

Originally posted by lr7gmx
reply to post by solarstorm

 

But you are sounding like one of them when you say that! I asked for a Christian response. Please respect that!

Read the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus didn't teach fear, he taught faith that transcends fear.

I'm having trouble with this myself. The approach I take is one of responsibility for my being and the space I project into the world and work on making it as peaceful and tolerant and compassionate as I can.

The endless fear mongering, money loving, other hating that we are bombarded from all sides is the collective misery of beings in pain and fear.

Make a commitment to spread peace and joy. Be kind. Make the world a better place.

Pray, pray unceasingly - for yourself and others - especially those you hate and fear.

We are all in this together. Black, white...... Christian, Muslim,..... Rich, Poor...... Young, Old....... Libertarian, Socialist... We are all afraid.

Namaste

reply to post by lr7gmx


My reply may sound trite but I think it is a good analogy for what is going on in the world around us.


Last year I went to what was hyped as the scariest 18+ haunted house ever, blah blah blah. It's called the soap factory haunted basement if you want to google it. At one point you are pushed into a box that is spun around multiple times and then a door is opened and you are pushed out. You are also strapped to a wheelchair and pushed through more disorienting hallways. It is made to freak out all of your senses. There are rooms that smell like feces, vomit, horrible mold/dirty laundry etc. all synthetic of course. There were things that jumped out at you and when you screamed "oh my god!" or "holy #!" your voice was recorded and instantly played back to you at high volume from speakers in multiple locations to further disorient you. Lots of really scary stuff.


I am not bragging but I was the only one in my group to make it to the very end. When you get to the end you find out that there are cameras all over the place and you can watch people try to make it through, which I thought was the best part. One of the employees told me that I made it through in record time and if they had an award they would have given it to me. I know it sounds lame and corny but it's true!
My friends were amazed that I made it without crying uncle as well. I made it through to the end because I kept my mind on the ultimate goal and never let myself forget that these people were ACTORS and the place where I happened to be was DESIGNED to frighten me into giving up. When I got home I contemplated my experience there and thought about how much it resembled a warped microcosm of real life. It's impossible to stay positive ALL the time, but take a step back for a moment and imagine how much different you'd feel if you had never heard of these horrible world and local events. I'm not condoning ignorance. What I'm trying to say is that the entire media , ALL of the media in fact, are just ACTORS delivering lines. Even "respected" sources like the NY Times , etc. get things wrong half of the time or at least report things inaccurately because of lazy reporting or because they are biased and purposely mention and repeat the same things over and over again while purposely leaving out extremely relevant and pertinent information. I've had personal experience with this and have been mentioned in numerous stories in different newspapers and in each and every case important facts were left out (things that I had stressed repeatedly to make sure they got it right) and inaccurate and in a few cases completely false information was added. Even the most mundane and trivial stories are not telling the whole or even half of the truth. I have not been in the papers because I am a criminal. I have been involved in a few high profile human rights cases and also some local cases as well.




Yes, the world can be a messed up place. But don't forget that these media outlets are being paid to scare people with their constant fear mongering. It has only gotten worse with the double edged sword that is the internet. You can get your news faster than ever before and the public can now do their own reporting. However, main stream media (and this includes Alex Jones and other "alternative" media outlets) has taken advantage of this and now the fear mongering has escalated to a ridiculous point. Always keep in mind that it is all part of a DESIGN and I promise you that you will start to look at things in a different light. These fear mongers are truly pathetic people. Day after day it's always the same. The best thing to do to change the world is to change YOUR world.Turn off the the computer/tv and go for a long walk. Have a conversation with god. Ask questions, be honest with what is on your mind and with what is bothering you. Ask for help. Ask for protection from all negative energies and entities. Be thankful. People think they cannot change anything because they are too small. Do not believe in that fallacy. If everyone took care of things on a local domestic level there would be far fewer troubles in the world. Make it a point to do something nice for someone every day. It need not be extravagant or expensive. An honest compliment,encouragement,kind and loving words and intentions make a huge difference. It's like a rock being dropped in the water. Even though the stone has settled, the water continues to ripple. Absolutely refuse negativity to dwell near you, and realize that it multiplies the more you think about it. Negativity is like the mirage of the "GREAT AND POWERFUL" wizard of oz. Nothing but a little man who must operate in the darkness behind a curtain, because negativity can't function in the truth of daylight.

