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 Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 4:23 pm
Hey there >.< My name's Alexandria and umm... well... I've been in this guild for a really long time, but ... I guess I've never really had the guts to post anything. But well.. here I am, haha ^^ Um >.< Im 16 years old, my birthday's coming up really soon >.< And I've accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, in February 2013. From then, till the summer of 2013, I was a pretty hardcore Christian and I had been a wonderful person. But then, during summer, I had took my eyes off of God and had, instead, nose-dived into the world of gaming. Since then, which has been -- what, a year now? Haha ^^ -- I've been a hardcore gamer, instead of firm believer in Christ. And since then, I guess I've just been sinning more and more. >.< I can't seem to find a firm grip on God, anymore. I don't even want to touch my bible at times, and I have no friends in the Church I go to, who I can reach out to. >.< I've had thoughts of suicide, numerous times and... even though I know my purpose in life is to lead people to God, I've kept on putting it off, again and again. I really don't know what I'm doing with myself >.< I'm afraid to talk to my friends at school about God, because I attend a public school, full of kids that are athiests. And I'm a really shy, and sensitive person >_< So im afraid to speak up x[ It's actually a struggle to actually post this >.< I also have a boyfriend, but he is an atheist, and keeps claiming he doesn't need Jesus. I also struggle with Lust, because of him, and I don't know how to talk to him about God, since I feel like I don't know too much about God, myself =[ I need help, and prayer, really, really badly. I want to be the same person I was a year ago, when I had asked Jesus to come into my life. I'm in this huge mess, and it's a struggle to even wake up, everyday x[ Is there anyone that'll take some time to talk to me? Can anyone help me? =[
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:11 pm
Take drastic measures: if it's an MMO, uninstall it. If it's a console game, disconnect it, put it in a box/drawer, fast from it. Then dedicate all that free time you now have towards developing your relationship with God. Think of the things you use to do when you were "in love" with him (feel free not to read the rest of this reply until you it write down: what did you do back then, back when you were "hardcore Christian"?). Revelation 2:4-5 (NIV)
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Once you "fast" from gaming for a while, it should lose that "obsessive" / "possessive" hold it has over you. And you will also have time (more than enough time) to read the bible, meditate over verses, watch sermons, pray (and ask God, in prayer, to help you walk in his will, walk the narrow path, and help you get to know him better, ask for boldness to speak his truth), listen to praise music, sing him praises, examine yourself for ways you're sinning/not loving (the way God said to)/breaking his law, admit them and repent away from them, and of course, look for ways to serve others around you. The sooner you get to know God's word and acquaint yourself with Jesus' teachings, the easier it will be to start spiritual conversations with your boyfriend (and friends). That timidity will flee once you know what Jesus has to say (and if you're praying for boldness, you'll be able to speak things the way he wants it said). Would your boyfriend be opposed to reading the bible with you? Is he open-minded enough to read through the gospels? Who knows, the Holy Spirit can convict him as you guys read together and his belief can grow. Pray for him, that God gives him a heart to listen and eyes to see. Acts 16:14 (NIV)
14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
In my experience, it's impossible to have lustful thoughts when reading through the bible. But if he's being too much of a temptation, and you're risking your purity, I would re-think pursuing a relationship with him. If you have set up boundaries, but your boyfriend is crossing them time and time again, let that relationship go. Or, again, take drastic measures: do not allow yourself to be alone in a room with him. Any "one-on-one" conversations taking place between the two of you needs to be supervised, even if it's a text message convo; volunteer to have your texts read by your parents, a fellow Christian, a grandparent, and let him know your conversations will now be supervised because you're serious about fleeing what God calls sexual immorality. I can see this resulting in one of two ways: he respects this and still wants to stay with you (and you seek purity together); or he won't tolerate it, think you're a prude, and break up with you. And if the latter is the case, as emotionally difficult as it might be, know this is for the best. Unless the Holy Spirit changes something in him and God grants him faith, I'm wary of you being unequally yoked though. This is why we're told to avoid being unequally-yoked in the first place (they tempt us into sin and make us compromise God's way in order to stay in peace with them). Walking after Jesus and walking after the flesh are two different paths. Two people tied at the neck cannot travel in opposite directions, so if you're pursuing Jesus wholeheartedly and he doesn't want to, it's only a matter of time before you walk so far ahead that the yoke between you breaks if he won't come with. Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for however the "boyfriend situation" turns out, but do not under any circumstances compromise on God's word/will. And this will take a little effort, but through prayer, you can overcome lustful inappropriate thoughts/daydreams. Turn those thoughts and daydreams into something godly or daydream yourself fleeing from the situation. So to summarize how to get back in relationship with God: 1) fast from gaming for a while, you will: (A) free up enough time to dedicate to God and (B) break the possession gaming has over you 2) confess your sins to God 3) nourish your soul with the Word, prayer, praise music, sermons 4) discipline your thought-life 5) break ties with certain people if it becomes necessary side note: when/if you introduce gaming back into your life, give yourself limits [e.g. I will only play for an hour] even if you have to set yourself a timer; once that buzzer goes off, save the game/turn the game off/logout—but this is all assuming you want gaming back in your life). To begin with, however, I would recommend fasting from gaming completely at first to break that possessive hold it has over you. Right now you have overfed the senses (lust of the eyes [graphics], lust of the ears [the sound effects and music], and the "pride of life", even if it's a virtual life, accumulating virtual money/points and prestige). The flesh needs to be deprived for a while to tame it. edited
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:43 pm
real eyes realize Take drastic measures: if it's an MMO, uninstall it. If it's a console game, disconnect it, put it in a box/drawer, fast from it. Then dedicate all that free time you now have towards developing your relationship with God. Think of the things you use to do when you were "in love" with him (feel free not to read the rest of this reply until you it write down: what did you do back then, back when you were "hardcore Christian"?). Revelation 2:4-5 (NIV)
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Once you "fast" from gaming for a while, it should lose that "obsessive" / "possessive" hold it has over you. And you will also have time (more than enough time) to read the bible, meditate over verses, watch sermons, pray (and ask God, in prayer, to help you walk in his will, walk the narrow path, and help you get to know him better, ask for boldness to speak his truth), listen to praise music, sing him praises, examine yourself for ways you're sinning/not loving (the way God said to)/breaking his law, admit them and repent away from them, and of course, look for ways to serve others around you. The sooner you get to know God's word and acquaint yourself with Jesus' teachings, the easier it will be to start spiritual conversations with your boyfriend (and friends). That timidity will flee once you know what Jesus has to say (and if you're praying for boldness, you'll be able to speak things the way he wants it said). Would your boyfriend be opposed to reading the bible with you? Is he open-minded enough to read through the gospels? Who knows, the Holy Spirit can convict him as you guys read together and his belief can grow. Pray for him, that God gives him a heart to listen and eyes to see. Acts 16:14 (NIV)
14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
In my experience, it's impossible to have lustful thoughts when reading through the bible. But if he's being too much of a temptation, and you're risking your purity, I would re-think pursuing a relationship with him. If you have set up boundaries, but your boyfriend is crossing them time and time again, let that relationship go. Or, again, take drastic measures: do not allow yourself to be alone in a room with him. Any "one-on-one" conversations taking place between the two of you needs to be supervised, even if it's a text message convo; volunteer to have your texts read by your parents, a fellow Christian, a grandparent, and let him know your conversations will now be supervised because you're serious about fleeing what God calls sexual immorality. I can see this resulting in one of two ways: he respects this and still wants to stay with you (and you seek purity together); or he won't tolerate it, think you're a prude, and break up with you. And if the latter is the case, as emotionally difficult as it might be, know this is for the best. Unless the Holy Spirit changes something in him and God grants him faith, I'm wary of you being unequally yoked though. This is why we're told to avoid being unequally-yoked in the first place (they tempt us into sin and make us compromise God's way in order to stay in peace with them). Walking after Jesus and walking after the flesh are two different paths. Two people tied at the neck cannot travel in opposite directions, so if you're pursuing Jesus wholeheartedly and he doesn't want to, it's only a matter of time before you walk so far ahead that the yoke between you breaks if he won't come with. Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for however the "boyfriend situation" turns out, but do not under any circumstances compromise on God's word/will. And this will take a little effort, but through prayer, you can overcome lustful inappropriate thoughts/daydreams. Turn those thoughts and daydreams into something godly or daydream yourself fleeing from the situation. So to summarize how to get back in relationship with God: 1) fast from gaming for a while, you will: (A) free up enough time to dedicate to God and (B) break the possession gaming has over you 2) confess your sins to God 3) nourish your soul with the Word, prayer, praise music, sermons 4) discipline your thought-life 5) break ties with certain people if it becomes necessary side note: when/if you introduce gaming back into your life, give yourself limits [e.g. I will only play for an hour] even if you have to set yourself a timer; once that buzzer goes off, save the game/turn the game off/logout—but this is all assuming you want gaming back in your life). To begin with, however, I would recommend fasting from gaming completely at first to break that possessive hold it has over you. Right now you have overfed the senses (lust of the eyes [graphics], lust of the ears [the sound effects and music], and the "pride of life", even if it's a virtual life, accumulating virtual money/points and prestige). The flesh needs to be deprived for a while to tame it. edited
Thank you, so, so, so much >.< I can't thank you enough, for taking time out of your schedule, for someone as insignificant as me >.<
I'll try my best to do everything that I'm told, because I know that God is more important to me, than anything and everyone. And I know that to prove this, I need drop everything, "pick up my Cross", and follow Jesus. But... It's really hard. I have fallen, so, so far, and ... I ... I'm really lost >sighs< and I've kept on telling myself that I need to fast from gaming and just dedicate that time to God, but I just... get these thoughts that say things like "... well... I'll pray later. Let me just play for now." And then suddenly, God gets pushed back. Do I really have the strength to fast from these games? Can I cast out these... demons inside of me, alone? I want to keep them out, too >.< Either way, I'll still try my best to do what you told me, Ma'am, and ask God for help. Thanks, so much, again =] !
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:23 pm
Awww, don't say that you're insignificant. You're not! It's okay to ask for help, in fact I think it takes a lot of courage to do so. I know I myself don't always have the courage to ask for help when I need it, and it touches my heart to see someone young like yourself having the courage and the strength to reach out for help.
I have to agree with Real Eyes about your boyfriend. As painful as it may be, you can't force him to change if he doesn't want to. I think the advice she gave about avoiding lustful thoughts/situations with him was very sound, and very wise. I also agree about being unequally yoked. As painful as it may sound, there will be a lot more heartache down the road if you remain unequally yoked to him. If it doesn't stunt your growth in Christ, then eventually you will grow stronger in Christ and it will cause a rift between the two of you because he won't understand why you're a different person than you were before, and he probably won't like who you're becoming.
As for the video games...I feel like a hypocrite for saying this, because it's something I struggle with often. If fasting from them entirely is too difficult, then what I might suggest would be to set aside a time each day for Christ where you sit and read your Bible, pray, and/or worship. Don't let yourself make excuses, just do it. I will admit, this is something I struggle with a great deal, but when I do set aside time for the Lord, I always feel far better.
If they are games that you feel are pulling you away from the Lord, then maybe they are games you need to get rid of. There are games I have had to get rid of or destroy because I felt the Lord telling me he didn't want me to play them anymore. It was, I admit, something very hard for me to do (and at times it is still something I struggle with), but I felt more free in the long run because I didn't have those games holding me down.
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:42 pm
Brave of you to post! I am glad you decided to. smile
The good news for you in all of this is that you are not spiritually blind. You have ears that hear, and eyes that see. Your heart is not so hard that you can't see where there is a need to repent. There is great hope for you. Listen to what your conscience is telling you that you need to do to get closer to God.
Romans 12:2-3
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith
real eyes realize is spot on. You need to discipline yourself. Your thought-life.
1 Timothy 4:6-8
In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come
You have properly understood why you are sinning more and more. You are spending more time engaging in the things the world is engaging in, than as someone called out of the world and meant to put her mind on the things above.
Colossians 3:2
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Galatians 5:24
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
It is an action. They have crucified the flesh. It is something that has to be done.
And you are not any more insignificant than anyone else here. ^_^
Psalm 8:3-4
…When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?
Sure you can. You as someone saved are not left to your own devices, but you have all spiritual blessing available to you through Jesus. You can overcome, because He overcame, and He is there for you.
