I hate this so much...

[Destroyer2000]

I'm going to try to get the thing across about how I feel...really, really bad. I feel alot of times as if I'm condemned, and no matter what I do I can't redeem myself with the Lord. It's a really bad feeling, especially with this nonstop preaching of the end times and with these storms...Wilma is supposed to be the strongest ever. I went to the altar Sunday, and felt better, but it didn't last long. My self assurance went away as soon as I did something I knew I shouldn't have. Please pray for me.

[yukinon]

You're right, hon. You CAN'T redeem yourself with the Lord. That's what grace is for. Find a concordance and look up some verses on grace and mercy. I'll be praying.

[Spiritsword]

Yes, and God's grace is sufficient for you. More than sufficient. But I understand it's hard to realize that sometimes amidst Satan's attacks. I will pray that God opens your heart to the Truth of His grace!

[SP1]

Don't sweat all this "end times" talk. Even Jesus said he didn't know when the Father would do this. So, whenever I hear someone reading the signs, I say to myself: yeah, as if you'd know!

Don't forget to make room for the Holy Spirit's guidance in your life. Because after the uplifting revival or whatever, the Spirit is what stays.

[Yojimbo]

God knows there's been worse times the Black Death, Muslim and Christian crusades, World Wars. What's happening now pales in comparison to the amount of suffering and death then.

And I'm sure Jesus knows the hour and time I mean he will be doing the coming and He is God.

I'll pray for ya. We all feel like this at times.

[freerock1]

Dude, I have to battle with my feelings about who I am in Christ nearly every day. Satan knows our weakest points, and he's going to attack us wherever he can. For some it's more outward temptations, whereas for others it's in the battleground of the mind. But God has literally made us His sons and daughters, an awesome thing to think about! As believers, we need to be renewed in our minds with the thoughts of who we are in Christ, and cast down the imaginations and thoughts that would exalt themselves against the knowledge of God (as 2 Corinthians 10:5 talks about), in this case the thoughts Satan tries to put into our minds to condemn us.

Here are some Scriptures that have been helpful to me in dealing with this kind of thing (on most of these I'm paraphrasing instead of direcly quoting):
- 1 John 3:6-9 - It tells us that those who are born of God do not sin. I don't believe it means we can never stumble, because in this flesh we're all prone to it. But I believe that it means that as children of God, it's no longer our nature to sin, and we don't have to go around frightened all the time that we've screwed up and that God's gonna knock our heads off. Satan may try to tell us that, but verse 7 says, "...let no one deceive you" (in some versions, "...do not let anyone lead you astray").

- 1 John 2:1 - Even if we do stumble, we have an Advocate with the Father, one who speaks to Him in our defense -- Jesus.

- Psalm 139 - A good Psalm about who we are as children of God. It talks about how we can't outrun God's reach, how He made us fearfully and wonderfully, and how His thoughts toward us are good.

- 1 Corinthians 14:33 - God is not the author of confusion but of peace

- 2 Timothy 1:7 - God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.

I would also strongly recommend reading through the book of Galatians (especially Chapters 3, 4, and 5). It talks about the freedom that we have as God's children. We don't have to follow a set of rules to be saved, nor can we do enough good things to get to God, because Jesus' death already took care of it. Toward the end, the apostle Paul urges us to stand strong in the freedom by which Christ has made us free, and not to be caught up anymore in things that would bind us.

Hopefully this is of some help. I'm lifting you up, man. And if you need to talk, my PM box is open.

[Mave]

The end times are pretty frightful but I have this strange way of dealing with such fears: If the end times indicate that Jesus is coming back soon, bring it on! I'm pretty sick and tired of how this world operates and can't wait for God's Kingdom to come soon.

But until then, we need to pray for His strength to carry on (which is yes, always sufficient!) and learn to accept His forgiveness and mercy. I'll pray just that for you, D2K.

[dareiq s'an]

i would have to wholeheartilly concur! It will all be alright in the end so no use in fretting about now...nomatter how bad it gets it shall get better

[Destroyer2000]

Thanks. What I meant about redeeming myself...I meant I felt as if I'm condemned to Hell, and can't go back. I don't feel close to God alot of times.

[Rogie]

[quote="Mave"]The end times are pretty frightful but I have this strange way of dealing with such fears: If the end times indicate that Jesus is coming back soon, bring it on! I'm pretty sick and tired of how this world operates and can't wait for God's Kingdom to come soon.
QUOTE]

Amen to that, sister! And I'll definitely say a prayer for you, Destroyer2000.