Originally posted by solarstorm
reply to post by lr7gmx

 

Listen and put faith to your inner self to find true spiritual freedom.

Organized religion lends more questions than answers and they love taking your money!

I am a member of a major Christen religion, and I have not given any money in years. If that makes me bad, or going to hell, my other dead's should take care of that.

Originally posted by lr7gmx
...my faith is being tested and shaken

Hey Mick,

Here are some links that might help you see what is really going on, this first quote is from a an article that is worth reading it in its entirety ...

Keep us posted, some of us are praying for you!

"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy ... Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter ... therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator." (1 Peter 4:12)

Notice in the first verse that the Lord is specifically targeting our faith when He allows trials to come our way. He really hammers home this point when He says that our faith in Him is even more precious than any of the gold of this earth. He then makes an extreme statement when He says that this faith will then be "tested by fire."

Having your personal faith levels in the Lord tested by fire is not something most people want to hear or talk about in this current day and age. ...many pastors have decided not to talk or teach about this topic because it is so uncomfortable to talk about...

God is not causing all of these bad things to happen, thereby causing this kind of horrible suffering. Since the Bible tells us that there is no darkness in God, there is no way He could cause some of these bad and horrible things to occur.

These bad and horrible things are all occurring because of the Adamic curse that is still in operation on this earth. And until that curse is fully and finally removed when we get the New Heaven and New Earth, a certain amount of physical, mental and emotional suffering will not only be a part of this world and life, but it will also be a part of our individual and personal walks with the Lord.

This is why every single Christian needs the knowledge, revelation and understanding on this entire part of the walk with our Lord - so they can properly handle this type of adversity and suffering when it does come their way.

WHY PEOPLE GO THROUGH TRIALS

Francis Chan - Suffering
www.youtube.com...

"God told Norvel Hayes the church is sadly lacking. We do not worship Him enough. You have to get alone in the privacy of your home and get on your knees and just worship Jesus, telling Him how much you love Him and appreciate Him. So I did. And after a few weeks, suddenly, God began to speak.

After a while, Jesus began to appear to me. He would just walk in my room like an ordinary person and sit and talk to me."

Unleashing the Supernatural Power of God in Your Life

"...spend much time in private worship. God is calling you into His Presence, for that is the only place you will find fullness of joy–His joy–which will be your strength. And, finally, learn the process of assimilation that causes the meditation of His Word.

But remember this: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God–not by your preconceived ideas of what the Word says. Faith doesn’t come through your victories, nor does it come through your defeats. It only comes one way: by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Trust me when I say that I wouldn’t hesitate to fill up my mind with the Bible. I wouldn’t wait one second!"

Transformation of the Soul

Here are some ATS posts that I have read that may help you:

www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by lr7gmx
reply to post by yourmaker

 

It's not shennanigans. I know my faith is right for me and I am looking for support.

HEYYYY! Aren't you the same person who titled their thread something along the lines of "..my faith is being tested, it's being shaken."

It didn't seem to take long to solidify your stance on your faith?

Also did you remember to ask God for this support that you seek?
Since you came to ATS' self proclaimed Christians for support I'll ask, are Christians Gods or are they "men"?
And since "we" here at ATS have taken up the awsome responsibility of helping you to sustain your faith, please don't be too upset with our responses because by now you should know the verse: Cursed is the man who trusts in man.

I was even under the assumption that "Christians" got their faith tested regularly.
1 THESSALONIANS 2:4 NKJ
4 . . . even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.

So, during all of this time you went "looking for support", did you ask God?
If so, did God give you support?
If God didn't give you support do you think that there could be a reason for that?
Did you come to be pleased by "men", would the Apostle Paul speak to you as a pleasing man?
According to the bible, obstacles are usually opportunities to please God, and all of us "believers" know that without faith it is impossible to please God, faith comes in various amounts, faith even as small as a mustard seed can move mountains into the sea. And we all know that roots grow deep when winds are strong.

