Despair Over the Future

I'm not agist either way and was only noticing HP's apparent distress about approaching 30. My sister experienced a similar crisis at the time enough that I wished her a happy twenty-teenth birthday to accommodate her anxiety moving into her 30s. Why do we have to wait for our perfection while enduring zits, blemishes, and laugh-lines, and death in the meantime? IDK, but I do "know" we'll look back on it, if the memory of it is provided for as if it were all a bad case of gas that's stink will be waved away in the wind. Meanwhile, I'mna treat life as a treasure hunt and try to find the joy in everything, even tho it might seem hidden.

As a man thinketh so is he.

Jesus Christ never spoke a single word of himself. All his words were from God. We too should be careful about the words we speak, as those words truly will come back to judge us.

This is true. That's why we get jobs; to make money, so we can have a roof over our head, food to eat, a place to sleep. I get turned off when christians act like their life is just wonderful all the time because of what they are experiencing spiritually. The spiritual is nice, in fact, I would say essential. Life is pretty empty without God. But as long as we remain in the physical realm, we have physical needs and desire.

This shoot from the hip style discussion is very worthy of serious study.
My proposition is that Christianity is worth more than the breath that you pull into your lungs through your nostrils. And thus worth more than your present life.

If I was in your shoes I would more than likely feel exactly the same way you do and possibly would have given up already if not sooner.

The reason is that Christianity is not a fly-by-night or a get rich quick scheme (by rich I mean having a good or comfortable earthly life).

Let's make an example. If 2 people start working at the same company in the same position, and they both work for 10 to 20 years. The first person, A, at the end of 20 years has $100 in the bank.
But the 2nd person, B, has $100,000 in the bank.

Which one would be in a position to enjoy a good life, probably buy a nice home, a car etc etc.
Now the person, A, might wake up, when he notices B's good fortune. But person A has a serious problem. Inflation has wiped out all of his savings and prevents him from making any serious future savings.

This is one of the problems that would deter many from coming to Christ today. We are presently in the tribulation where God's wrath and judgment is taking it's toll on everyone. (Even those true Christians, because these have accumulated a surplus of resilience that will take them to the end.)

Just a few verses for your consideration.

Ecc 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

I am sure that there are scores of verses in the new testament that says the exact same thing. The gist of the problem is that those who do not have a good foundation will flounder in these last days.

Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Isa_5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

In summary I would say that those who exercised their faith, God will protect them. Those who are lukewarm with inconsistent faith will suffer the wrath of God. (Possibly leading them to give up on their faith.)

Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The bible is extremely clear, the 5 unwise virgins who were unprepared were shut out of the kingdom of heaven.

I will be short here. God has given me more than I need physically. Why do some Christians remain in physical depravity, I can only think that they have no faith. Their faith is not genuine ( that is feigned.)

This question jogged my brain for a minute. There were many people who came to Jesus seeking salvation and access into the kingdom of God. It is said that many of them turned away, when they saw that the cost would be too high for them.

It is also noteworthy that Jesus's thoughts about some of them, was this, He loved them. (Possibly they were well-intentioned and good people. I don't know, or maybe it was some sort of compassionate love, because of their choice. I don't know.

Of course we know that God loves the world (John 3:16) which caused him to do what he did when he sacrificed his Son for the world.

Now I have run out of options to address the question of why we do what we do. It is possible that we are who we are and thus cannot change the color of our skin or the desires of our heart. This sounds very simplistic and would seem to contradict the bible's premise of us having the capability to choose good over evil.

But it appears that there is one prerequisite or requirement. And that requirement is that God has to call us to Himself. And those who are called always hear that calling.

Mat_20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Mat_22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

The question then, would be, if God calls someone, why then would he not be chosen. The answer then becomes apparent that in these last-days world, we all have the ability to accept and reject that call.

We run into a long list of problems when we take this logical view to its logical end. For example was our names not written in the book of life. etc. etc.

This is where faith comes in. God's ways are pass finding out because God is God and stands alone at the very top.
The bible states, where were we when God was putting the foundation of the world together.

We cannot question God when we do not fully understand everything as that would be highly presumptuous and would be like trying to dethrone God. Many will try but you possibly can guess who will have the last laugh. (This is not said in jest but is the reality, the king of Tyrus in Ezekiel 28:2 was of the highest intellect and very wise but his wisdom was foolishness to God's wisdom.)

