Imnotjoking

12 hours ago, Prophet of change Lou L said:

43 yrs. A Christian my experience has been sometimes we want to gain more ground then what the Lord has in mind at the time. Religious pressure  can be overwhelming. Patience is one of Gods greatest attributes. We are His project more then we are our own and He always Loves us right were we are. We need to just trust Him and know He has the big picture. Jesus says in Matthew 11 to just rest in Him.   28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”     We need to see our soul is like a territory inside of us and in that territory are times of storms and turmoil brought on by spiritual enemies who with thoughts and circumstances that are out of our control..try to  control us. I have found the best way to cause the waves that toss us around is to just rest in His accomplishments on the cross. We are saved we are on our way to heaven. When we make our mistakes bigger then His victory for us. We can put undo pressure on ourselves. There is a scripture in Deuteronomy 7 vrs. 22 that has given me peasce when i have felt like i was not gaining enough ground at the time it says this

”. ²² The Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, for the wild beasts would grow too numerous for you. ²³ But the Lord your God will deliver them before you, and will throw them into great confusion until they are destroyed.           There is a greater purpose in your trial then just for now this period will come to pass and you will gain great wisdom from it and God will use you to help others who go thru similar circumstances.   Soloman said there is more wisdom in the house of pain then the house of laughter.           Praying for you IMNOTJOKING God bless you and may HE help you to rest in Him . JESUS IS LORD.

²

So, go back to the way I was and let the Holy Spirit guide me over time?  

2 minutes ago, JTC said:

The episode right now isn't that good. But all in all this is the kind of show you just don't find anymore nowadays. 

Right now we're doing what God wants His people to do. We're supporting each other. As least as best as we can over the Internet.

Thanks.

8 minutes ago, JTC said:

Can I suggest "Touched by an Angel" right now. Looks like a good one. Btw, I understand Depression more than I wish I did.

Thanks, I'll look for it.  I don't think tv is evil, but that's kind of the problem. I don't think anything I did before was evil.  The Holy Spirit never bugged me about these things, the bible disagrees.

12 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Iamnotjoking,

You see what you wrote - feelings, feel, intrusive thoughts, asked God to remove these thoughts.  I`ve said it before but will explain again - it is YOU who has to remove those thoughts. YOU have to do the work. As soon as you start to obey God`s word, then He will give you the strength to do it.

`casting down arguments & every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.` (2 Cor. 10: 5)

`bringing every thought into captivity...`  That is our job, & the Lord will help you when you step out & turn from that thought, that thought & that thought. It is a daily process. Replace `that thought` with thankfulness - thankful I have food, clothing, warmth, shelter, parents who care, am able to get around etc etc You do realise that many, many people all over the world do not have those things.

Marilyn.

 

I really don't want to be rude here, but do you know much about OCD and depression?  They are chemical imbalances in the brain. I can't just will them away.  :/

2 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Just reading the Bible, going to Bible classes, endless meetings, can be a big waste of time if you are not putting what the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do, into practice.

The Holy Spirit was not prompting me to avoid those games and shows that I used to watch, though.  :\

39 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Imnotjoking,

Good question. Religious stuff is the doing (meetings, bible reading etc) without the changing. Expecting God to do it all. We pray for strength to clear away wrong thinking, wrong behaviour to others etc. however God expects us to grow up & to do the hard work.

Just reading the Bible, going to Bible classes, endless meetings, can be a big waste of time if you are not putting what the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do, into practice. Meeting with other believers & sharing HOW the Holy Spirit is guiding you, is beneficial, but just to amass large amounts of information can be headache forming.

Slow down & ask the Lord what specifically does He want you to work on. Then go about you daily life & something will come up, & then you will realise that the Lord is showing you some area for you to work on so that you will be changed into His likeness. Who wants to stay as they are forever!!!!!

Do the hard yards, the work, not just the study.   

all the best, Marilyn.

But I'm not expecting God to do all the work.  Just to help.  He's not even doing that!

35 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Clear away all the religious stuff & get real.