I remember times where my faith was tested, such as the time the Holy Spirit told me to wander off alone in Nashville TN when He set me up to help a stranger who asked for fifty dollars, I am unhappy to admit that I FAILED that test. I'm afraid the more instances I give the deeper the shade of embarassment goes.
The bible says that a righteous man falls seven times and gets back up, it is through his mercy that we are not stuck dead with lightning bolts.

I don't believe that publicly vouching publicly for Jesus alone is going to save me, I don't believe that Jesus is happy with those who praise him with their lips with their hearts far from him. Jesus said, "IF you love me, obey my commands." I personally haven't been obeying the commands, and I believe that I am supposed to obey his commands IF I am going to be saved when I die. In all honesty, if I don't get off of this highway to hell, it won't matter that I believe that Jesus is ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY CERTAINLY real because even demons know he exists and they tremble because they know that all the luciferians and satanists and jesuits in the world are no match for Jesus, and don't get me wrong Jesus is the King of Kings but HEY, He's here to help US, ask, plead, trust in the Lord with all your heart, depend not on your own incomplete understanding, seek his will in all you do, and he shall direct your path!!!! Where does this path lead to, what does it look like? Is it trecherous? Does it lead to still waters? Does it restore your sould? Is it lonely?
Would God direct your path into a swarm of Luciferians disguised as Pentecostal pastors?
Would you be brought to synagogues to be beaten and whipped for His name sake? Will you count the cost before building your house lest you be ridiculed? Or will you jump into Christianity blind and believing every single pastor you come along as though God didn't make you smart enough to learn straight from the bible yourself, even a step further, ever consider having the Holy Spirit teach you all things and guide you into all truth and remind you of everything Jesus has spoken?

A little word of warning:
Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know." For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. -Proverbs 24:12

FYI readers, this goes for all of those who think they are safe in their ignorance of God, Jesus, the bible, prayer,ect. Ignorance is never a safety net, the bible says "My people PERISH for lack of knowledge", it doesn't say "Salvation to my ignorant people", if you wanna know God, you're gonna have to want to know A LOT!
I mean, how else would you be able to accommodate the Holy Spirit's desire to teach you ALL things and guide you into ALL truth, knowing half the truth isn't enough, you have to want to know it ALL, and this knowledge isn't always magically imparted, sometimes you have to want it enough to go looking for it. Look for the truth because the bible says that wisdom is more valuable that silver or gold, it can not be bought or sold, it has to be given by God. How does God know that you want the truth if he doesn't test you?
If you aren't fully convinced that God loves you then why not ask? I had to ask, and I was NOT ignored

Don't tell God how Big your storm is, tell the Storm how Big your God is.

reply to post by lr7gmx


HI Ir7gmx,
I'm coming in late to this thread and I see that there are several good responses to your questions.
I am going to give you the benefit of some revelation that God has given me concerning our faith.
The point I am going to make is relevant to the guilt that many christians of today have concerning their peformance toward sinlessness after conversion.
Remember when Christ made the statement,"work while it is yet day for the night comes when no man can work."
and another statement he made, " to whom much is given much is required"
You must underatnd that God's plan of salvation was likened unto a Garden. I want you to think about the planting and the harvest of a crop.
When Christ started his garden(church) he gave the former rain; the beginning rain of the spirit at pentacost to get the garden started. This rain(spirit) was powerful. Now go back to his statement to work while it is yet day.
Like in any planting period the rain receeds some while the garden is growing. This power of the spirit receeded some. The world went into the dark ages. The spirit was still here and available for his people in all generations but that mighty power that the first christians had receeded in quantity. and the night came when the works that he and the first christians done could not be done in the same quantity. That does not mean that the spirit was gone anymore than the rains completely quit after planting or else the garden would dry up and die
Now I want you to reger back to his statement,"to whom much is given much is required". There was more required in the way of sinless performance to the first christians because they had more quantity of spirit. They had 'garments" of spirit. Of course Paul and the apostles would write about the neccesity to be sinless because they were better equipped to be sinless. YOu cannot over come sin without a mighty amount of the Holy Spirit. NO one can. It is impossible. This doesn't mean that we sin indiscriminately. Take what spirit you have and do the best you can. ask forgiveness when you sin.
There is a harvest rain coming called the latter rain. It will be a double portion of what was given at pentacost. look forward to it. It will usher in the millenial reign of Christ. Greater things will we do then than he even done.