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 12:34 pm
x-Syk0 Hey there >.< My name's Alexandria and umm... well... I've been in this guild for a really long time, but ... I guess I've never really had the guts to post anything. But well.. here I am, haha ^^ Um >.< Im 16 years old, my birthday's coming up really soon >.< And I've accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, in February 2013. From then, till the summer of 2013, I was a pretty hardcore Christian and I had been a wonderful person. But then, during summer, I had took my eyes off of God and had, instead, nose-dived into the world of gaming. Since then, which has been -- what, a year now? Haha ^^ -- I've been a hardcore gamer, instead of firm believer in Christ. And since then, I guess I've just been sinning more and more. >.< I can't seem to find a firm grip on God, anymore. I don't even want to touch my bible at times, and I have no friends in the Church I go to, who I can reach out to. >.< I've had thoughts of suicide, numerous times and... even though I know my purpose in life is to lead people to God, I've kept on putting it off, again and again. I really don't know what I'm doing with myself >.< I'm afraid to talk to my friends at school about God, because I attend a public school, full of kids that are athiests. And I'm a really shy, and sensitive person >_< So im afraid to speak up x[ It's actually a struggle to actually post this >.< I also have a boyfriend, but he is an atheist, and keeps claiming he doesn't need Jesus. I also struggle with Lust, because of him, and I don't know how to talk to him about God, since I feel like I don't know too much about God, myself =[ I need help, and prayer, really, really badly. I want to be the same person I was a year ago, when I had asked Jesus to come into my life. I'm in this huge mess, and it's a struggle to even wake up, everyday x[ Is there anyone that'll take some time to talk to me? Can anyone help me? =[ You should pat yourself on the back for posting, that took a lot of courage biggrin im at work so i'll have to be brief. Gaming is great and i totally understand being wrapped up in it. Next thing i know.ive been playing for half the day. I find it easier to not play than to take a break during game time. What i mean is, i get everything done first and.then i play. You could also use gaming as a reward. Do you have a daily bread? Its a nice way to get back into reading the bible and the verses they give you each day arent very long. You could do that or set a time for yourself, like 5-10min of reading everyday when youre in the bathroom or sitting in the car. And as a reward you can play games. Bit by bit increase your prayer time while decreasing your game time to an acceptable limit. That way youre taking time out.for god witbout rushing and you have time for games. Its easier to put God first and gaming second than vice versa in my opinion because i get way too hooked on what im doing >.< Sorry if its confusing, im typing really fast on my phone during break. DX I'll expand on it later.
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:55 pm
x-Syk0 Hey there >.< My name's Alexandria and umm... well... I've been in this guild for a really long time, but ... I guess I've never really had the guts to post anything. But well.. here I am, haha ^^ Um >.< Im 16 years old, my birthday's coming up really soon >.< And I've accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, in February 2013. From then, till the summer of 2013, I was a pretty hardcore Christian and I had been a wonderful person. But then, during summer, I had took my eyes off of God and had, instead, nose-dived into the world of gaming. Since then, which has been -- what, a year now? Haha ^^ -- I've been a hardcore gamer, instead of firm believer in Christ. And since then, I guess I've just been sinning more and more. >.< I can't seem to find a firm grip on God, anymore. I don't even want to touch my bible at times, and I have no friends in the Church I go to, who I can reach out to. >.< I've had thoughts of suicide, numerous times and... even though I know my purpose in life is to lead people to God, I've kept on putting it off, again and again. I really don't know what I'm doing with myself >.< I'm afraid to talk to my friends at school about God, because I attend a public school, full of kids that are athiests. And I'm a really shy, and sensitive person >_< So im afraid to speak up x[ It's actually a struggle to actually post this >.< I also have a boyfriend, but he is an atheist, and keeps claiming he doesn't need Jesus. I also struggle with Lust, because of him, and I don't know how to talk to him about God, since I feel like I don't know too much about God, myself =[ I need help, and prayer, really, really badly. I want to be the same person I was a year ago, when I had asked Jesus to come into my life. I'm in this huge mess, and it's a struggle to even wake up, everyday x[ Is there anyone that'll take some time to talk to me? Can anyone help me? =[
There's nothing wrong with gaming itself. You can even be a "hardcore gamer" and a believer in Christ at the same time. I would consider myself a "hardcore gamer". But I suppose that depends on your definition of the term. How do you define "hardcore gamer"?
I understand having suicidal thoughts. I am having them myself lately. You're not "un-Christian" for having suicidal thoughts. You're struggling. It's important to have a realistic expectation of yourself. You're going to struggle. That doesn't mean you don't love Christ. It doesn't mean you don't have faith. It means this: you're struggling. That's all. It's a test from God or a trial from the Devil. Simply put. You just have to make sure that Christ is your focus. He must be #1. Seriously.