[justaservent]

Thanks. What I meant about redeeming myself...I meant I felt as if I'm condemned to Hell, and can't go back. I don't feel close to God alot of times.

right when i was first coming to Jesus i had lots of doubts first and satan
tried to get me bad. after this i misinterpeted some scrpituers and thought
i was totaly condemed to hell at that time everything stoped in my life
i was dead on the inside it wasnt that i realy thought about going to hell
but that i thought i was never going to be with God
the thing was before then i had never realy acknowledged God
sorta of like your liver its always there but if you were just walking
1 day and it just dissapeared youd know its not there anymore
except this was far worst than losing a pathetic liver
the God i had never noticed was gone and the pain i went through was far worst than anything ive felt before i could have been tortured ripped limb for limb and i mean this it litterly would be relief compared to what i felt
infact my liver failed a cppl years ago and it litteraly was nothing to this
But God would preserve me and keep me and give me relief but then satan would attack again with other things and i would feel as if i were condemed
again and again for weeks this went on and would feel condemed constantly and satan would put theese other evil thoughts in my mind
but God gave me a way out remeber the verses when Jesus talks about
how His sheep know his voice and about He wont let you go
satan tricked me just as he tricked Eve into thinking she needed to eat the
from the tree she shoulndt have to be like God when in reality she was
already made in His Image in the same way he ticked me from realizing
that i already was Jesus sheep no matter what satan tried God brought me
back to him Reach out to Him and He will never let you go!

[Destroyer2000]

Thanks. again. I noew this is kind of gravedigging, but I thought about something...it says somewhere that Satan won't bother with 'secret' Christians; you know, those that don't proclaim their faith? I do. My signature on GameFAQs says that, I have alot of church shirts and stuff, and I'm wondering if that's why I feel like I'm being attacked by Satan so much.

I also wonder if there is something wrong with me not wanting Jesus to come back soon. Sure, of course I want to be with him forever, but I want to grow up and experience life first! I still feel condemned at times, but then whenever someone mocks Christianity, I get extremely angry. And I also know that that kind of anger is okay; it's righteous anger, not selfish anger. Jesus got angry, so we can get angry if it's for a good cause. Anyway, I just ask that you continue to pray for me, and I'm going to try to get some good habits started; like reading the Bible more than I do, praying more, that sorta thing.

[Hephzibah]

I also wonder if there is something wrong with me not wanting Jesus to come back soon. Sure, of course I want to be with him forever, but I want to grow up and experience life first!

I used to feel the same way... I wanted to experience marriage, children and such, and hence I was afraid that Jesus might return before I was old enough to do those things. However, God has been changing me without me even realising it (its only by reading your post that realisation has struck ^^ Praise the Lord!) so that now I am beginning to yearn for his return. I still want to 'experience life' as you put it, but God has helped to put those feelings in the right place, in His Will and timing. I'll pray that God does a similar thing to you, cause afterall we are called upon to pray and hasten the day of His returning.

[Rjdreamer]

Thanks. again. I noew this is kind of gravedigging, but I thought about something...it says somewhere that Satan won't bother with 'secret' Christians]

That is absolutely true. As soon as you start to proclaim your faith and try to show people the truth, satan will see you as a threat. My mom who a couple years ago joined the mercy ministries at our church and is 2nd in command. She is a lot more under attack then when she just did little things for the church and was not out in the field. Bringing others to christ. I suggest you read ephesians for this problem, it helps me to see the bigger picture.

I also wonder if there is something wrong with me not wanting Jesus to come back soon. Sure, of course I want to be with him forever, but I want to grow up and experience life first!

Nothings wrong with you for feeling that way, it's normal until either you get fed up with the world, your life turns horrible, you fully realize how great heaven is, or a mixture of the formentioned circumstances.
I used to feel like that alot, and still do sometimes. However, I suggest reading verses about what heaven will be like and reading 'What Are They Now Doing in Heaven?' a sermon by Thomas DeWitt Talmage.
Also, something that helped me was realizing that going to heaven isn't DYING, it is continuing life, and experiencing it in fuller measure with out all the crud. Another thing that helped me was making a list of what I want to do
in eternity. You know, all the people you want to talk to, all the places you want to explore. Remember, we will one day live on the new earth, not just heaven. The first thing on my list is to go skydiving, since in heaven pain and death don't exist I won't be afraid of heights! I also won't need a parachute.

[Ryupower]

Sure thing!