True Christians know that Jesus has told us the truth. That is not debatable. If you do not know the truth then you do not belong. Also if you know or believe the truth but reject it then you have just made your own bed to lie in. (The state of this person is corrupt and he does not belong in the kingdom of God.)

In summary I would say that lack of faith means that you do not believe. And faith is the foundation of Christianity.

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Sorry to butt in without being invited. But I would like to make a comment. At 16 years of age, I did not know my head from my foot. So having problems is normal and within the realm of life and Christianity. I wish I had known a few verses then, which could have put me on the right pathway; I will give you one such verse.

Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

I cannot stress too much the importance of the above highlighted phrase.
Haste makes waste, if you already believe.

Really if you believe, God does the rest but believe you must if you are going to qualify for the above verse applying to you.

Spoken like a true holier-than-thou saint who's never had a faith crisis or any spiritual struggle at all.

Try living with Asperger's, knowing from an early age just how different you are from everybody, and how isolating that is. Try truly contemplating that your life and everything and everyone in it is destined to end, and there's nothing you can do but wait for some nebulous ambiguous concept of an afterlife that's as unappetizing as it is eternal. Try doing everything you were told to do as a Christian, for years, only for nothing to change, either inwardly or outwardly. Try looking to holidays and birthdays not with excitement but dread, as they remind you of days of joy that you'll never get back. Try watching everyone around you succeed in life while you're left in near-agonizing loneliness. Try wondering if God simply doesn't care and just wants you not to be your flawed self but be perfect like his perfect Son. I'm not Jesus and I never will be. If God can't accept that, then I can't either.

In August I had a young man tell me a story much like yours, though he wasn't a Christian, he did believe in God. This young man appeared to be on the brink of suicide. I taught him a little about Jesus, and how we must repent, else we will not be in a relationship with him. Which is very important because the Joy of the Lord....comes through being in that relationship. Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:2)

I then taught this young man, how to repent, something he later discovered a large percentage of believers, like yourself....do not know how to do. If they did, they wouldn't be feeling so miserable. The bible says, there is Joy in the Lord...not misery in the Lord.
This young man went home, thinking I was a kook, but because of his deep desire to feel joy, he did as I had instructed. Then, he discovered I was telling him the truth. He was surprised at how much joy he felt...and how his joy grew greater and greater, a joy that has never left him after 8 months. I know this because he lives in another state and texts me almost everyday. He's still amazed at how blind he was, seeking what he thought he needed, through material things. Feeling foolish that everything he ever bought, everything he ever wanted to buy, was to purchase that Joy, the Lord gives to us for free. time, never realizing everyones true quest in life is to find Joy.

What did I instruct him to do?
I simply told him, Get alone somewhere, on your knees, and tell God you're sorry for sinning against him. Ask him to forgive you of all your sins, and then ask him to show you the way. Then, just do what the Holy Spirit commands you to do.
How did he discover I was telling the Truth?
Because immediately after his confession of sin...He was convicted by Holy Spirit, something which he had never experienced before. He said he saw evil in the world, for the very first time...all the evil in the world....and it made him feel very uncomfortable.
Was he now saved?
No...His repentance put him in a relationship with Jesus Christ. A relationship which he had never known.
How did he maintained his relationship with Jesus?
He confesses sin, whenever he sins. Something many believers do not know is....Unconfessed sin is Unforgiven sin and it separates man from God.
Proof?
Go and do the same thing this young man did. If your sins were all forgiven, as many are taught, nothing will happen when you confess and ask God for forgiveness. But if you do feel something is different, like this young man did.....it's because you're in the light of God and now you are able to see the evil in the world, the evil you can not see when you walk in the darkness.
(Isaiah 59:2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

This folks...Is why the Lord is constantly telling those in the Church....To Repent!!!!
(Revelation 2)

Yet another person who thinks they know me. What a surprise. I don't know why I bother to come on this forum. People don't become Christians because they're lectured. I've tried my darnedest to be patient, but the next time someone wants to do that here, I'm blocking them.

You are looking for tangible proof of this wonderful life God promises in the bible...and I merely offered you a way to see it firsthand. People can wear a bible out by reading it, but by itself, it still doesn't prove anything. You say...you are saved, so if this is true, logically you have no reason to confess your sins.
I'm merely asking you to test what I say, to see if it is true....before you make me out to be your enemy.

Happy Easter!!