I don't belong.

[Gman]

Gman, not to make light of your response or of sin, but frankly none of us are capable of purging sin out of ourselves. That's a God job and it's a continual life-long process. It's to role of the Holy Spirit to point out and convict us of sin. I think that something that is vital to know and understand in our walk. Ideally, when sin is pointed out in our lives by the Holy Spirit our response is to agree, confess it, agree with God that is under the blood and grace of Christ, make restitution or amends to others wronged where needful and possible, and then move forward purposing in God's strength to not fall in this area again.

Our focus in our walk is best placed on God, loving Him and wanting to please Him because He loves us. If we put the focus upon sin, we actually give it more power than it would otherwise have in our lives.

That's the way I see it anyway, and I'm in no way advocating license in this regard.

Oh yes... I agree that it is God who fights our battles. But I believe out of our choices we need to put our focuses on God, if not then we follow our own lusts. I think however that the purging still needs to be done by God, not wallowing in it however. True. If the HS convicts us of sin.

[robyn hill]

Hi Danny,
I love your honesty on here and appreciate reading all that Bart has to say, he is so filled with knowledge that is spirit led. With that being said, I struggle so much with the same things. I am constantly disapointed with myself for judging others. I feel like such a grouch but I find myself disliking people and the things they do, even just driving down the street! It is awful and I have this self talk thing going on where I pray about it and say things like "Man, I am so sorry God, I don't know where that thought came from, please help me to be a better person." I have noticed that I am getting better but am far from perfect. I guess that is where I remember I am human, this will be a battle until I die. I think all Christians struggle with impure thougths whether it is sexual, financial, judgemental, and the list goes on. I don't think it makes us any less as Christians but causes us to rely more on God. So therein lies the beauty of it all I guess. I think you are an amazing Christian, and one of your gifts is passion. Passion can be a slippery slope since if we aren't careful it sees to turn on to auto pilot sometimes. I think it can be a pretty intense struggle sometimes because when you experience life with passion, you give everything your all, including struggles. Keep praying Danny, the ways God touches our lives through continuous self improvement and enlightenment is part of the revealing of our Loving Father.

[mandelduke]

If we could stop sinning, Jesus would not have had to come to earth and die for us. Praise be to GOD getting saved is easy! Now walking in victory is much harder, because 1. You have got to understand God, and his plan of salvation. 2. You must fill your mind with the word of God, not with T.V. , rock&roll or porn. Satan can not take your salvation, but he can make you miserable in this short life. Below are some scriptures and some web-sites that should help you.

Romans 10-9;10

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation


Romans 5;1

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:


Ephesians 2-8;9

For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not of works, that no man should boast.

Hebrews 11-17;23
17 And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 and having a great priest over the house of God;
22 let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water,
23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:

Satan is the accuser Brethren

The Bible describes Satan as the "accuser of the brethren." He is seen as a sort of evil prosecutor who brings railing accusations against us, but Christ as our defense attorney steps in and pleads our case. Our case, of course, is that He died for our sins, and they cannot be held against us. Since Christ paid the price for them with His own blood, punishing us for them would be a sort of spiritual double jeopardy. Now that's a very simplistic explanation of the concept because Satan not only accuses of us our sins, he also tempts us to sin further. It's as though the prosecutor is also your drug dealer.
Not only are we accused before God, we are also accused before our own conscience. We struggle with thoughts like, "God could never love you. Not after you did that!" Sometimes even in church, I feel the sting of accusation, "You don't belong among these good people. You aren't worthy.

Andrew Wommack is the best teacher of the bible I know. “War is over” explains salvation.

http://www.awmi.net/extra/audio


5 Topics War Is Over

Joseph is a great teacher with daily web-casts
http://www.josephprince.org/

[DannyM]

I haven't forgotten this thread. Thanks for all your points. I'll get to them soon.
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[DannyM]

Danny,
If more Christians were this transparent about where they are, we'd have a revival.

