How can I be a true christian?

[pearly163]

I too have many of the same struggles. I often try to justify it by putting it down to my personality, or to depression. I even think to myself that God knows how I'm made and that it isn't my fault I have no self discipline.

When it comes down to it though, I know it's me giving in to me all the time.

I know what I SHOULD be doing to make things better but I don't want to do them. Again that is down to my own choice and, whether I think so or not, I AM able to make a choice for the Lord and not for myself.

I saw something recently that said "God of new beginnings, here I am again" and I felt that it could have been me saying it.

All this makes me wonder the same as you said, "How can I be a real Christian" if I prefer to give into the flesh all the time. I DO know that I am saved but I am missing out on so much by not attempting to stay near to God.

Thank you for sharing; it was good to know that I'm not the only one struggling with this issue.

[Trax]

Sorry for replying to this so late, but I may be of some help. The first thing that I noticed, from your post, is the attempt to live a Holy life.

That is practicing a religion and you will have some success, but mostly failures. I've been there, and done it. A saved person is Holy

because he is clothed with Jesus' Holiness. One can not become more Holy than Jesus. So, the question is, what can you do?

I'm glad you asked....

When you realize that you are struggling with various temptations, don't try to beat them, you can't. What do you do then? Glad you asked.

Thank God for something, anything He has done for you. I like to start each day be thanking our Heavenly Father for the day because it is a

day He has made and I will be happy and thankful for it. When you start being tempted, start thanking God for something. You have to take your

thoughts captive. Thank Him for the food you had to eat today, thank Him for the farmers that grew the food, thank Him for a place to sleep, etc...

When you are thanking God, you have your mind on God, and not the temptation.

Now, the next step is to reduce the temptations. You can do that? Glad you asked. Sure you can. You can stop putting poison in your head.

You can stop giving the devil ammo to fire at you. Allow me to make this simple. A man goes to the doctor and says, "Everytime I eat rat

poison, I get sick." The doctor replies, "Stop eating rat poison." Now, the shows you watch on TV and music you listen, can be poison to the mind.

I don't watch the garbage on TV. I don't listen to mainstream music either. I listen to Christian radio stations.

The devil will always have something to throw at you. God has promised to make a way of escape. Make God the way of escape. Thank Him for something.

Thanking God and praising God goes a long way to overcoming temptation. It goes a long way to drawing you closer to God also. It will help build your relationship

with the Lord. Jesus said, if you love Me, you will keep My commandments. Jesus loves you and that can not be improved upon, but your love of Him is what needs

to grow and be cultivated. Where does that start? Glad you asked.......it starts by thanking Him,.....everyday,.....all during the day. I've been there and done it.

It works. I've fought the battles with temptation and gotten stomped into the ground. When I decided to start thanking my Lord, I noticed a change.

[nebula]

I want to follow Jesus more than anything, but I'm afraid I'll backslide again.

I've been thinking about your struggle.

I think I might know something that can help you.

And I know this is hard.

But take your focus off of how bad you are, and instead focus on how good God is!

Listen to John Mark McMillan's song "How He Loves Us" (look it up on YouTube)

Also look up Jesus Culture, Kim Walker, Misty Edwards.

Listen to their songs and let them infuse your spirit and soul.

Spend some time meditating on the goodness of the Lord, His love, His grace. Meditate on who you are in Christ (do a search on "who I am in Christ" or the like for a list).

Let the Holy Spirit wash your soul this way rather than striving on your own.