Hey.

I am in need of some advice, I'll start off by just saying the background for this.

My girlfriend broke up with me a few weeks ago, because I wasn't christian. At first I thought it wasn't the end of the world, until I realized how much she meant to me. So I thought a lot, and I said to her that I'll be willing to seriously try out Christianity, if that meant we could potentially have a life together. She didn't go along with it, sadly... Anyways, all this thinking about Christianity and the tough time I've been through emotionally lately, makes me want to try this out. I really like the thought of having something to throw my worries and depression at, something bigger, so I've become a lot more open to the idea of Christianity than before.

How do I start? I kind of realize that this is a process that might take a shitload of time, since I'm a skeptic. What do I do first? Read the bible a lot and pray? Find a church which I like and go there regularly? I'd also like to ask a question regarding the breakup. In a weak moment I actually prayed to God, asking him to help me with my girlfriend. Nothing happened. What makes you holding on to your faith when he doesn't respond to your prayers?

Sorry for the unsystematic post. Only serious answers please.

Cheers.

This post was edited by Fookass on Feb 16 2014 02:09pm

Christianity is mostly known as a relationship with God.
Here are the main things you need to look out for.
Ignorance is a sin.
Indulging in anything more than you need to is a sin.
Life itself is basically a sin.

But that is the point of asking for forgiveness, it is a thing you truly have to mean. Asking Jesus into your heart as the holy spirit, and acknowledging him as God's son.
Now there are many people who trick themselves into thinking they have done this, and they actually have not. Don't be one of those people.

Basically, try not to sin the best you can and sooner or later you will develop into a better Christian. Only pray when you want to talk to God, read the bible to cure your ignorance, study further if you want to teach others.
It can all be done in your own time, as long as you realize the importance, and act upon it.

Being a Christian really isn't as hard as it seems. If you want more on how I view Christianity myself, as this is just general basics, pm me. I'll lyk what I think about science, and all other things so you can think upon it

There is also a few things I'd like to add. Too be honest, a miracle is called one for a reason. Praying for things you want won't make them happen, nor do they really need to happen. Even things that need to happen don't happen sometimes.
But why would we have free will if God just gave us everything we wanted? We are who we are by our choice, just as the other party in your relationship, your ex, is who she is by her choice. I think she just pulled up I don't want to be with you because you are not a Christian thing is bull. If she really wanted to be with you, she would've tried to convert you, no?
Whether Christianity is the real thing, or whether it is just our fantasy, it is up to you to decide. Don't be indecisive, crawling towards something that involves faith while you are down. Doing so often makes you turn away when you are strong.

...hook up with a local Bible church and introduce yourself to the pastor . Explain your situation to him and remain open and honest .

Reading your Bible, praying, and finding a church are definitely the first steps to take.
I go to a church that loves to study the Bible with people, meets them where they're at, and helps people understand what it means to be a Christian. We have sister churches all over the world who do the same thing. (I know, I've been to many of them and have met people from several more.)

http://www.dtodayinfo.net/Dtoday

If you go here and click the Canada/United States tab (I'm assuming you're from North America) you will probably be able to find a church in your area. If you click the link on the name of the church it will take you to their website where you can find how to contact them.
Also, let me know if you have any questions about anything, I'd love to help you.

The way I keep faith when it seems like God doesn't answer my prayers is knowing that God's will is best for me, and while I know what I want, He knows what I need, and He will provide for me if I seek Him first. (Matthew 6:25-34)
Also, He never said He would answer your prayers immediately, just because nothing has happened yet doesn't mean nothing will.

Also, be persistent. (Luke 18:1-8)
If you only pray once about something it shows you don't really care about it.

This post was edited by DiS505 on Feb 17 2014 08:16am

I don't agree with the prayer thing. It says in the bible if your prayer is sincere, it will be heard. Repeating the prayer will get you nowhere if you are not sincere about it. A short, sincere prayer is all that is needed. The rest of it is just crap.
However, you should join a church, preferabley one that takes the Bible for its word unlike the catholics, just about any other is fine.

I didn't say it should be insincere, of course your prayers need to be sincere. The Bible says to be persistent in prayer, so you just disagreed with the Word of God.
I have Scripture to support this, where is the verse that says if you pray once sincerely it will be answered?

This post was edited by DiS505 on Feb 17 2014 11:47am

God will answer our prayers and give us everything we need and more (Mark 11:24, John 15:7). But a wise parent will not give a child everything he or she wants. Similarly, prayer is not a magical trick to get anything we want or a "quick fix" for problems that we should be solving ourselves. God answers prayer requests in His own way in His own time (Psalms 40:1-3), and will not grant requests that are against His holy and wise purposes (1 John 5:14-15), are selfish in nature, are not in our best long-term interest, or those made with impure motives (Psalms 66:18, Proverbs 28:9, Isaiah 29:13, Isaiah 59:2, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:3).

All of this supports what I said, directly or indirectly.
God will listen to what we say, but only if it is sincere, and will answer upon it at his own time.
While Jesus does say be consistent in our prayers, it does not say to be consistent in asking things in our prayers, but to consistently pray.
Lets say we ask for something, and God starts to consider it. If we continue to pray, about other things or just to talk in God to general, he will see that we have faith, and take notice of us individually and possibly answer our prayer.
While this may seem like i am twisting words, so does what u are saying. Everyone interprets the Bible in their own way.

Read Luke 18:1-8 and explain to me how that doesn't mean we should persistently ask for things.
Yes, there is more to prayer than asking things from God. Yes, God will not give it to us if it is not in His will or if it comes from a selfish or impure motive. Yes, He always knows what's best for us.

He still wants us to pray for things persistently.

In Acts 12:5 Peter is arrested and it says that the church made earnest prayer for him, I doubt that means they all made one short, sincere prayer and went back to their business.

There are several more examples than this in the book of Acts alone.

We seem to be in complete agreeance about everything except for this point.
I am not trying to twist your words, only replying to what you've said.

Matthew 7:7-8
The way this is translated in most versions doesn't get the picture across that the original Greek was trying to convey.
It was written in the present continuous tense which doesn't translate well in most cases, but the Holman Christian Version translated it pretty well.

7 “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

This post was edited by DiS505 on Feb 17 2014 12:15pm

I never said anything about you twisting my words bro, just about how it seems like I am twisting words of the bible, or that you are , or that anyone does.
I read that verse before I even pursued anything, because even after reading that I did not agree with your point.
It shows Jesus saying that if we persistently pray we can get God's notice and perhaps have our prayers answered. However, it does not say what the content of the prayer is.

Whatever people did in the past has no concern for me, the prophets words and those of the church are just those. Only words from Jesus and God have any definitive merit, everything else is just their interpretation.
With that said, praying, or having a conversation of God, would be pointless if it was only about your desires consitantly. In my opinion it is a sort of blasphemy to repetitively beg for something. I think asking once, then praying to him about general things will show your sincerity upon the subject. Also, a prayers length can be long or short depending on the person. Some people are long winded, some are not. Just don't pride yourself on being long winded.