I'm not having much fun reading the Bible

[BeauJangles]

On 8/6/2019 at 9:14 AM, Billiards Ball said:

Your worry may be a strong indicator that it's NOT you. A guy tells me he lost salvation masturbating to porn. I asked, "How did you feel?" He said, "Dirty, ashamed, guilty".

I asked, "How did you USED to feel about this, before you were born again?" He said, "I loved it! ... wait a minute, I'M SAVED!"

what? 

[BeauJangles]

I'm not having much fun reading the Bible

It's supposed to be a spiritually enriching experience. Enjoyment is a great extra benefit, and perhaps takes time for some people. I wouldn't give up hope on that.  

[Billiards Ball]

1 hour ago, BeauJangles said:

what? 

Before this fellow was born again, he fully enjoyed sinning.

After he was born again, he fell into the same sin, and hated his sin even as he did it.

He realized the Spirit was in him, had changed his mind and attitudes. He realized he was truly saved because his response to sin had changed. Now he was free to serve the Lord and fight sin instead of wallowing in it.

[BeauJangles]

2 minutes ago, Billiards Ball said:

Before this fellow was born again, he fully enjoyed sinning.

After he was born again, he fell into the same sin, and hated his sin even as he did it.

He realized the Spirit was in him, had changed his mind and attitudes. He realized he was truly saved because his response to sin had changed. Now he was free to serve the Lord and fight sin instead of wallowing in it.

Oh, I see. Then it wasn't one of those cases where you better get saved, just in case you might not be saved. Or, oops! I don't feel like I'm saved, so I better get saved again, just to make sure I'm saved. Then perhaps, it's been a while since I got saved, so it's always a good idea to get saved again, because the last time I got saved might not count anymore. 

[Billiards Ball]

8 minutes ago, BeauJangles said:

Oh, I see. Then it wasn't one of those cases where you better get saved, just in case you might not be saved. Or, oops! I don't feel like I'm saved, so I better get saved again, just to make sure I'm saved. Then perhaps, it's been a while since I got saved, so it's always a good idea to get saved again, because the last time I got saved might not count anymore. 

He'd been saved maybe three weeks prior. I knew where I was going with my leading questions:

1) How do you feel now about what you did yesterday?

2) How did you used to feel when you did this sin?

He then exclaimed, "I'M SAVED!" since the Spirit in him showed him truth. He was saved weeks prior and had assurance.

[BeauJangles]

2 minutes ago, Billiards Ball said:

He'd been saved maybe three weeks prior. I knew where I was going with my leading questions:

1) How do you feel now about what you did yesterday?

2) How did you used to feel when you did this sin?

He then exclaimed, "I'M SAVED!" since the Spirit in him showed him truth. He was saved weeks prior and had assurance.

Yeah, it's cool bro. I gotcha. 

[Figure of eighty]

Im defintely in this boat. The bible is very dry to me right now. 

 

I feel more alive praying and listening to sermons.

[Amanda Frances]

May I recommend reading the bible to get to know the Lord better.  I started this morning a part of my notebook, that lists God's characteristics on a different page.  For example from Genesis chapter 1.  Creator and I list some of the verses that are interesting to me from these topics.  I also took away that God is a judge.  He judged what he made was good.  So on another page I wrote judge and wrote one of the verses down. 

In doing this a few other things stuck out to me that i either forgot or never knew.  For example it says that God created the heavens and the earth.  But after this it said 

³ And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Now even knowing God probably spoke the earth and heavens into existence .. the first recorded thing in the bible that God said is "Let there be light".  That just really stuck at me there is so much in the bible about light.  

 

That was special for me but you will have your own special things that God will speak to you through His Holy Word.  

I recommend two notebooks one for things that you learn and another exclusively about what you learn about the Lord.

Also it is good to pray before you read asking God to speak to you that you want to learn more about Him and how he wants us to apply what we learn.

I hope this helps you.  

Love and hugs to you in Christ. 

 

 

[dhchristian]

On 8/5/2019 at 11:49 PM, Addison said:

All of the passages and parables though, about the enemy, the tare in the wheat, the unfruitful, the plank in the eye, the scattered seed or being the footstool, seemed to be more about myself than anyone else I could think of in my life.

It's just not assuring to read something that I feel is against me.

How can I change my thinking on this?

Addison, 

The Word of God is convicting you, There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, as heeding those convictions and repenting of those things in your own life will help you mature in Christ Jesus. I Assume you are saved, But our walk with the LORD is process, When he convicts you through His WORD, take Joy in knowing that he does so because he cares for you and wants what is best for you. The Word of God is not always fun, But it is for your benefit. Pray for guidance from The Holy Ghost. 

[Billiards Ball]

On 8/12/2019 at 6:38 PM, Figure of eighty said:

Im defintely in this boat. The bible is very dry to me right now. 

 

I feel more alive praying and listening to sermons.

Five minutes reading the insanity here will REFRESH your Bible study, guaranteed!

 

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/