Lost myself with our Lord Jesus..too late to change?

[Utah Extreme]

Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,

My Story...

I found myself a believer in 1995 (Sembach, Germany USAF active duty).
I found joy and happiness with Our Lord Jesus. I was able to fellowship and attend Christian services, My new found faith in Jesus was blossoming and I felt my life was new.

Previous to 1995, I was adopted from the Philippines at the age of 7 and started my life in America in a loving home. My father was second generation Italian and my mother was Hungarian (Born in Budapest). Both were devout Catholics and, raised me Catholic. I always had a trust that there was a God and a powerful being, but I never felt comfortable with the Catholic faith. I think my unconscious mind was always on lookout for a more fulfilling experience with God through Jesus.

When I joined the United States Air Force ( I tried college but was a party animal) My need for Jesus and his glorious salvation was apparent but like all sinners I had my "sin-glasses" on. I had forgotten about Jesus and was partying (sinning)my way through Europe. In 1996 I met christian friends who introduced me to a new way of life. My fellowship with them was special and I realized in my heart certain truths. I Loved Jesus and realized my sinful ways. I repented, prayed and asked for Jesus to be part of my life. I prayed daily and immersed myself in the holy word of God (reading the bible).


Now...

Years later...

I'm Now married with 2 children (3 yr-girl and 6yr-boy) and living in Utah. I find myself once again thirsty for Our Saviour Jesus. Some how, during 1996 to 2005 I had forgotten our lord I stopped praying didn't even look for a place to fellowship with other Christians and trapped myself in sin after sin.

I finally realized what I was doing and am giving myself 100% effort in righting myself with the Lord Jesus. I know it can only be done with HIS help and loving mercy. I feel I have been the seed who has heard the word of salvation and grew until the thorns of the earth came and choked me.
I feel so awful for all those prayers way back in 1995 promising Jesus I would change and now many years later, I failed miserably.

Here is my questions...

Can salvation be lost?
--I have prayed to our Jesus to come back to his goodness and mercy
--I want to come back to the light and call myself a Christian again.

I have so much to be thankful for and, being adopted at 7 years old to a loving family is a testament.



-Utah Extreme
Hungry and Thirsty for Jesus

[Judah]

1 John 1: 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

G'day Utah Extreme.
Do you believe what is written in the Bible? Well, I have just quoted you something that says you can most certainly come back to Jesus, confess your sins and be totally forgiven, and "purified from all unrighteousness" - made all over like new again.
We all need clean starts, time and time and time again. And the best thing is that God is patient with us, and more than willing to welcome us back.

Jesus tells a parable which shows just how much you mean to Him. He welcomes you back with open arms, and celebrates your return.

The Parable of the Lost Son

Luke 15: 11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

So, Utah Extreme, what do you think are the answers to your questions?
It certainly seems pretty clear to me that you are welcomed back with much celebrating in heaven and you have been given a fresh start all over again - you were lost but now found.

[Judah]

Someone who has made promises and then broken them, and later sincerely regrets doing so, may get to experience a deep sense of shame and guilt.

If that is your experience, it is important to understand that God forgives us completely and unreservedly when we are truly sorry and with a change of heart, mean to do better.

There is nothing righteous in self-punishment. The truly deserving response to God's forgiveness is to accept it with humility and gratitude, realize that you were bought at great price - the death of His Son on the cross, no less - and from now on you are to rejoice in the fact of His forgiveness and simply be thankful. There is no need at all to live in guilt and punish yourself. Christ took the punishment and has paid the price. It is over. It is done - finished, complete. You are to let it go and respond instead with a sense of freedom and joy, love for Him, and a will to follow Him.

Jesus has also told us...

John 14: 15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

To show your love for Him you choose to obey Him. All humans find this impossible to do perfectly, and we all slip up many times over - over and over and over! But each time He is willing to forgive and give us a fresh start. And as well as that, we are given the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and it is by the help of the Holy Spirit within that we are strengthened in our resolve and ability to follow Him, showing our love through obedience to His commands. To try and do this on your own will so often end in failure, but by allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us we are given the guidance and strength to be faithful to the end.

You do not need to stay with your guilt. You have every reason now to rejoice, praise God, and simply accept His forgiveness with humble thanksgiving.

All are sinners, and we all stray this way and that, or slip and fall, and we all have to get up and start again with His forgiveness and help.
Welcome to the club.

[Utah Extreme]

Judah,

Thank you and God bless you. I have been feeling guilty. I've been praying and your words along with the bible versus were a comfort, thanks.


-Utah Extreme

[Jac3510]

Just wanted to add to the idea that you can't lose your salvation. We had a long thread about it where you can really get some good details.

God bless

[Jbuza]

I understand. Have you wandered in the same places I have? I have so regretted resisting the Spirit in my life, and I know that God has made me hunger and thirst for it, so that by the grace of God I won't resist it again.

I find solace in the psalms and comfort in knowing that God will finish the work he started in me the day I turned to Jesus.

God Bless you
Jon