Jeremy Ivens
Puritan Board Freshman
Here I am, backslidden and struggling. I got distracted by MLB and I slacked off on prayer and Bible study. Now it feels as if God doesn't want to hear me 
I'm the worst.
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arapahoepark
Puritan Board Professor
Look to Christ! Everytime you look at yourself take ten looks at him! It is because of his merit that your prayers are heard as He tenders them up to the Father because you belong to Him.
Abeard
Puritan Board Freshman
Here's an article I found helpful on dealing with guilt
https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.or...8/should-christians-feel-guilty-all-the-time/
Also consider reading Octavius Winslow "Personal Declension and The Revival of Religion in the Soul"http://www.heritagebooks.org/products/personal-declension-and-revival-of-religion-in-the-soul.html
Our Heavenly Father takes us one step at a time. Trust that the Lord will bring you out of this just like He has with us all.
https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.or...8/should-christians-feel-guilty-all-the-time/
Also consider reading Octavius Winslow "Personal Declension and The Revival of Religion in the Soul"http://www.heritagebooks.org/products/personal-declension-and-revival-of-religion-in-the-soul.html
Our Heavenly Father takes us one step at a time. Trust that the Lord will bring you out of this just like He has with us all.
Jerusalem Blade
Puritan Board Professor
Hello Jeremy,
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Why would He do that? Because Christ came into the world to save sinners (cf 1 Tim 1:15). God's forgiveness is without measure (Matt 18:21, 22). He gave you the new birth, Jeremy, because even before the foundation of the world He loved you, and gave you to have faith in His Son, in whom you have been placed by baptism and faith (Eph 1:4,5,6,7).
Yes, you are wretched—but He loves and saves wretches like us! And such undeserved favor—such love—transforms us into grateful loving children.
Tim Keller on the affect of gospel in us: we see we are more wicked than we ever dared to think, and, simultaneously, more loved than we ever dared to hope. Much like Luther’s simul iustus et peccator, simultaneously righteous and sinful. In Christ we are loved despite our indwelling corruption and sin, and this transforms wretches into grateful and loving sons and daughters. We dare no longer look on others as worse than we are, for we know what lies within our own hearts. The Gospel deep in the heart is a great antidote to pride—and despair over our remaining corruption.
Jesus is a really good Saviour; He loves His raggedy sheep (even unto death), and none of them ever perish (John 10:27,28,29), for He is able to keep us from utterly falling (Jude 24).
Simply go to Him, and ask His forgiveness, and cleansing. He will not turn you away (John 6:37). He actually calls you to come to Him (Matt 11:28). Do you know the hymn, Before the Throne of God? It is Biblical in its words:
BEFORE the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea,
a great High Priest, whose name is Love,
who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
my name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heaven He stands,
no tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look, and see Him there
who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God the Just is satisfied
to look on Him, and pardon me.
Behold Him there! the risen Lamb!
my perfect, spotless righteousness,
the great unchangeable I AM,
the King of glory and of grace!
One with Himself, I cannot die,
my soul is purchased by His blood;
my life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ, my Saviour and my God.
And then is there Psalm 103!
Ps 103:11-13, 15-18 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him . . . As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
That word mercy in the Hebrew is hesed, and it very often (as here) means lovingkindness. You are in the hands of a tender Saviour, who has said, "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee" (Jer 31:3).
So get back on your feet and walk with the rest of us, who also have fallen, and by His grace have been lifted up to walk with our King and Shepherd, rejoicing in His goodness.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Why would He do that? Because Christ came into the world to save sinners (cf 1 Tim 1:15). God's forgiveness is without measure (Matt 18:21, 22). He gave you the new birth, Jeremy, because even before the foundation of the world He loved you, and gave you to have faith in His Son, in whom you have been placed by baptism and faith (Eph 1:4,5,6,7).
Yes, you are wretched—but He loves and saves wretches like us! And such undeserved favor—such love—transforms us into grateful loving children.
Tim Keller on the affect of gospel in us: we see we are more wicked than we ever dared to think, and, simultaneously, more loved than we ever dared to hope. Much like Luther’s simul iustus et peccator, simultaneously righteous and sinful. In Christ we are loved despite our indwelling corruption and sin, and this transforms wretches into grateful and loving sons and daughters. We dare no longer look on others as worse than we are, for we know what lies within our own hearts. The Gospel deep in the heart is a great antidote to pride—and despair over our remaining corruption.
Jesus is a really good Saviour; He loves His raggedy sheep (even unto death), and none of them ever perish (John 10:27,28,29), for He is able to keep us from utterly falling (Jude 24).
Simply go to Him, and ask His forgiveness, and cleansing. He will not turn you away (John 6:37). He actually calls you to come to Him (Matt 11:28). Do you know the hymn, Before the Throne of God? It is Biblical in its words:
BEFORE the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea,
a great High Priest, whose name is Love,
who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
my name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heaven He stands,
no tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look, and see Him there
who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God the Just is satisfied
to look on Him, and pardon me.
Behold Him there! the risen Lamb!
my perfect, spotless righteousness,
the great unchangeable I AM,
the King of glory and of grace!
One with Himself, I cannot die,
my soul is purchased by His blood;
my life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ, my Saviour and my God.
And then is there Psalm 103!
Ps 103:11-13, 15-18 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him . . . As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
That word mercy in the Hebrew is hesed, and it very often (as here) means lovingkindness. You are in the hands of a tender Saviour, who has said, "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee" (Jer 31:3).
So get back on your feet and walk with the rest of us, who also have fallen, and by His grace have been lifted up to walk with our King and Shepherd, rejoicing in His goodness.
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Ed Walsh
Puritan Board Senior
Quite the opposite is the case. The Father longs to fellowship with even His estranged children. Consider the father below. He was ever watching, waiting, praying for his wayward son to return. I know the feeling well myself, for my oldest son has been away for 16 years now.
And he arose, and came to his father.
But when he was yet a great way off,
his father saw him, and had compassion,
and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
You know the rest of the story.
JimmyH
Puritan Board Senior
I have experienced the same feelings from time to time. It isn't easy to maintain our walk in this world. We battle not against flesh and blood only. One thing I have latched onto is Romans 8:38-39 . Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. When you are feeling down remember that fact.
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