I need a priest..

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

This is going to sound heretical <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> but sometimes I wish I had someone who could tell me unequivacally that I have been forgiven. Like the Catholics have priests who have the authority to tell somebody that. They don't have to sit and wonder if their prayers have been heard... It would be so much easier to believe something said or written DIRECTLY to me, than to believe something written in a Book put together for the masses.. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/sad25.gif" alt="" />

[Clio]

Pam -

Find some version, other than the King James Version, and read Romans 8:24-31. And sweetie... it's written for YOU... He is faithful and just to forgive... all you have to do is ask.

And I do understand exactly how you feel. I had to keep reminding myself of this over and over and over... because I had SOOOO MUCH that needed forgiving!

[Gail]

Actually, the priests don't have the authority to forgive sins, unless of course one forgives you of a wrong you've done him

But the Bible says, that if we confess our sins, then He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, AND to cleanse us of all unrighteousness! 1 John 1:9

How's that for a promise?

[Norman Byers, N.D.]

Hi Pam,

I understand what you're saying. Ihad an experience like that when I went through rehab, Part of the program was to tell another person all that you had done in the past. It was like confession. Initially I though, " No way I only do that with God." Afterwards I thought that I might as well just follow the program I was so messed up anyway. It turns out it was a guy that I knew that I had to tell all my mess to.

I was nervous about this but went ahead and told him the whole deal. After I was done he looked at me and said "that sounds a lot like me." We shook hands said a few words and that was it.

After that it made it easier for me to go to my heavenly Father and ask Him for forgiveness and to learn to communicate with Him freely.

When I graduated from rehab I had the opportunity to talk to my family members and close friends in front of abut 50 -60 people. When it came time to address my dad I cried out loud and said I'm sorry and for the first time in my life that I can remember I said "I love you."

That too helped me to be able to talk to my Father in heaven. For me my fellowship was to ask Him mainly to not let me be deceived and to help me find others that I could help. Everyday was an adventure with my Father as He, Jesus and I (including my angel) looked for anyone who I could help. Not only with learning about God but anyone who needed help with drinking and drugs.

So your thoughts about a priest are understandable. I would not recommend going to a priest however, simply because of the warnings we have about that. But you might try a Christian counselor or someone who you trust to open your heart to.

Part of the holy Spirit's role is to make what we read real and give us an experience. I will pray for you in this. I hate to sound like a broken record but have you gone to the website I posted?

http://lbm.org/store/information.php?info_id=6

I won't bother you about it anymore. Ty Gibson deals with subjects that will bless your soul.

Take care and God bless

Norman

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I know it isn't the priest doing the forgiving. It is the idea that someone is giving someone the assurance of forgiveness from God. Assurance. Assurance.

I'm not doing a good job at expressing what I mean. Don't know how else to say it. I'm sorry. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I've went down the counseling road for years - it was....an experience, to say the least. I will not go down that road again. []http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/Rudywoofs/icon_evil.gif[/] Besides, that's not what I am needing.

Again, I dont know how to explain what it is I'm talking about. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Maybe it just defies explanation. ...shoulda kept my mouth shut <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[Robert]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

rudywoofs said:It is the idea that someone is giving someone the assurance of forgiveness from God. Assurance. Assurance.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Col 2:9 For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him [:"red"]you have been made complete[/], and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, [:"red"]having forgiven us all our transgressions[/], 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Know how you feel, again some SDAism's are being used in reply's. I believe you are perhaps talking about the desire to have someone to persoanly tell you that you have been forgiven and that you are okay. We would all like that, but afraid to admitt it!

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

[]http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/Rudywoofs/nod.gif[/] YES! <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/yeahthat.gif" alt="" />

[cleverdics]

Pam

What have you done? Tell me in private if you want. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

[Gerr]

Pam, we DO have ONE, [:"red"]"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come BOLDLY to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Heb 4:15,16 NKJ.

He is more believable than a human priest. Here is the promise of this High Priest:

[:"red"] "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." Isa 1:18,19 NKJ.

[/] [/]

Gerry

[Clio]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

rudywoofs said:

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Know how you feel, again some SDAism's are being used in reply's. I believe you are perhaps talking about the desire to have someone to persoanly tell you that you have been forgiven and that you are okay. We would all like that, but afraid to admitt it!

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

[]http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/Rudywoofs/nod.gif[/] YES! <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/yeahthat.gif" alt="" />

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Pam,

Jesus Himself told us in John 3:17. He said He did not come to condemn but to save. And we know that to save us, He forgives us. Confess it to Him, and believe it's done.

In Psalms we are told that Abba casts the rememberance of our sins into the depths of the sea and remembers them no more.

When I have a sin where guilt troubles me, I find great comfort in confessing it to Him, and then asking Him to create a clean heart in me, and renew a right spirit within me. I also ask Him to cover me with True Jesus righteousness, because I freely admit I have none of my own.