Sounds like an issue with holiness. Like the rest of us (who are honest), we examine ourselves and see how far we are from holiness. At least in terms of living. What is amazing, is the moment we truly believed we were made righteous. In other words, we have a heavenly status or position. That status is, "in Christ."
The good news is that there is something awake in you that sees the discrepency. That your thoughts, words and deeds are not in harmony with your new nature. Brother, I can relate. i would first thank God that He saved me. And i would thank God that He has given me the spiritual sight to see that my living is not in keeping with where He has made me to sit. And I would thank God that He is the one who can transform my living. Not through my efforts, but through faith. That is, the desire to see His will become manifest in my life.

Thanks J.

I guess for me it's hard to get over the fact that I have treated those closest to me so badly in the past. I can't forgive myself. Bart said that God is crazy about me. I don't 'feel' it but I have to believe it. I have to believe that there is an afterlife where I can really make things up with my mum; this life I fear is not long enough for all the making up I need to do.

So why can't I just move on, as regret eats away at you? you might say. I don't know. I just can't. My God is said to be a God of love. I believe he is. But I also hope he is. I hope there is a place where I can feel this love and show love to those who I have hurt. In a nutshell, I need forever to make up for all the wrong I have done. Not in God's eyes, but mine. I can accept I am forgiven by God, but I cannot and will not let go of the baggage of my wrongs by forgiving myself.

It is rather easy to argue your way to a creator. I sometimes try to entertain the idea that, while there is a creator god, this god might be somewhat indifferent to the goings on in the world. But then I wonder why on earth and indifferent god would bother to create if he didn't even care. And then we have the whole Jesus story, which frankly blows this indifferent god out the water. Jesus is love; Gode is love. I have to believe this if there is to be a semblance of justice in this world.

[jlay]

I have to believe that there is an afterlife where I can really make things up with my mum;

There won't be anything to make up for in the afterlife. It will all be set right. If we have issues now, we should deal with them now. Not because it has some magical effect on what eternity will be like, but simply because it is the right thing to do.

Baggage is one of those toothpaste out of the tube deals. You just can't get the toothpaste back in the tube once it's out. A person on death row may get soundly saved, but they are still going to be on death row. They can't undo their crimes, in this world.

What I am noticing is you are having a lot of doubts about whether God is actually who He says He is, and that you have what you have in Christ. I'd recomend reading the book of Ephesians over and over. Particularly focusing on the 1st three chapters to see what a believer HAS in Christ. So many times believers fail to comprehend what it is they HAVE in Christ.

It is rather easy to argue your way to a creator. I sometimes try to entertain the idea that, while there is a creator god, this god might be somewhat indifferent to the goings on in the world. But then I wonder why on earth and indifferent god would bother to create if he didn't even care. And then we have the whole Jesus story, which frankly blows this indifferent god out the water. Jesus is love; Gode is love. I have to believe this if there is to be a semblance of justice in this world.

Can you explain a little more here? Have you believed on Christ, who He is, what He said, and what He did? Have you trusted His message as truth for your life?

[DannyM]

There won't be anything to make up for in the afterlife. It will all be set right. If we have issues now, we should deal with them now. Not because it has some magical effect on what eternity will be like, but simply because it is the right thing to do.

Baggage is one of those toothpaste out of the tube deals. You just can't get the toothpaste back in the tube once it's out. A person on death row may get soundly saved, but they are still going to be on death row. They can't undo their crimes, in this world.

I know and I understand. I'm not trying to make the baggage go away - I deserve to be lumbered with it. You say that things will be set right, but do you believe this will be the case in my own heart? Will I have forgotten all the wrong I have done, the people I have let down?

What I am noticing is you are having a lot of doubts about whether God is actually who He says He is, and that you have what you have in Christ. I'd recomend reading the book of Ephesians over and over. Particularly focusing on the 1st three chapters to see what a believer HAS in Christ. So many times believers fail to comprehend what it is they HAVE in Christ.