 

Could you please explain what you mean by this?

On 2/17/2017 at 0:34 PM, JTC said:

I know you called the things you gave up idols and maybe some are. But maybe you gave up too many things at once. I don't know which video games you play but they don't have to be terrible. Until recently I had a very old PC and I was playing the original Deus Ex because I had nothing else to do. It helped me keep my sanity. You will be of no good to anyone if you lose your sanity. If a video game deals with demons or devils then I don't think you should play those. But many are not intrinsically sinful. If I took the story in Deus Ex seriously I would be making a mistake so I don't. I consider it entertainment. I have also found that video games can be a form of therapy, especially if you're lonely and I am. I'm just saying maybe you gave up too many things at once. You seem to want to do the right thing and God would know that. He would also know you're not a superman and can't get rid of everything at once. Video games are also bad if instead of going to work or doing chores you sit there shooting imaginary characters. Do what you need to in order to keep your sanity. That's my advice, and I've done it myself. 

I played lots of games, but the ones I miss right now are Fallout 4 and Skyrim.  Both involve killing, Fallout involves a lot of cursing, and Skyrim has sorcery.  In other words, they don't hold up to the Philippian standard. I also really enjoyed watching people play Resident Evil 7, can't do that any more.  More over, we are meant to do everything "for the glory of God."  You're not glorifying God or doing his will when you play video games, you're taking part in the flesh, in eathly pleasures.

21 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Imnotjoking,

If you are really `not joking` then you will heed this advice from a man of God. His name is Oswald Chambers. He was a chaplain in WW1 but died at a young age . His wife wrote his notes into books. One of his books, `My utmost for His Highest,` is the most popular book after the Bible. it is in a daily devotional format & gets to the heart of our problems. So this is what he says regarding feelings, or moods, -

`There are certain things we must not pray about - moods, for instance.

MOODS NEVER GO BY PRAYING, MOODS GO BY KICKING.

...It is a continual effort not to listen to the moods which rise from a physical condition: never submit to them for a second. We have to take ourselves by the scruff of the neck & shake ourselves, & we will find that we can do what we could not. The curse with most of us is WE WONT.

The Christian life is one of incarnate spiritual pluck.`  

 

Marilyn.

 

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll get it when I have the money.  I'm also going to join a bible study course.  I'm sorry, but I wasn't clear on what I was asking for.  I'm not asking for a change of mood, I'm asking for a change of heart.  I believe Jesus is the son of God, but I'm not sure he's inside my heart.  

When I found out everything I had to give up, I was frustrated, bitter, and resentful.  I spent my life thinking, "hey, I have to be ordered around by my parents/teachers/bosses, but when I'm at home, in my room, I can do the things I like!"  Well, no.  Joke's on me, I can't even have that.  I don't even fully understand why, beyond the bible saying so.  Doesn't matter if it doesn't feel like a sin, like some people say, it's still a sin.  For a while, it didn't even feel like I was giving them up, it felt like they were taken away.

A Christian is not supposed to think like this. A Christian is supposed to take joy in the Lord, and the Lord alone.  A Chrisitan gains strength and joy from reading the bible.  A Christian is supposed to love the Lord so much, that the thought of sinning doesn't enter their minds.  "Why would you want to play games when you could be reading the bible?"  I look at people like this, and say, "yes!  This please!  This is what I want to think!"

But I don't.  Heck, I don't take joy in the Lord at all!  I've been told that reading the bible is supposed to fill you with joy, but it just makes me miserable.  The lessons that Christianity teaches make me wish that I have never been born.  The works I do in God's name are not out of love, they are out of fear and self preservation.  It's a struggle to pay attention at church.  Last night, I felt mentally worn out.  I was actually tired of Christianity, of the restriction.

What's weird, an I mean really weird, is that I used to have a proble with masterbation.  The more religious I got, the more guilty I became when I masterbated.  I prayed to God to give me the strength to control it, and he did.  I don't know why he helped me with that and not this.

Maybe I need to be baptized again, I don't know.

5 hours ago, KPaulG said:

How's everything going now?

