CSMK Texan, welcome to the forum and the NEW LIFE.
You know it truly is a new life, the old is past away and the new is born. I could quote a lot of scriptures that tell us this fact. The Bible tells us that when we trade lives with Christ, meaning that we surrender our old sin filled life and take on His righteous life and are inhabited by the Holy Spirit then we are a brand new creation. Not an old person with a new attitude but a new person with a new life. I am sure you have heard, "You are what you eat!"
Well in our Christian life this really holds water. If we fill our eyes, our mouths, our heads with the common garbage that is so readily available in this world today then we will be what be eat. If however we feed our eyes, our ears, our heart and mind holy God lifting things, then we will become holy, God lifters.
To become a Christian you had to make a choice, you had to say in your heart and with your mouth that you believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And I am sure you felt like you were on cloud nine. But you must understand that a Christian life is a steady growth process. Some people grow faster then others, but we all grow. And remember Paul who wrote most of the New Testament told us no one is without sin, and then he claimed to be the chief sinner. God doesn't count your sins, He cares more about you getting up then you falling down. It is the devil who counts your falls and try’s to convince you to stay down, give up, just quit, you can't do it any way. At those times, dust off your knees (after your prayer for forgiveness) stand up and tell the devil he is right, you can't do it, that is why Christ came and did it for you. And then credited His victory to your account.
Babies don't grow unless you feed them right? And you need to eat too in order to grow. But remember, junk food, junk results, healthy holy food, healthy holy results. Get involved with a group who is doing some serious Bible Studies, enroll in some on the internet, start a group at your home, and the list goes on. In order for an athlete to be a winner he/she has to train, they cant sit around talking about the victory they would like to have and expect it to materialize. And we can't go to church once a week for an hour or two and expect it to be more influencing then the 40 plus hours a week we are filling our heads with the worlds ways of thinking.
Don't spend so much time focusing on your weaknesses, your short comings, your desires, focus on Christ's victories, Christ's promises, Christ's love. And then feed yourself some heavenly food. God wants a personal relationship with you, not a passing "hi how you doing tip of the hat relationship". I hope this will help you a little, I'll be happy to write more if you want. God Bless you as you grow in His holiness and become more and more like Christ.
Brother Jerry-The Berlin Bear