I want some help from my friends of Christ

[ChristsCourage]

I need some help. My faith is going downhill, and, I just feel like I can't get the answers I need. I am 26 years old, and, just want to be able to understand the bible in a way that isn't like what a lot of people are saying. They are making it hard to understand, and, I think I need help understanding it. It is getting me down. Some hugs, kisses, and, all around encouragement would be appreciated from you guys. Thanks, and, I guess God Bless.

[moonglow]

I need some help. My faith is going downhill, and, I just feel like I can't get the answers I need. I am 26 years old, and, just want to be able to understand the bible in a way that isn't like what a lot of people are saying. They are making it hard to understand, and, I think I need help understanding it. It is getting me down. Some hugs, kisses, and, all around encouragement would be appreciated from you guys. Thanks, and, I guess God Bless.

I am truly sorry you are struggling right now...here is a hug...:hug::hug::hug:

Are you talking about people on here making the bible hard to understand or else where? Is there one passage bothering you alot or what?

By the way you can pray for God to strengthen your faith and your belief!

Mark 9

20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.

He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

God is the one that gives us faith to start with...don't be afraid to ask Him to strengthen it...I do!

God bless

[Tanya~]

:hug::hug:

Keep trying! I have an idea, why don't you start with the basics. The basics means the beginning lessons that you need to know. You picked up Hebrews and that is a VERY advanced book to try to start with.

:hug::hug:

Do you want to start with something more simple?

[beckisted2004]

:hug::hug:

Keep trying! I have an idea, why don't you start with the basics. The basics means the beginning lessons that you need to know. You picked up Hebrews and that is a VERY advanced book to try to start with.

:hug::hug:

Do you want to start with something more simple?

I agree! In 1 Peter 2:2, it talks about us needing to start on "spiritual milk." Just like babies have to drink milk before they can start on solid food, we have to start with the simple verses before we can understand more of the depth of Scripture.

I'm sorry you're feeling so discouraged. Maybe you could pick out a few things you'd like help with and we could try to help you understand?

[amazzin]

I need some help. My faith is going downhill, and, I just feel like I can't get the answers I need. I am 26 years old, and, just want to be able to understand the bible in a way that isn't like what a lot of people are saying. They are making it hard to understand, and, I think I need help understanding it. It is getting me down. Some hugs, kisses, and, all around encouragement would be appreciated from you guys. Thanks, and, I guess God Bless.

Listen Dana

There is only so much you can do on your own. You need to be discipled and mentored and the best way to do that is to be involved in a Bible study in a church. In the church you will also experience the joy of worshipping the Lord and praise. You cannot forsake the gathering together with other believers. Allowing iron to sharpen iron.

[Ravenwspr]

Proverbs is easy reading too, and has alot of advice, kind of like short quotes - so maybe some simple things that also encourage your faith (without being so complicated if that makes sense)

[ChristsCourage]

Tanya, maybe you could post what would be a good easy study for me to do instead of Hebrews. I will quit reading Hebrews, and, do whatever study you think I should do. I appreciate all the encouragement that my friends in Christ have given me here. Thanks for doing that. You guys are the best, and, I am not being judged on this forum. May God Bless you grately. GOD Bless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tanya~]

I was thinking of starting something really easy for the New in Christ forum, something much easier than the one we did before that you used to participate in. What do you think?

[ChristsCourage]

I think that would be fun. And, if you give me a few suggestions as to what books we could do, I will start a thread, and, then you can sticky it. I will explain how I want it to go, since it will be for mostly me to do. What do you think, sister in Christ? PM me with a few suggestions, and, I will look them over, and, decide for next week.

[Tanya~]

Go to your Christian book store and ask the people who work there if they can recommend something that is very easy, and made for beginners. Also go to your church and ask the pastor for help too. Your church is your very best resource.

All you would have to do is post in it regularly so that it would stay near the top of the posts. You can post the questions that you have from what you are learning in the book you choose, and members can answer.

[turtledove]

Listen Dana

There is only so much you can do on your own. You need to be discipled and mentored and the best way to do that is to be involved in a Bible study in a church. In the church you will also experience the joy of worshipping the Lord and praise. You cannot forsake the gathering together with other believers. Allowing iron to sharpen iron.

:agree: Great suggestion and advice to you, ChristsCourage, from amazzin. The joy of the Lord is our strength and it is important to be part of the gathering..






wiseoldowl..

[turtledove]

Go to your Christian book store and ask the people who work there if they can recommend something that is very easy, and made for beginners. Also go to your church and ask the pastor for help too. Your church is your very best resource.