Still pushing!

2 hours ago, existential mabel said:

Imnotjoking its tough changing our habits and behaviours. so i do feel for you. bite size is good. i too did the all things mumbo jumbo the many idols etc

 

Thank you!

2 hours ago, other one said:

there are constructive things you can do on the internet to help people.....   I don't see why you need to give up helping people when you can......    I'm nearly 70 years old and I've never seen a church that couldn't use some help doing all kinds of things.

There are all kinds of things Christians can do.....      first off do you ever exercise....    I go swimming every morning at our YMCA and it perks me up and gives me energy for the day.

Reading all the posts here at worthy could fill in some time and you might even have some ideas that might help others with some of the problems you've had in the past....

I'm sorry, I wasn't clear.  I am still trying to be helpful to people.  Thank you for the advice.

1 hour ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Imnotjoking,

Thank you for sharing your heart.` Other one` has good ideas which help him & some may help you. Worth a try. Now my thoughts are - you are letting your feelings run you.  You said - `I've asked God to remove these feelings of misery, to help me feel closer to him, I still feel this way.`

Our body is our responsibility - our arms, legs, ears, mouth, brains, feelings, etc.  They should be run by our will. You tell your brain to make your arms move etc, you tell your brain to come in line with the truth & not lies. Thus you have to feed your brain what is true & question thoughts that are pulling you down. Your feelings are the result of what you are `eating,` what you are thinking. And I believe you have let your brain run here & there & not pulled it up.

It will take some time, but as you start to recognise the downward spiral in your thinking, then you can bring in the truth.

`For though we walk in the flesh we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.` (2 Cor. 10: 3 - 5)

Replace that wrong thinking, (bit by bit) with the truth. Just have one scripture to think on, not try & read too much. Digest a small bit & let God open it up to you.

All the best, & praying, Marilyn.   

I will try.

Thank you all!

21 minutes ago, *~*Honey*~* said:

Sorry -but your post came out in one long row of letters-impossible to read -I'm Vertically challenged I guess! :rofl

Mayne it can be reposted..... 

Either way --I'll say a prayer for you tonight

Thanks, I think I fixed it.

Sigh, stupid copy/paste.  Let me try again:

Up until about a week ago, I spent most of my free time on my computer, playing video games, watching videos on youtube, or watching shows with my parents. Doing some charity work every week, reading the bible, church on Sunday, but that's it. Then a few bible verses finally clicked in my head: Luke 923-24, 2 Corinthians 5:15, Ephesians 5:3-12, Galations 5:19-21, and Philippians 4:8. 

So, I turned off my computer, haven't turned it on since. Spent more time reading the bible, and have been very strict with my parents about what I'm not allowed to watch anymore. I have dysthymia. Dysthymia is a minor, but much longer lasting, form of depression, complete with thoughts of hopelessness, pessimism, and difficulty with keeping interest. It often seems like I don't feel anything, not joy from doing good, not sorrow from other people's problems, nothing.

Combine that with obsessive compulsive disorder,(causing intrusive thoughts, normally that I'm not good at anything and attacking me for everything I do) and social anxiety disorder,(which is exactly what it sounds like) and my life just feels pointless. I have no dreams, I have no ambitions. I'm thirtythree years old, and I've spent the past five or six just waiting for death.

I started taking my Christianity more seriously last year, hoping it would end this feeling of...I don't know, death desire I guess. Now, after losing nearly all of my pass times, I can safely say that I am absolutely miserable, and I want to die as soon as possible. I miss being me. I'm constantly reminded of the things I used to do, but can't do anymore.

I've asked God to remove these feelings of misery, to help me feel closer to him, I still feel this way. I know he's there, he helps me to understand the bible when I ask. Bible reading doesn't help either. After a while, Paul's words start sounding like gibberish, it makes my head hurt. Even worse, the intrusive thoughts that I have have stopped attacking me, and started attacking God, which is what I DON'T want. I've asked God to removes these thoughts from my mind, still nothing.

Any prayers will help.