Desperately Need Help! Please

[Racer17]

Hi,

My name is Angelo, I am 18 years old. I love racing and try to live for God, well, not lately, ya see, I have recently just, I dunno, fallen to tempation and started smoking cigaretts and still remain a tobacco chewer since age 16. I try very hard to not associate with trouble, because in the short 18 years I've lived on this earth, I learned that trouble simply only breeds more trouble. I am writing on this chat space because I have been talking to God allot these past few weeks, he has always been calling on me ya know, but, I guess I kinda sent his messages to the voicemail box, maybe a little bit hard to understand, just the way I feel. I need some advice on how to remain loyal to Lord daily, and quit my bad habits once and for all, no more talking mess, I want them gone. My life is a little bit difficult right now, and well, I'm not sure If the Lord still has room on his team for me because of all the negative acts I've pulled lateley. Please, If you can help me, anything, anyone with a true heart for God, that understands where I'm comming, I need the Help.

Thank You,
Angelo

[janine]

God has room for anyone who turns back to Him. 

Definitely fill your life with the things of God and they will crowd out the not-Godly things.

Others will have more to say I am sure as the day goes -- I need to run off & get a grandbaby to the doctor and go to work -- but I will check in again tonight.

Don't give up.   None of us are every "good enough" for God, just on our own merit -- He will make you good enough.  Let Him do that.

[I B 4 Jesus]

Hey Racer 17 I love racing also ! I root for #20 #26 #99 #17 you can over come all your sins with Jesus ! keep you eye on him at all times its when we look away that gets us in trouble I'm praying for you ! your about to quit smoking brother believe !!!!!

[janine]

Yeah -- and it's not so much about dropping all the bad things from your life, as it is about crowding them out by putting in so much that's from God.

[Jesusfan4ever]

You have my prayers! 

[BeartheCross]

Hey Racer 17 Welcome to your Fellow Race drivers in This place We call Life.

Racer 17 I dont know how much trouble you have gotten in, or what you are doing now.

but let me tell you about myself. right now I am 36, and by The Grace of GOd I have been spared.  When I was attending School I was a Petty Thefter used to stealing Clothes all the time. Want to Look nice with all those fancy brand names.

Me and My Friends would play mean practical jokes at School. I also pushed a teacher at school and had to go to Court. I got expelled and put on Probation and Ward of The Court.  placed in A Group home.

I had to stay from age 15 and 1/2  to age 19 . .

My Stealing continued till about 1994. though i got out of that. in my later 20s and young 30s I got into Porn addiction. . I have also committed numerous of Sexual acts..

Racer 17 as The LIfe I LIved it was rebellious against GOD. I had been called from about the age 19.

GOD was calling me along The way. I learned some but i still LIved in Sin.

in 2005 I thought GOD wanted me to go to Hell for all the bad I have done in my life. I was so convinced of it, I made several Suicide attempts. I also Called GOD all kinds of names, and told him to take me and put me in Hell where you want me.   .

Racer, You think what all i have done , on top of that calling GOD bad names, that GOD would for sure take me and send me to Hell.

. But Racer, GOD did not do that because GOD is not LIke that.   . So I stand here before you today because The Lord spared My LIfe. Not because I deserved it or that I earned it. It was The Grace of GOD..

YOu see when Jesus died on the Cross He did not die for Just some Sins. He died for all Sins. The Blood of Jesus and his forgiveness is Greater than all the wrong we have done.

The Bible says where Sins about The Grace of GOD abounds even further.

However please understand that it is important to take the calling of Jesus and listen to what He says. Jesus is Loving and cares for all of us no matter what WE have done.

But Jesus wants us to be"Born Again". that to get rid of the old LIfe and The Old ways. and to give our LIfe to Christ that we may Live in HIs Love. . .

The Bible says That GOD does not desire that anyone should perish. Racer, GOD does not want you to go to Hell, Nor anyone. it is The choice of each person whether they choose to accept Jesus and His Will. or to rebel and go their own Way..

John 14 6 Jesus says I am The way , The Truth and The Life and that No one goes to The Father exept by me.

Jesus says, I  am " The Way". He is not suggesting but telling us He is The way. Jesus says He is"The Truth" this is not a maybe or probably. Jesus is The Truth. Jesus says I am The Life. 

Through Jesus whom GOD the Father had sent to us to die for our Sins is The only way to Heaven. . All are given the same opportunity to accept This Gift that Jesus paid for us out of His Love. No one is denied who Truly seeks after him. . GOD is Faithful to Forgive us. ..

There are many who have done number of times worse than you have and have gotten saved. but dont wait Racer, because if you do Satan will try to have you procrastinate another week another month and another year.  Satan does not want you to accept Jesus. because He knows when you dont  you can't get Saved. after WE die it is too late. decision has been made.