All you would have to do is post in it regularly so that it would stay near the top of the posts. You can post the questions that you have from what you are learning in the book you choose, and members can answer.

TanyaP, :idea:if you think it is needed I can move this thread into New in Christ. Let me know. :)

[Scruffy Kid]

Dana,
What about starting a verse by verse study here in NewInChrist on Psalm 23?
It seems to me that that is a good piece of Scripture for you to have in mind.
The message is basic: That God cares for us. Yet it is profound.

Because there are just a few verses, we can go slow; and it won't last too long, but there is a lot to say about each verse. You could just post the verse, and then you and the rest of us could comment on it for a day or so.

Also, after we're done, we could work on another short uplifting Psalm (Ps. 46? Ps. 84? Ps. 130? Ps. 1? even Ps. 103 which is a tad longer?), or perhaps a short passage or chapter, such as Jesus when he says "I am the good shepherd" or "I am the true vine."

Strength and Peace in Christ,
Scruff

[Kings Daughter]

Dear Christs Courage

Its great to hear that you have such a desire for His word, instead of looking at this time like a struggle, look at it as a spiritual birth. God is taking you through something, you will get through this because you are a born overcomer. Just a tip that helped me, before you read the word or listen to a sermon pray for the seeds of His word to be planted in`good ground' in your life. Ask the Lord to open up your spiritual ears that you may hear Him, to open up your spiritual eyes that you may see Him and speak to your spiritual heart that you may understand Him. Isaiah 55:11 (His word will never return void)

God Bless

[Mr King]

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding.

You, with a human mind will never understand the Word of God. Your own flesh desires worldly wisdom and worldly knowledge which would clutter and confuse you from the Word of God.

You need to pray to God and admit to Him that the Bible is beyond your own human understanding and surrender yourself to the Spirit. Trust in the Spirit who dwells within you and allow Him to do His work in you. For you to seek and He will give you spiritual wisdom and spiritual knowledge coming from the spiritual vision from God.

If you would like some books to help you to understand and to know the Word of God in the Bible then you may want to start off with these which are all written by the same author; James MacDonald.

1.)I Want To Change...So Help Me God
2)Seven Words To Change Your Family...While There Is Still Time
3.)Lord, Change My Attitude Before It's Too Late

Now you didn't mention anything about family problems nor an attitude problem but you may be very suprised with what you would learn that the author has written. These books are simple and easy to understand. They get straight to the point. They'll help clear the clutter and confusion you are dealing with.

You can find them cheaper at Amazon.com in the new/used sections.

[cdo]

Hi CC,
This may help too .I hope it will.When I feel my faith waving and doubting,I go back in my past memories and see how God worked in my life believing and rebuilding my faith through Jesus Christ and me realizing the faith I had to overcome.The memories where each time I was the victor not the victim because of the Faith in Jesus and we know God can't lie.
You've been given some really good advice from your poster's.......listen to them and recieve more faith as you grow in our Lord.
~~Darlene~~

[BroRog]

I need some help. My faith is going downhill, and, I just feel like I can't get the answers I need. I am 26 years old, and, just want to be able to understand the bible in a way that isn't like what a lot of people are saying. They are making it hard to understand, and, I think I need help understanding it. It is getting me down. Some hugs, kisses, and, all around encouragement would be appreciated from you guys. Thanks, and, I guess God Bless.

I would say, by way of encouragement, that understanding the Bible gets easier over time if you stick with it. We are challenged by the fact that we are separated by the issues involved by time, distance, culture, which means that many of the words and terms are unfamiliar to us at first.

If this is your challenge, you might want to do what I did. First, I read the entire New Testament in about two or three sittings with a paraphrase, easy to read Bible, because this made the main concepts easily accessible to me. In addition, in order to make it easy for me, I sat down and read a Children's illustrated Bible with all the pictures and captions to get the basic stories in my head. Then I bought a couple of more scholarly translations. One was the King James Bible and the other was the New American Standard Bible. Once I understood the main characters and the basic outline of the stories, reading the Bible became easier.

Then I went to church and found a church that taught the Bible, not a church that preached a message. These are two different approaches to ministry. Some prefer one over the other. But if you want to know the Bible, find a church where the pastor helps his flock understand it.

Also, don't be discouraged by the many interpretations out there, especially at this discussion site. We are all still learning and if we remain humble, we will learn from each other. And this place is a great place to ask questions that come up and no question is too dumb. Really. :)