I also went to public school. It was full of atheists. I constantly argued with them. Lol. And they were stubborn. You probably won't convince them. And that's okay. It's not your fault if you don't convince them. All you can do is preach the Word. There will be backlash. There will be opposition. And if they are like a wall--you don't have to keep beating yourself against the wall. If you've spoken the Gospel once and they refuse to receive the Gospel--you've done what you can.
However, at the current time you are spiritually weak. I don't think you're in a place to evangelize and preach the Gospel. You need spiritual nourishment for yourself, first.
Regarding your boyfriend--drop him. Break it off with him as soon as you can. Do it kindly, of course. But he is not healthy for you. Trust me--I've been in relationships with atheists as a Christian and it didn't work out, at all. You're not married to him. Break it off with him.
You may not know much about God, or about Jesus. How much do you know about the Bible itself? How often have you read it? What books have you read?
I suggest you do these things, and in this order (I find chronological lists helpful, myself--I hope this helps you):
1. Pray. Ask God for help, and guidance. Ask the Lord to kindle a fire for Him in your heart. Ask Him to help you read His Word. Confess your sins, and thank Him for giving you another day of life. Thank Him for His sacrifice on the cross. Tell Him that you love Him.
2. After you have finished praying, read the Gospel of John. You don't have to read the whole thing in one sitting. Start small--six chapters or so at a time.
3. Listen to praise music. Do you have any artists that you like? I like Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, and good old hymns myself.
These three things above are immediate. Prayer, reading six chapters of John, and listening to worship music. You can read the whole book if you want, though. That would probably be best. But you don't have to. When someone has been starving, you don't feed them a three course meal. You nourish them, slowly, until they are back to normal.
The things below are implementations into your daily life.
4. You can fast from gaming. I don't think you necessarily have to, but I will pray that the Holy Spirit gives you discernment. If fasting from gaming is too difficult, which it may be right now because you are not strong, spiritually, simply set limits for yourself. Play for a couple of hours each day, and then stop.
5. You need to read Scripture. It is a MUST. I suggest you read six chapters a day. You can read them from any books you want. But six a day. It should only take you about an hour. That's just an hour out of your day. Daily nourishment is very important.
6. Attend a church where you can be fed and where you can worship properly. This is important. Churches that teach "moralism" are not feeding you. They're teaching you how to be a good citizen. What kind of church do you attend? What's it called?
7. Eventually, break it off with your boyfriend. When I say eventually, I mean in like a few weeks, after you've implemented these things. Christ will strengthen you and you will have been being nourished daily for three weeks by that point.
Only once you are fully restored to health should you even begin to evangelize to others. You're in no position to do that right now.
I love you. Everything is going to be okay. Trust in the LORD. If you need to talk to me about anything, please don't hesitate to write me. And please feel free to update me on your struggles and accomplishments and how things are going. It's important to me.
We are here for you. The others have given you wise counsel. Consider what we have said, and be prayerful.
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:13 pm
Jewelies Awww, don't say that you're insignificant. You're not! It's okay to ask for help, in fact I think it takes a lot of courage to do so. I know I myself don't always have the courage to ask for help when I need it, and it touches my heart to see someone young like yourself having the courage and the strength to reach out for help. I have to agree with Real Eyes about your boyfriend. As painful as it may be, you can't force him to change if he doesn't want to. I think the advice she gave about avoiding lustful thoughts/situations with him was very sound, and very wise. I also agree about being unequally yoked. As painful as it may sound, there will be a lot more heartache down the road if you remain unequally yoked to him. If it doesn't stunt your growth in Christ, then eventually you will grow stronger in Christ and it will cause a rift between the two of you because he won't understand why you're a different person than you were before, and he probably won't like who you're becoming. As for the video games...I feel like a hypocrite for saying this, because it's something I struggle with often. If fasting from them entirely is too difficult, then what I might suggest would be to set aside a time each day for Christ where you sit and read your Bible, pray, and/or worship. Don't let yourself make excuses, just do it. I will admit, this is something I struggle with a great deal, but when I do set aside time for the Lord, I always feel far better. If they are games that you feel are pulling you away from the Lord, then maybe they are games you need to get rid of. There are games I have had to get rid of or destroy because I felt the Lord telling me he didn't want me to play them anymore. It was, I admit, something very hard for me to do (and at times it is still something I struggle with), but I felt more free in the long run because I didn't have those games holding me down. Ah, thank you so much for replying to me, as well >.< It really means a ton to me, I don't know how I should thank you! crying
The thing is, about my boyfriend, is that he used to be a Christian, in the past, and had turned away from his faith, because he thought that it wasn't right for him, and I guess... i just feel like he never understood why he really served the Lord and thought there was no purpose in doing so >.< I really want to pray, fast, and try my best, to turn him over to God. He really is a great guy, that is always there for me, like the many times I'm scared, or depressed, or when I need someone to tell my problems to, he's always right there. I really don't want to see him continue to walk on this path he's going, because it surely leads to Death. And I myself am walking down the same path he is >.< I know I'm running out of time, as the days continue to grow more dark and every second that passes, the closer we get to the return of Jesus.
