New here!

[wanderer98]

Hi all,

As the title might suggest, I'm new here!

I guess I'm not completely sure why I joined - what I do know is that recently I have begun to really feel drawn back to my faith. I grew up as a Christian and went to church regularly as a child and a teenager. When I went off the university however, I feel like God and faith really stopped being part of my life. It's been that way for almost 10 years now.

In recent months, I've been struggling with a sense of not belonging anywhere and feeling a bit lost. It's been through this that I've realised I have really missed having my faith.

I suppose I'm scared to try find it again. I don't really know how! So I was hoping there would be some kind folk on here that would be willing to point me in the right direction and offer some advice for an ex-Christian who wants to drop the "ex" part out of the title.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling post! Look forward to meeting some like-minded people and getting back on the right path : )

- Wanderer

 

[andy700700]

Luke 15:11-32
New International Version
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Luke 15:32
New International Version
32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Romans 3:23
New International Version
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23
New International Version
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8
New International Version
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 2:8-9
New International Version
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Romans 10:9-10
New International Version
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Romans 10:13
New International Version
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Revelation 21
New International Version
21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

 

[GRACE_ambassador]

I suppose I'm scared to try find it again. I don't really know how! So I was hoping there would be some kind folk on here that would be willing to point me in the right direction and offer some advice for an ex-Christian who wants to drop the "ex" part out of the title.

Precious friend, @wanderer98, A Very Warm Welcome to "Chat" - please see post on your
profile page.

I will be praying for you.

Amen.

 

[Tall_Timbers]

Welcome, wanderer98!

 

[PAC-fit]

I feel like God and faith really stopped being part of my life.

Beg you pardon 'wanderer98' but, having walked so long with the Lord those many years, how did you manage to not know such things occur? Never mind, not important. Your story is like so many of us who come face-to-face with our own undoing only to find room at the cross and that same narrow path He knows you wish to travel with God's exceptional love and fellowship with the Lord's presence. He never leaves us and shows us the doors and provisions that was meant for you. It is for the present incomplete it seems, that is there to put patience to work for His plans for you. Trust Him.

 

[andy700700]

Matthew 13
New International Version
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

 

[lisatanner]

welcome wanderer98.

 

[Bingo]

Make no mistake, you, I, and surely many have found that the "noise of the world"
takes us away from how we were raised in a Christian atmosphere, it happens.

Thankfully, I came to realize a troubled life needs God in one's life. "Amen"
I hope you embrace the thought of putting God back into your life. In quiet times,
one needs to become God-conscious... become fully aware of this divine presence and
its guiding energy in every moment and action. Pray and let the heart become
spiritually enlightened through knowing God's love is always there, and embrace this thought daily.

 

[Adstar]

Hi all,

As the title might suggest, I'm new here!

I guess I'm not completely sure why I joined - what I do know is that recently I have begun to really feel drawn back to my faith. I grew up as a Christian and went to church regularly as a child and a teenager. When I went off the university however, I feel like God and faith really stopped being part of my life. It's been that way for almost 10 years now.

In recent months, I've been struggling with a sense of not belonging anywhere and feeling a bit lost. It's been through this that I've realised I have really missed having my faith.

I suppose I'm scared to try find it again. I don't really know how! So I was hoping there would be some kind folk on here that would be willing to point me in the right direction and offer some advice for an ex-Christian who wants to drop the "ex" part out of the title.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling post! Look forward to meeting some like-minded people and getting back on the right path : )

- Wanderer

I suggest getting a Bible and reading the Gospels.. Hey you can read the entire New Testament too if you are really serious about your search.. After that if you are really Hard Core you can even start the great sagas of reading the OLD Testament

But yeah seriously get into the Words of Jesus and when ever you have questions share them in here with us.. Someone might have been given wisdom by God to answer you..

 

[Gideon300]

Hi all,

As the title might suggest, I'm new here!

I guess I'm not completely sure why I joined - what I do know is that recently I have begun to really feel drawn back to my faith. I grew up as a Christian and went to church regularly as a child and a teenager. When I went off the university however, I feel like God and faith really stopped being part of my life. It's been that way for almost 10 years now.

In recent months, I've been struggling with a sense of not belonging anywhere and feeling a bit lost. It's been through this that I've realised I have really missed having my faith.

I suppose I'm scared to try find it again. I don't really know how! So I was hoping there would be some kind folk on here that would be willing to point me in the right direction and offer some advice for an ex-Christian who wants to drop the "ex" part out of the title.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling post! Look forward to meeting some like-minded people and getting back on the right path : )

- Wanderer

Welcome. God is delighted when a lost soul seeks to come back. The number one requirement is to be honest with God. Tell Him your fears. Tell Him that you want to get back to faith. Read the gospel of John. It was written so that we might believe, so it's a good place to start. Confess your sin. More than that, you need to realise that you are at heart a sinner. God only saves sinners. When you are ready, repent of your former way of life and accept Jesus as saviour and Lord. Maybe you've done that before. That is no longer current, so it does no harm to start afresh.

