Expert: Brian Thompson - 4/25/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I'm 16 and I'm really trying to be right by god. This new year I promised myself and got that I would be better in him and work on my goal to get into heaven. Now I read my bible every day before school in the morning as I'm eating breakfast. In all honesty I don't really understand the bible nor do I know in what order to read for me to fully understand and incorporate that into my life. I pray every night and I feel that god has blessed me but I find myself sinning a lot, especially lying. I know that the end is near and  I really want to make it to heaven but I don't know how. I'm sorry I know that this is going all over the place but I have so much to say and so much to ask and I don't know how to communicate it. Basically I'm a confused person. My question is what do you suggest that I do? I can't really go to my pastor or youth pastor because my church is huge and i don't feel comfortable talking to them.

Thanks so much and god bless you.

ANSWER: Hi Lily

You really do need to get to know your youth pastor or leader becuase they can help you.

Understanding of the Bible truely comes with being filled with the Spirit of God. you haven't told me you have committed yourself to Jesus so I'm going to start with the basics. You need to be born again, you need to have a life changing experience which comes making that heart felt committment. This confusion you feel is because you have a foot in both camps, the lying is an indication of this, so even if you have made a committment before you need to do so again.

So the basics are;
all have fallen short of the standards God has set. Romans 3.23
This has seperated us from God Isaiah 59.2
God has provided a way out, Jesus Christ who stood in our place and paid the penelty for us hebrews 12
If you will believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and that God raised him from the dead you will be saved Romans 10.9

So I'm going to pray that God will reveal Jesus to you
and I want you the pray this prayer
Lord I know that sin has seperated me from you. I now turn away from sins and with your help I won't do it again. I confess that you are Lord and that you died and rose again and that by your blood I am redeemed out of the hands of Satan. I commit myself to your purposes please fill me with your Holy Spirit.

Now start reading Luke, followed by the other Gospels, Matthew, Mark and John Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand. Then Read Acts and find a daily reading plan Try this web site
www.lookingforgod.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: One thing that I really want to know is that do I have to go through a hard time in my life to get closer to god or become a better christian? or can I just life my normal life and then get closer to god?

Answer
Hi Lily

This really depends on what you describe as a normal life. Realisticly there are no secret Christians. Much of our current culture is very heddonistic and really should be avoided if you want to be close to God. This calls for you to be intuitive, have integrity and courage. God tells us in Scripture he wants us to live a quite life and worship him so therefore the extremes are to be avoided. I spoke to you earlier about being spirit filled. This enables you to live closer to God and to understand what he is saying to you. Christianity doesn't have to be an in-your-face existence but you should be an example to non-christians by your speech and behaviour. Being a Christian comes down to heart attitude.

look, when I was younger I used to say about Christians I have nothing in common with those people. today I have very little in common with the people of the world. Such a change has taken years and is by no means complete yet but if you want to be closer to God you do need to set time apart for prayer, etc and you need to avoid the temptation that is part of everyday life in western society. There are many traps that have lasting effect and draw you away from the Christian life. Young people today have no idea how far we have departed from a godly standard even in the last century, and the level of influence that media has in our lives. There are even TV channels I wouldn't have watched years ago because their content was so uncertain, I don't think twice about watching today. Try turning off the television set for a couple of weeks, call it a fast if you like

So for you I suggest seek out and have the company of Christian friends, such as in a youth group, attend some form of regular Christian study or fellowship, by all means invite your non-Christain friends but don't be suprised if they don't come, get involved in what your Church is doing. Please understand Christianity is not a guarantee of a good life, it is the way to salvation and like any journey, some times there are difficulties. That is what faith is for.
I often say life is just one mountain top experience after another, either I am on top of the mountain or the mountain is on top of me, but Jesus told us the way to move mountains.