Also, I understand what you're saying about the gaming, haha. I'll try my best to lower my playing time, so that God's time starts to get the heavier side of the scale ^^. But, it's extremely difficult to let these games go. I've invested a lot of time and money into the games, and I've also met a ton of people that I wouldn't want to say goodbye to, and I also want to share with them my knowledge of God. >.< >sighs< I mean, I tried to stay off the site, for a day, yesterday, but I ended up going on it, at night. And even throughout the day, I didn't want to read the Bible, or pray. Ah... >.< I'm such a mess, haha ;~;
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:28 pm
Garland-Green Brave of you to post! I am glad you decided to. smile The good news for you in all of this is that you are not spiritually blind. You have ears that hear, and eyes that see. Your heart is not so hard that you can't see where there is a need to repent. There is great hope for you. Listen to what your conscience is telling you that you need to do to get closer to God. Romans 12:2-3 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith real eyes realize is spot on. You need to discipline yourself. Your thought-life. 1 Timothy 4:6-8 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come You have properly understood why you are sinning more and more. You are spending more time engaging in the things the world is engaging in, than as someone called out of the world and meant to put her mind on the things above. Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Galatians 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. It is an action. They have crucified the flesh. It is something that has to be done. And you are not any more insignificant than anyone else here. ^_^ Psalm 8:3-4 …When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Sure you can. You as someone saved are not left to your own devices, but you have all spiritual blessing available to you through Jesus. You can overcome, because He overcame, and He is there for you. Thank you, very much for this! It really did bring tears to my eyes! ;w; I'm very glad that there seems to still be hope for me, since I feel very lost and... hopeless. >.< I will try to discipline myself the best that I can >.< And ...I'm not really sure why I've engaged into the things of the world, once more. Back then, I was extremely satisfied with the Word being my source of "entertainment". Yet somehow, I'm back in this web of Gaming and other distractions, and I can't help but feel so trapped >.< Im going to try my best to focus on the Word, however, and try to overcome whatever is holding me back from doing what God wants me to do. >.< Thank you, very much! >.<
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:38 pm
ChibiHigh x-Syk0 Hey there >.< My name's Alexandria and umm... well... I've been in this guild for a really long time, but ... I guess I've never really had the guts to post anything. But well.. here I am, haha ^^ Um >.< Im 16 years old, my birthday's coming up really soon >.< And I've accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, in February 2013. From then, till the summer of 2013, I was a pretty hardcore Christian and I had been a wonderful person. But then, during summer, I had took my eyes off of God and had, instead, nose-dived into the world of gaming. Since then, which has been -- what, a year now? Haha ^^ -- I've been a hardcore gamer, instead of firm believer in Christ. And since then, I guess I've just been sinning more and more. >.< I can't seem to find a firm grip on God, anymore. I don't even want to touch my bible at times, and I have no friends in the Church I go to, who I can reach out to. >.< I've had thoughts of suicide, numerous times and... even though I know my purpose in life is to lead people to God, I've kept on putting it off, again and again. I really don't know what I'm doing with myself >.< I'm afraid to talk to my friends at school about God, because I attend a public school, full of kids that are athiests. And I'm a really shy, and sensitive person >_< So im afraid to speak up x[ It's actually a struggle to actually post this >.