Christianity Oasis Forum

[grandma dolittle]

A sentence that was step nine attracted my attention and that was we are what we surround ouselves with. Ant that is so right. If we think "what would Jesus would I do if Jesus entered my house right at this moment?" That will get your attention. Is the book you are reading acceptable to him or would you have to hide it suddenly; would you have to change channels on tv; turn off the movie; put on more clothes; usher a friend out the back door; hush the topic of conversation?

I found the more I immerse myself in Christian theme things, the closer I feel to God and the more I am able to focus on him. However, I am not perfect and I slip at times. A couple weeks ago when we had to tear out my bathroom because of the black mold, I got a snoot full and it made me very sick. I was so weak, all I could do for days was to lie on the couch. A friend brought over a set of the old Dark Shadows sitcom movies and we watched them laughing at them. I knew that was wrong thing to do and by the time we had watched them all, I was in deep depression.

I tried to blame the mold, but in truth the mold was only partly to blame because I was the one to take my focus off Christ. Then devil jumped in with both feet and things went from bad to worse. After I begin the steps, I begin to see that I was the one who allowed the depression to happen. Watching the Dark Shadow tapes might have been innocent, but Satan took advantage of it and when the Holy Spirit tried to tell me that I was doing wrong, he was making light of it. I just grew sicker until I finally quit watching them, read the Word and joined the step program.

The weeds in our garden sometimes lie hidden under other plants and we don't see them until they have done damage. When we pull those weeds out, the garden can recoup and with God's help become strong and beautiful again.
A good dose of fertlizer and thing will be right again.

[Ruthk34]

I know what you mean. I used to read some pretty bad books and had decided to get away from that kind of material. Just yesterday I bought this book on my e-reader that I thought I would like but it turned out to be a bad one. I was repulsed by it so I stopped reading it. God had revealed to me last year when I was in church that the books I was reading were no good. I felt Him so stronglingly that it shook me to the point I thought my knee's would give out. I stood holding the pew in front of me to keep me up. I can't remember what the paster was saying in our final prayer but I do remember thinking "no nothing that I can think of" related to the serman but that was when God showed me a vision of my books and I knew. When I got home I bagged up all the bad books I had to get rid of them and I was still shaking from the impact that it had.
Since then I had done some backsliding but as I am growing closer to God the easier it is to stay away from the immoral books as I feel discusted by them now.

I can do all things through Christ which stengtheneth me. Amen.

[grandma dolittle]

I have read all the good Biblical based books in my library. I may be weird, but I don't like to read Joyce, or Billy Graham or books like that. I feel what I am reading is their opinion and I would rather read the word for myself and let God give me the knowledge I need. I trust NO ONE with my soul. It is way too precious, the price was too high to allow someone else lead it. So, I started reading the Amish books. I have enjoyed them and in a weird way they have brought me closer to God. I find myself thinking about something that happened in the books and Amish/Mennonite way of dealing with it. The book are full of God and the way they live their lives for God. I don't totally agree with them, but you will find no foul language, sex scenes or sexual inuendoes.

I quit reading most books after I got saved. Before I was an avid reader of anything I could get my hands on, but not now. I am still an avid reader, but of different kinds of books. Have you read the "Left Behind" series? Even if you don't believe in the rapture, they will make you think.

[Ruthk34]

Thanks for the input. I have read a few Amish books myself and found them pleasant. I have not read the "Left Behind" series. I will have to look that one up. Thank you.

[vahn]

Great post(s) . Glad I read it/them , it took me "back to the days" of a sort .

Is our Lord Awsome ? , or is He Awesome .

When my Lord told me "Ok , Ima fix you up" , and I agreed , I didn't know what I was getting myself into . I mean , all of the "other choices" were there no more , vanished ! poofed ! But , however , just like all of us , came the time of the so-called "backsliding" , I mean in the form of "Hmm , I wonder what this , or that is about ? , 'maybe I missed something' " .
Upon comming to that realization , I thought , that's it ! I'm zapped for life !

The way see things today is a lot different of course . I see it as , when He promises me something , He never does things "half-way" , in other words , the "backsliding" IS PART OF THE DEAL , HIS PLAN .... Weird you may say , but , really , taking a deeper look at it , I hope it would make sense .

When we see someone doing a "bad" thing , or , rather , let me put it in my own experience , someone told me "what I was doing was not right" , and , of course , I would ask , WHY ? . Now , if that person's only explanation was to be "Because it is" ... I'd say , "sure ! get outa here" right ? ..... It would be a tottally different reaction from me , if that person would say something like " Well , because I did the same thing , and , look what happened "

In backsliding we learn from EXPERIENCE , hece we be more convincing .... but , on the other hand , by sheer "intellectual knowledge" al we have is "because he said/she said situation"

I think , when Jesus walks in to my room right now , He'd put on a smile on His face and say " I am pleased , because you are doing EXACTLY what I want you to do , including the so-called "bad" stuff" .

And my belief is that , He would be doing the very same with you ladies .



Keep up the good work(s)
Luv ya
In Christ , our Lord
vahn

[realtmg]

Nice Post Vahn!

GBU Bro.

Real

[grandma dolittle]

Vahn,
I was a backslider too. This time coming to Christ is more precious, more intense thant the first time. I KNOW now how precious my soul is and it is from my sinful days. I was never really lost, although I did sinful things, the Holy Spirit took the pleasure of the experience away and caused my conscience to bug me continually. I wasn't happy no matter where I went and what I did. When I finally come home and went to the small country church I was raised in,and first accepted Christ, I felt God's presence the minute I walked into the door and felt I was home at last. I knew from the first song that I would not be albe to sit through the altar call and I am so glad I didn't!

[JohnR]

It's been a few days since I've posted any responces & I have to say I miss it. Every time I read the posts here it reminds me of the work Christ is doing in all our lives & how He takes us just as we are. It also reminds me that in supporting each other we are sharing & spreading Gods love. I too can be easily distracted by the difficulties of this life & in the past my biggest ones were music & porn. I thank God that I've gotten to the point in my life where secular music (rock) no longer has the attraction it once did & by the grace of God up untill this point God has also delivered me from my desire to look at porn. But again now Satan uses past failures, depression, my lack of a physical relationship with my wife, an extremely bad living condition, etc. to attack me. Lately I've been trying to focus on God's grace & have been lisening a lot to Joseph Prince. And I'm still praying to be delivered from my trouble sleeping. I pray that God will deliver us all from those demons with cause us to fail to see God's love at work in our lives.
God Bless All

Keep on Prayin!