It helps.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Thanks everybody. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I understand now that I have NOT been seeing some things correctly....like prayer. I'd been told some months back that there was a specific way a person had to pray in order for God to listen and respond. Like ask for forgiveness of everything first, then thank God for everything, then pray for the church, then pray for others, then - somewhere far down the line it was perhaps okay to tell God what was really on my mind. Problem was - I can never remember everything disgusting thing I've done to ask forgiveness for. (Truth be told, I don't really want to remember.) <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> But that isn't the way to pray at all.. Kinda makes me mad that somebody would load me up with that.

But on the good side, I'm on the UPSWING!!!!!! <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

<img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Again, you guys have no idea how encouraging you are to me.. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/wub.gif" alt="" />

[cleverdics]

Upswing <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/23_30_104.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/untitled.bmp" alt="" /> God is Good, Everyday.

[Gerr]

Pam, do you know that this High Priest has YOUR name on His shoulders and YOUR name over and IN His heart as He stands in the presence of God? He is lifting you up to the Father every minute, every second of the day! There is not a moment in your life that you are not in His mind. Read Ex 28. And as He lifts up His hands, YOUR name is also engraved in the palm of His hand, Isa 49:16.

Gerry

[Gerr]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

everyday said:

Upswing <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/23_30_104.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/untitled.bmp" alt="" /> God is Good, Everyday.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

[:"blue"]And everyday, God is good!!! [/]

Gerry

[Gail]

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rudywoofs said:

Thanks everybody. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I understand now that I have NOT been seeing some things correctly....like prayer. I'd been told some months back that there was a specific way a person had to pray in order for God to listen and respond. Like ask for forgiveness of everything first, then thank God for everything, then pray for the church, then pray for others, then - somewhere far down the line it was perhaps okay to tell God what was really on my mind. Problem was - I can never remember everything disgusting thing I've done to ask forgiveness for. (Truth be told, I don't really want to remember.) <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> But that isn't the way to pray at all.. Kinda makes me mad that somebody would load me up with that.

But on the good side, I'm on the UPSWING!!!!!! <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

LOL Sometimes my prayer has only one word-- HELP!!

[Stan]

Pam

Let me tell you a story that is clearly not true, but very true at the same time...

A lady went to her priest, and said that she has visions and can talk with Jesus..

Her Priest, doubted her, very skeptical. His experience with people like this usually had other delusions as well..

So he said to her " You can ask Jesus questions?"

She said, "yes.."

He said "he answers them"?

She said "all the time"

So he said "well if you can ask him questions, and he answers them, ask him what sins i confessed last Monday"

She said "sure!!"

Weeks went by.

She came back in to his office.

Said "had another vision, and I spoke with Jesus'

The priest got somewhat nervous and said "Did you ask him the question about my confession?"

She responded , "yes I did,"

"and he responded?" Replied the priest..

Yes

WELL, WHAT DID HE SAY??

Her words were, "He said you confessed.... on that Monday, BUT he does not remember them,"

There are all kinds of biblical passages and promises, that if we confess our sins he is surly and just and does not remember them any more, Other text say he tosses them in to the depth of the Oceans.

[Stan]

Hope this makes sense to you Pam..

[Clio]

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Stan Jensen said:

Pam

Let me tell you a story that is clearly not true, but very true at the same time...

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

How do you know it's not true? I have found this to be exactly what happens when I ask. I get a very exasperated, "I don't remember them, why do you???"

I finally quit asking except for new ones.

[Gerr]

"...surly and just?" Hmmmmmmm. That's not the Jesus I know, Stan. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/mittelgr124.gif" alt="" />

Gerry

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Stan Jensen said:

Hope this makes sense to you Pam..

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

<img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It does. (Some things take me awhile.. <img src="/adventist/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> )

[benherndon]

Pam, for various reasons, I can't sleep a whole night through often times. When I wake up and my wife is asleep, I'll go to the kitchen, make a cup of decaf (I have tendency to heartburn) coffee and take a Tylenol....then go back to my bed, turn on the light and continue reading the New Testament through as I've been doing for about 3-4 weeks now..I've done this many times previously over the past years. I read at night when all is quiet and I can enjoy reading and confirming and reinforcing my trust and belief. The latter two are willful matters, incidentally....one can doubt and doubt...but reading the 'word' over and over increases my faith and shoo's away the doubts. (I find checking the margin references is instructive and interesting)

Usually, after and hour or so, I will get a bit sleepy and first think I know, its time to wake up for the day. But, I have really learned a lot and gotten confidence in the midst of doubt many times by just going back to His (Christ's and His disciple's) word.

Maybe if you will use, as Clio says, some good modern version of the New Testament and read it over and over and over it becomes much more clear exactly what Christianity is. Christianity is NOT just doing this or not doing that!

Christianity is believing in Him and being nice to other people. Christianity is not just a day or a prophet, either---its reading and believing the Bible, specially the New Testament. Make decisive commitment to believing, trusting and acting freindly and responsibly to others.

Try it....no human can rightfully assure you of forgiveness and salvation....But Christ and the Holy Spirit can via His true Word, Christ's words, in the New Testament. (Regardless of converse accusations, I am not against the Old Testament....but we SDAs know it a lot better than we know the New Testament. Since the New Testament is THE real source of info about Christianity, why not get to know it real good?)

Ben