< I also have a boyfriend, but he is an atheist, and keeps claiming he doesn't need Jesus. I also struggle with Lust, because of him, and I don't know how to talk to him about God, since I feel like I don't know too much about God, myself =[ I need help, and prayer, really, really badly. I want to be the same person I was a year ago, when I had asked Jesus to come into my life. I'm in this huge mess, and it's a struggle to even wake up, everyday x[ Is there anyone that'll take some time to talk to me? Can anyone help me? =[ You should pat yourself on the back for posting, that took a lot of courage biggrin im at work so i'll have to be brief. Gaming is great and i totally understand being wrapped up in it. Next thing i know.ive been playing for half the day. I find it easier to not play than to take a break during game time. What i mean is, i get everything done first and.then i play. You could also use gaming as a reward. Do you have a daily bread? Its a nice way to get back into reading the bible and the verses they give you each day arent very long. You could do that or set a time for yourself, like 5-10min of reading everyday when youre in the bathroom or sitting in the car. And as a reward you can play games. Bit by bit increase your prayer time while decreasing your game time to an acceptable limit. That way youre taking time out.for god witbout rushing and you have time for games. Its easier to put God first and gaming second than vice versa in my opinion because i get way too hooked on what im doing >.< Sorry if its confusing, im typing really fast on my phone during break. DX I'll expand on it later. Hello~ ! Thank you, very much for replying ;w; It means a whole lot to me, thank you! And yes, it really did take a lot of courage, and effort... I really felt pathetic and silly, typing it, honestly =[ >.< And I see what you mean, that instead of playing games first and trying to squeeze in some time for God, later, I should simply switch this around. God should be my top priority and gaming shouldn't even be put in the same level as importance of God >. < I mean, I really do get hooked onto whatever I'm doing, while I game, too /. But ill try, either way, to increase my prayer time, bit by bit >.< I don't really have the strength to stop gaming, completely. >sighs< /. But thank you, again, for helping me out ;w; >hugs< T.T !!
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:58 pm
Scarlet_Teardrops x-Syk0 Hey there >.< My name's Alexandria and umm... well... I've been in this guild for a really long time, but ... I guess I've never really had the guts to post anything. But well.. here I am, haha ^^ Um >.< Im 16 years old, my birthday's coming up really soon >.< And I've accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, in February 2013. From then, till the summer of 2013, I was a pretty hardcore Christian and I had been a wonderful person. But then, during summer, I had took my eyes off of God and had, instead, nose-dived into the world of gaming. Since then, which has been -- what, a year now? Haha ^^ -- I've been a hardcore gamer, instead of firm believer in Christ. And since then, I guess I've just been sinning more and more. >.< I can't seem to find a firm grip on God, anymore. I don't even want to touch my bible at times, and I have no friends in the Church I go to, who I can reach out to. >.< I've had thoughts of suicide, numerous times and... even though I know my purpose in life is to lead people to God, I've kept on putting it off, again and again. I really don't know what I'm doing with myself >.< I'm afraid to talk to my friends at school about God, because I attend a public school, full of kids that are athiests. And I'm a really shy, and sensitive person >_< So im afraid to speak up x[ It's actually a struggle to actually post this >.< I also have a boyfriend, but he is an atheist, and keeps claiming he doesn't need Jesus. I also struggle with Lust, because of him, and I don't know how to talk to him about God, since I feel like I don't know too much about God, myself =[ I need help, and prayer, really, really badly. I want to be the same person I was a year ago, when I had asked Jesus to come into my life. I'm in this huge mess, and it's a struggle to even wake up, everyday x[ Is there anyone that'll take some time to talk to me? Can anyone help me? =[
There's nothing wrong with gaming itself. You can even be a "hardcore gamer" and a believer in Christ at the same time. I would consider myself a "hardcore gamer". But I suppose that depends on your definition of the term. How do you define "hardcore gamer"?
I understand having suicidal thoughts. I am having them myself lately. You're not "un-Christian" for having suicidal thoughts. You're struggling. It's important to have a realistic expectation of yourself. You're going to struggle. That doesn't mean you don't love Christ. It doesn't mean you don't have faith. It means this: you're struggling. That's all. It's a test from God or a trial from the Devil. Simply put. You just have to make sure that Christ is your focus. He must be #1. Seriously.