I do have doubs at times and they are driven by anxiety due to the urge I have to put so many things right.

Thanks for the Ephesians heads up - it's always a lifting read. Perhaps you're right and I need to drill what I already know into myself. Maybe I'm not the greatest believer in terms of faith and trust in times like these.

Can you explain a little more here? Have you believed on Christ, who He is, what He said, and what He did? Have you trusted His message as truth for your life?

Yes, I believe in Christ, who he is, what he did and what he said. I cannot use all this as some comfort blanket in return for such a drug-fuelled and wretched life. I really appreciate your words, J. I think I just need to continue being a better man to my loved ones, and try, in times of extreme anxiety, to trust that my faith will get me where I hope to be: in eternal love.

God Bless

[DannyM]

Hi Danny,
I love your honesty on here and appreciate reading all that Bart has to say, he is so filled with knowledge that is spirit led. With that being said, I struggle so much with the same things. I am constantly disapointed with myself for judging others. I feel like such a grouch but I find myself disliking people and the things they do, even just driving down the street! It is awful and I have this self talk thing going on where I pray about it and say things like "Man, I am so sorry God, I don't know where that thought came from, please help me to be a better person." I have noticed that I am getting better but am far from perfect. I guess that is where I remember I am human, this will be a battle until I die. I think all Christians struggle with impure thougths whether it is sexual, financial, judgemental, and the list goes on. I don't think it makes us any less as Christians but causes us to rely more on God. So therein lies the beauty of it all I guess. I think you are an amazing Christian, and one of your gifts is passion. Passion can be a slippery slope since if we aren't careful it sees to turn on to auto pilot sometimes. I think it can be a pretty intense struggle sometimes because when you experience life with passion, you give everything your all, including struggles. Keep praying Danny, the ways God touches our lives through continuous self improvement and enlightenment is part of the revealing of our Loving Father.

Robyn,

I understand how you feel. Sometimes people just get on my nerves. But I'm slowly learning to look in the mirror, and have realised that, you know what, most of the things I criticise in others I have actually done myself. It's like when driving. When another vehicle does something that annoys you, ask yourself whether or not you have done the same thing yourself. I'd say 8/9 times out of 10 you will have. So now when people annoy me, I try to remember to check with myself whether or not I have done the same things myself. And it turns out that, for the majority, yes I have.

You know what, sister? You're a little gold nugget. Thank you for your post.

God Bless

[jlay]

I know and I understand. I'm not trying to make the baggage go away - I deserve to be lumbered with it. You say that things will be set right, but do you believe this will be the case in my own heart? Will I have forgotten all the wrong I have done, the people I have let down?

I trust that what the scriptures say is true. "And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Rev 21:4
And,
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure." Eph 4:1

All that have this hope purify themselves, now. Because it makes us more fit for heaven? No, because He has already made us fit. And just as Paul says in Ephesians, since we have all these things he mentions in the first three chapters, we should, "live a life worthy of the calling you have received."

You see this life, essentially is all about us. Our issues, our problems, etc. In the next it will be all about Christ. His glory, His majesty. And it says we will be made like him.

All that said, you need to understand that there is good guilt (Godly sorrow/contrition). And there is bad guilt. (self deprecation/ shame)
And when you continue to beat yourself up, what you might in fact be doing is refusing to trust who you are IN CHRIST and what you have in Him.

Who you are in Christ isn't going to make another person forgive you, or forget what you've done. And it doesn't mean that you should not want to make ammends. But when you can trust who you are in Christ, it is then that you will manifest the working of God in your life. BAD GUILT DISTRACTS US FROM GOD BECAUSE WE FOCUS ON OURSELVES AND NOT HIM. If you focus on yourself you will only have the past failure. Focusing on Christ you have victory.

[DannyM]

Thanks J.