 

[faithlife]

Hi wanderer98 glad you are joining us welcome to CC! The reason you joined is bc the Holy Spirit led you here and thank the Lord for that Happy Holydays, God bless you and your endeavors

 

[Magenta]

Welcome!

 

[Magenta]

I have begun to really feel drawn back to my faith. I grew up as a Christian and went to church
regularly as a child and a teenager. When I went off the university however, I feel like God and
faith really stopped being part of my life. It's been that way for almost 10 years now.

In recent months, I've been struggling with a sense of not belonging anywhere and feeling a bit lost.
It's been through this that I've realised I have really missed having my faith.

I suppose I'm scared to try find it again. I don't really know how!

^ Gospel of John is often recommended as a great place to start reading the Bible.
This movie is a word-for-Word portrayal of John's gospel.

Also, please check out the Alpha Course.

There are 10 videos total, answering a lot of questions about faith, Christianity historically and in the modern
world, the estate of man, and God's design for humans. I hope you watch them. They could benefit you greatly .

 

[wanderer98]

Beg you pardon 'wanderer98' but, having walked so long with the Lord those many years, how did you manage to not know such things occur? Never mind, not important. Your story is like so many of us who come face-to-face with our own undoing only to find room at the cross and that same narrow path He knows you wish to travel with God's exceptional love and fellowship with the Lord's presence. He never leaves us and shows us the doors and provisions that was meant for you. It is for the present incomplete it seems, that is there to put patience to work for His plans for you. Trust Him.

I certainly had moments of faltering in my faith previously but the past few years felt like a much more intense 'separation' from God, if that makes sense. But I thank you for your valuable insight and advice!

 

[wanderer98]

Welcome. God is delighted when a lost soul seeks to come back. The number one requirement is to be honest with God. Tell Him your fears. Tell Him that you want to get back to faith. Read the gospel of John. It was written so that we might believe, so it's a good place to start. Confess your sin. More than that, you need to realise that you are at heart a sinner. God only saves sinners. When you are ready, repent of your former way of life and accept Jesus as saviour and Lord. Maybe you've done that before. That is no longer current, so it does no harm to start afresh.

Thanks very much for this advice - engaging with the gospels is definitely something I need to get back to so I'm glad to have a place to start. I like your comment about starting afresh - it feels comforting to know that with God this is possible to do.

 

[wanderer98]

^ Gospel of John is often recommended as a great place to start reading the Bible.
This movie is a word-for-Word portrayal of John's gospel.

Also, please check out the Alpha Course.

There are 10 videos total, answering a lot of questions about faith, Christianity historically and in the modern
world, the estate of man, and God's design for humans. I hope you watch them. They could benefit you greatly .

I'm very grateful for this, thank you Magenta!

 

[Magenta]

I'm very grateful for this, thank you Magenta!

You Are Welcome! God Bless You

 

[AnOldLady]

Welcome, Wanderer98. Glad you are coming back. I too encourage you to take this faith extremely seriously, as it is the gift of God and His graciousness that calls us to Him. Take His word above anyone else's. Study what He already told us. Both the old and new testament are very useful. Feel free to ask if any of us can help.

 

[Gideon300]

Thanks very much for this advice - engaging with the gospels is definitely something I need to get back to so I'm glad to have a place to start. I like your comment about starting afresh - it feels comforting to know that with God this is possible to do.

It does not matter how far from God we think we get, He is never far from us.

 

[Lynx]

Hi all,

As the title might suggest, I'm new here!

I guess I'm not completely sure why I joined - what I do know is that recently I have begun to really feel drawn back to my faith. I grew up as a Christian and went to church regularly as a child and a teenager. When I went off the university however, I feel like God and faith really stopped being part of my life. It's been that way for almost 10 years now.

In recent months, I've been struggling with a sense of not belonging anywhere and feeling a bit lost. It's been through this that I've realised I have really missed having my faith.

I suppose I'm scared to try find it again. I don't really know how! So I was hoping there would be some kind folk on here that would be willing to point me in the right direction and offer some advice for an ex-Christian who wants to drop the "ex" part out of the title.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling post! Look forward to meeting some like-minded people and getting back on the right path : )

- Wanderer

Everbody needs a reason to live.

Some people find it in a gang. They feel like they belong and like what they are doing with their lives matters.

Some find it in starting a family, something that will continue when they are gone.

Some don't have a reason, and they deal with depression from that every day.

The only reason I have found to live, the only one I can believe is worth anything, is to help other people along the way and love them because I love God and God loves them.

That's basically what being a Christian is. Everything else abourt Christianity comes from that, and if you take that away everything else in Christianity falls apart because there's no reason to do it all anymore.