I also went to public school. It was full of atheists. I constantly argued with them. Lol. And they were stubborn. You probably won't convince them. And that's okay. It's not your fault if you don't convince them. All you can do is preach the Word. There will be backlash. There will be opposition. And if they are like a wall--you don't have to keep beating yourself against the wall. If you've spoken the Gospel once and they refuse to receive the Gospel--you've done what you can.
However, at the current time you are spiritually weak. I don't think you're in a place to evangelize and preach the Gospel. You need spiritual nourishment for yourself, first.
Regarding your boyfriend--drop him. Break it off with him as soon as you can. Do it kindly, of course. But he is not healthy for you. Trust me--I've been in relationships with atheists as a Christian and it didn't work out, at all. You're not married to him. Break it off with him.
You may not know much about God, or about Jesus. How much do you know about the Bible itself? How often have you read it? What books have you read?
I suggest you do these things, and in this order (I find chronological lists helpful, myself--I hope this helps you):
1. Pray. Ask God for help, and guidance. Ask the Lord to kindle a fire for Him in your heart. Ask Him to help you read His Word. Confess your sins, and thank Him for giving you another day of life. Thank Him for His sacrifice on the cross. Tell Him that you love Him.
2. After you have finished praying, read the Gospel of John. You don't have to read the whole thing in one sitting. Start small--six chapters or so at a time.
3. Listen to praise music. Do you have any artists that you like? I like Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, and good old hymns myself.
These three things above are immediate. Prayer, reading six chapters of John, and listening to worship music. You can read the whole book if you want, though. That would probably be best. But you don't have to. When someone has been starving, you don't feed them a three course meal. You nourish them, slowly, until they are back to normal.
The things below are implementations into your daily life.
4. You can fast from gaming. I don't think you necessarily have to, but I will pray that the Holy Spirit gives you discernment. If fasting from gaming is too difficult, which it may be right now because you are not strong, spiritually, simply set limits for yourself. Play for a couple of hours each day, and then stop.
5. You need to read Scripture. It is a MUST. I suggest you read six chapters a day. You can read them from any books you want. But six a day. It should only take you about an hour. That's just an hour out of your day. Daily nourishment is very important.
6. Attend a church where you can be fed and where you can worship properly. This is important. Churches that teach "moralism" are not feeding you. They're teaching you how to be a good citizen. What kind of church do you attend? What's it called?
7. Eventually, break it off with your boyfriend. When I say eventually, I mean in like a few weeks, after you've implemented these things. Christ will strengthen you and you will have been being nourished daily for three weeks by that point.
Only once you are fully restored to health should you even begin to evangelize to others. You're in no position to do that right now.
I love you. Everything is going to be okay. Trust in the LORD. If you need to talk to me about anything, please don't hesitate to write me. And please feel free to update me on your struggles and accomplishments and how things are going. It's important to me.
We are here for you. The others have given you wise counsel. Consider what we have said, and be prayerful.
Hello, there ~ >hugs< >< Thank you for responding to my plea, it really is helping me, a ton! ;w;
Ummm... I call myself a hardcore gamer, because I've spent countless hours and hundreds of dollars towards my gamer life. I purchased a new gaming computer, monitor, keyboard, speakers, and spent a huge sum of money on the games I play. >.< And I understand, that to preach the gospel to others, I'll need nourishment. Without that, I won't be able to really understand what I am talking about, and it won't come out right. Then, people won't listen... >.< As for my boyfriend, I really... don't know if I can drop him. It's not like I see him each and every day, since he lives very far away from me >.< He's gone above and beyond for me, as it is, without complaining. For ex., once we went to a park and stayed there 8 hours. The entire time, he was starving, yet he didn't complain or say anything about it, whatsoever. He's listened to the stories I've told him, about the bible, and even said he wouldn't mind coming with me to church. >.< If anything, I want to try to bring him BACK to Christ, because he was a Christian, in the past. And, if I fail, after trying to bring him to God, then, I'll try to take it upon myself to let him go. But, right now, I really can't cut my ties with him. >.< However, I'll try my best to do the three things you've told me, and ask God to help me make better decisions. I hope he'll strengthen me, and if I need to talk to someone about my progress, i'll be sure to ask you questions, along with all the wonderful people that responded to me >hugs< ;w; >.< Thank you so much. I love you, and everyone as well, and I will consider what I've been told =]
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