Revelation 21:4 doesn't suggest to me that past sins are removed from the consciousness.
Moving away from scripture, do you think we will be conscious of our past life on earth and our past actions both good and bad?

[CeT-To]

Hey DannyM can i give you an explanation that William Lane Craig uses on revelation 21:4?

Here is the link - http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/New ... le&id=6765

I think it answers broth of your questions.

[DannyM]

Thanks CeT-To!

I'm definitely a fan of the boy William Lane, and really should check him out more. Ironically I receive regular newsletters from his Reasonable Faith website, just don't get the time to spend on there.

I'll go have me a little read as soon as possible...

[DannyM]

Hey DannyM can i give you an explanation that William Lane Craig uses on revelation 21:4?

Here is the link - http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/New ... le&id=6765

I think it answers broth of your questions.

Just read the piece, CeT-To, and his idea about the fate of the damned being withdrawn from the consciousness makes sense for a good God. And it doesn't seem, on first glance, to violate free will. It doesn't exactly address my specific concern, but his theory can certainly be applied to my concern. I wasn't actually looking for a way out, but will ponder this deeply and give a more thorough opinion.

Thanks again for the link-

[DannyM]

Right. My concerns are purely personal, and thus I doubt I have been very impartial in coming from an emotional position. My sense of justice, of course, wishes me to be eternally conscious of past wrongs, and so eternally remorseful. But this cannot be the case in the new order. There can be no place for regret, that bane of the consciousness. So we are left with two possibilities: 1. Awareness of past misdeeds with no capacity for (the negative) regret; 2. The complete withdrawal of all past misdeeds from the conscioussness. Is everyone agreed thus far?

[zoegirl]

Yes, I believe in Christ, who he is, what he did and what he said. I cannot use all this as some comfort blanket in return for such a drug-fuelled and wretched life. I really appreciate your words, J. I think I just need to continue being a better man to my loved ones, and try, in times of extreme anxiety, to trust that my faith will get me where I hope to be: in eternal love.

God Bless

Danny,

I'm sorry I haven't responded more. Believe me, I wish I could offer more than simple sympathy. IF there is one thing I have learned about resopnding to my own guilt, it's to take it to Christ. There is nothing that we can offer Him towards our salvation. HE gave Himself. He GAVE Himself. THis is not simply a comfort blanket....it's the reason we need Him. It's heart-wrenching to realize how much our sin grieves Him, it's also, however, what makes GRACE from Him so much sweeter. Your life, my life, our lives, are EXACTLY why we believe in Him. He has cleansed you. It's really that simple. And whatever guilt you feel now you must take to Him. Cry to Him, Praise Him, but the key words are "to Him". All of this guilt....have you ever thought that it might simply be a distraction from living in Him? If there is one thing Satan would like to do, it's to pull us away from Christ.

I don't think we can ever minimize this to a sort of comfort blanket (if indeed you truly believe). It's our salvation. To lessen it's importance cheapens His sacrifice. Christ did what He accomplished in YOUR life! He has reconciled you to Him. You have HIS righteousness and as awful as it sounds to us, He has borne our guilt and sin.

I will pray for you, but just go to HIm and praise HIm for that reconciliation. You are a new creation in Christ. Own it.

My sense of justice, of course, wishes me to be eternally conscious of past wrongs, and so eternally remorseful. But this cannot be the case in the new order. There can be no place for regret, that bane of the consciousness. So we are left with two possibilities: 1. Awareness of past misdeeds with no capacity for (the negative) regret; 2. The complete withdrawal of all past misdeeds from the conscioussness. Is everyone agreed thus far?

I would perhaps say that our past life/misdeeds should always bring us back to Christ, wherein we are brought to remember our new life, our new purpose and love. I don't think it has to be either 1 or 2. I don't know what it will be like in heaven, although I wonder if we will be so full of joy that we fulfill our purpose in the new earth and new creation. Can't imagine that all memories will be gone.