So when I was a child, i believed in god, but as I got older religion started to annoy me and I thought it was all a big scam. (Mainly from my relatives saying it was)
Anyways, about 4 months ago a good friend of mine started talking me back into believing in God and wanted me to become a Christian.
I now believe in God, say a prayer every night, and go to church on most Sundays.
I feel left out though. I feel like I'm missing the happiness and joy everyone else is having. I hear people saying, "I live for God, I'd die for him" and they talk about God with such ease and about how they're so happy. They just seem to know so well what they're talking about and how happy they are and portray it so easily as you just do this and that, then bam, you love God and Jesus and your life is amazing.
I haven't got that feeling yet, and I'm still a little confused on several things with the bible, but I don't know what I'm confused with.

I'm not sure if this makes any sense, or if I'm just rambling on about what I'm thinking/feeling.
Thoughts?

So you want to have this 'passion' for God? That does take years to develop as you need to develop that relationship with God. You need to realise what your life was like without God and now how much greater life is with God. Once you understand the great love Jesus had for us and the great reward that lies ahead then you to may have that passion.

You first need to ask yourself this: Would I be confident telling my friends about God? Believe it or not some people deny God in front of their friends in fear of being persecuted.

have you become a christian yet? I know i made a big change once i actually became a christian. going to church and praying and followship doesn't make you a christian. saying a prayer some thing like "I believe you are my personal Lord and Savior Jesus, that you came and you died for my sins and were ressurected so that i may have true life, i pray this prayer so that i may be filled with the holy spirit, in Jesus name Amen" some people end their prayers differently thats how i end mine "in jesus name" doesn't really matter lol

Saying a prayer like that and accepting jesus into your heart as your savior makes you a christian?
Maybe i might give this a try first.

Also @CPK001, that is a good idea. I've never realized what my life has been before god, compared to my life after god. I should look at that too.

Saying "a prayer" does not make someone a Christian. The bible very clearly states what it means to follow Christ and how we receive eternal life. You must first confess that Jesus is lord of your life, you must repent of your old life and turn to Jesus, and you must be baptized for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through the power of the Holy Spirit you will develop "fruit". You can always tell a Christian by the fruit they produce. (Use Galatians 5:22-23 as a reference to the "fruit" I am talking about)

And this stuff you do not pray? or talk to god about? i think you are a little off base. A prayer (prayer of salvation to be exact) to God is exactly how you become a christian, going to church, reading the bible, and just praying at night does not make you a Christian. Also, being baptized does NOT make you a Christian either. You still can go to heaven even if you haven't been baptized. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change, simply put. Lastly, being Baptized has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit entering you. You ask Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit to enter your life (in the prayer)

OK @ the person who ask'd the original question. i Strongly encourage you to get into a small group at your church if they have them, in this small group setting you can learn and grow in your faith very much.

If baptism is not necessary, please explain to me Acts 2:38. It clearly states you do not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit until you repent and are baptized. Just about every conversion story in the NT involved baptism.

Sure you pray to God. But saying the "sinner's prayer" is not scriptural. It is something that was made up out of convenience. Everything I listed to you I can back up with scripture.

This post was edited by Dune1 on Sep 11 2012 05:30pm

I didn't say that baptism isn't necessary. I said that you don't need to be baptised to become a Christian. Baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. It is a way to publicly announce your commitment to follow Christ and your desire to identify with Him in a unique way. It is what you do AFTER you repent of your sins. If you go back to Jesus, he was baptised before He sent the Holy Spirit or Councilor. This is why the Bible is up for interpretation. I believe that the prayer that you pray (yes the words are not biblical quotation, but the gist of it covers the major basis of what the bible does quote) includes reciving of the HOly Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Jesus indwelt in us when we ask Jesus to come into our hearts. Acts 2:38 does state that you recieve the Holy Spirit after repenting but what happens if you don't have the ability to be baptised the same time you repent? You can't recieve the Holy Spirit on a technicality? John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” John 3:16“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

Right and being born again happens when you are baptized. Baptism is a symbolic form of being "buried and raise to life" just as Jesus was. You are in fact "dead" during water immersion since you cannot breath or smell. (this of course is the symbolism not the literal sense). When you are raised from the water you are "born again" into the likeness of Christ. There are many verses that teach baptism, and there are many verses that tell you to confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord (and you will be saved). This is why we read the bible as a whole because all the scriptures feed into one another. It also says in Acts 2:38 that you are forgiven of your sins when you are baptized. Saul's conversion (Paul) involved baptism and was said "to wash away your sins".. again stating that forgiveness takes place through the symbolic gesture of baptism. You are right.. it is a way to "publicly announce your commitment.." but it is not THE reason you are baptized. I can do that by word of mouth, and people can see that through my fruit. Jesus also commanded the apostles to "go out and make disciples BAPTIZING them in the name of the father, son, holy spirit" during the Great Commission.