. our decision should be now for the Bible says today is the day for Salvation. . Dont wait or it's too late..

your problems may not disappear over Night. but if you let Jesus in your Life continue to Pray and ask of His Help. Gather with other believers and Learn His Word. . .

No one is without hope when Jesus is Hope. Phil 4:13 all things are possible through Christ who Strengthens me.

I am BeartheCross. and if you want to write to me you are welcome.

[janine]

I will probably move this into the General Discussion section at least, if not the Prayer section -- it need to be seen more.

Some good points have been made here, Racer17.  No one is saying that we can lollygag around in sin, no one is saying that it's OK to keep doing things that are outright sinful -- it's not even Ok to do things that aren't sinful by themselves but that put you in a positon where it becomes sin for you.

Like the cigarettes, for example.  I really truly believe there is nothing wrong with smoking tobacco, itself (though of course some may disagree).  But I also really truly believe it might get to be sin for some people, and it might lead others to the same unbalanced place.  (Continued smoking when it's killing you might be sin; spending the money for a couple cartons a week when you have hungry kids or debts unpaid might be sin; being under age to smoke, yourself, or buying tobacco for someone else under age, that breaks the law -- more opportunity for sin right there.)

But, keeping all that in mind -- no one is saying we can lightly disregard our sinful ways and make no effort to change.  Jesus the Christ died for us, of course He deserves our highest regard and our efforts to be like Him --

Still, if we wait until we get it all together and need no more help in life to straighten out -- we will be waiting forever.  We certainly cannot take care of our debt load of past sins without Jesus, we would need Him if only for that!  But we also need Him with us daily, we need the Father watching over us, we need the Holy Spirit influencing us and helping us to pray.  We need God in all His ways of relating to us, to help us to become more like Himself.

So, yeah, we need to cut out the evil sinful ways.  But some sinful parts of our lives have such a death-grip on our souls, we will never be free of them until we throw ourselves at Jesus' feet and give them over to Him.  And to do that -- to be in relationship with Him so that it is His brotherly obligation and delight to help us bear the loads of life -- we need to be saved, to be made right with God, cleansed, set apart for His use.  We can't do any of that effectively.  Only He can do that.

[Bonnie]

I will probably move this into the General Discussion section at least, if not the Prayer section -- it need to be seen more.

Some good points have been made here, Racer17.  No one is saying that we can lollygag around in sin, no one is saying that it's OK to keep doing things that are outright sinful -- it's not even Ok to do things that aren't sinful by themselves but that put you in a positon where it becomes sin for you.

Like the cigarettes, for example.  I really truly believe there is nothing wrong with smoking tobacco, itself (though of course some may disagree).  But I also really truly believe it might get to be sin for some people, and it might lead others to the same unbalanced place.  (Continued smoking when it's killing you might be sin; spending the money for a couple cartons a week when you have hungry kids or debts unpaid might be sin; being under age to smoke, yourself, or buying tobacco for someone else under age, that breaks the law -- more opportunity for sin right there.)

But, keeping all that in mind -- no one is saying we can lightly disregard our sinful ways and make no effort to change.  Jesus the Christ died for us, of course He deserves our highest regard and our efforts to be like Him --

Still, if we wait until we get it all together and need no more help in life to straighten out -- we will be waiting forever.  We certainly cannot take care of our debt load of past sins without Jesus, we would need Him if only for that!  But we also need Him with us daily, we need the Father watching over us, we need the Holy Spirit influencing us and helping us to pray.  We need God in all His ways of relating to us, to help us to become more like Himself.

So, yeah, we need to cut out the evil sinful ways.  But some sinful parts of our lives have such a death-grip on our souls, we will never be free of them until we throw ourselves at Jesus' feet and give them over to Him.  And to do that -- to be in relationship with Him so that it is His brotherly obligation and delight to help us bear the loads of life -- we need to be saved, to be made right with God, cleansed, set apart for His use.  We can't do any of that effectively.  Only He can do that.

Wonderful testimony/advise.
It touched my heart.

[GloryB]

Like the cigarettes, for example.  I really truly believe there is nothing wrong with smoking tobacco, itself (though of course some may disagree). 

I totally agree Janine! 
-----------------------------------
Racer17,

Many times smoking, drinking, drugs, eating too much, etc...are all outward manifestations of problems going on in our hearts.  We can be stressed out, anxious, unhappy, feel unloved or any negative feeling.  As we learn to give those things to Jesus and He changes our hearts and circumstances....many times those outward manifestations will fall away without a lot of effort.

Trying to change or control all our bad habits before we've let Jesus heal our heart is why so many people get frustrated and don't think they can meet the required standard.  Good News!!  Jesus has already met your needed standard!   

All He wants in your heart! He'll help you ge through all that other stuff as you grow as a Christian. You don't have to beat yourself all up over it.....just make Him your Lord and best friend...and all will be well.