Just Disappointed
 

I was thinking growing up as a child, we had lots of friends in the church, and i went back in my memory on how many people was going to church and was faithful as a young person, and i have realized the fact that most of them are out of the church , so lost in the world,and it breaks my heart, i see my friends that i grew up with that their children do not even know who GOD is, it is ashame, we all grew up with the same beliefs, but for some reason they went astray, it could really be a pety reason, and i wonder where they would be if they stayed in the church, the world is a crazy and sad deceiving place, i even have family that have gone astray, their flesh is more important to feed than the soul.and we need to be thankful that we really cannot do without God, i am thankful that i serve a wonderful and merciful God, that God took me back from where i was, i know i have not been the best christian, but i am so thankful that i am back in church and serving a wonderful savior, do not ever quit praying for your lost loved ones and your friends,

just a thought that caused me to have a burden for the lost. please keep praying for souls.

may God bless you

Re: Just Disappointed
 

Live4him,
I was standing in a cemetary in Indaina just the other day and I was thinking along these same lines. I was looking around at the grave stones and saw the names of people my age, people I went to school with. They are gone and I'm still here. I thought of those who, like me, had drifted from the Lord, but had never made their way back to Him. How good God has been to me. So many have died spiritually, we should really pray for their restoration.

Re: Just Disappointed
 

thanks for your imput, i live in indiana to. if you do not mind me asking what part of indiana your at, we are in bloomington, and i was reading some threads and i read that people were praying for you in 2008. in feb i think, did you lose a loved one, if so i am sorry, and it looks like your getting married,
congratulations, talk to you again, God bless

Re: Just Disappointed
 

live4him,
I wanted to share something the Lord showed me during a family prayer time at our church. This was some years ago.

After anguishing over the very things you have posted, the Lord reminded me of Jeff Arnold's personal testimony. If you don't know it, I will try to recap that for you. This is the gist of it.

He and his wife were getting a divorce. She was asleep in the bedroom and he would sleep on the couch. One night something woke him up. He got up, lit a cigarette, went into the kitchen to get a beer.

Next night - same thing.

The third night a presence wakes him again. He lights a cigarette, goes into the kitchen, pops open a beer - a voice speaks to him - "Jeffery, you are almost of out time."

He goes into the bedroom and wakes up his wife. He says, "If God wanted us to go to China, would you go?"

She said, "Get out of here. You are bombed!"

He said, "No, I think it's God speaking to me."

He has no idea that she had been raised in a Pentecostal home as a foster child.

The went to an Anita Bryant crusade. He was at the altar. After saying the Sinners Prayer they patted him on the back and told him he was saved. His wife said, "No he isn't. He hasn't spoken in tongues yet." LOL!

They said, "Get these people out of here." LOL!

He said, "I've been thrown out of bars, but never a church." LOL!

So after all of that - the Lord spoke to me and told me to pray for our Youth and Backslidders that God would "make His presence known" like He did with Jeff Arnold.

Re: Just Disappointed
 

PO I had never heard JA testimony.Thanks for posting this.
I know god cares for the backsliders for he cared for me and my hubby. He has ways of getting our ATTENTION! Rush hour traffic in the Dallas freeway crawling on your knees. ( my hubby over 20 yrs ago)

Re: Just Disappointed
 

I think many people that fall never really had a relationship with the Lord to begin with. I think many youth fall into that catagory. They are riding their parents coat tails and when they get older, get a job and a car they gain their freedom.

Others? Somewhere along the way the lines of communication get frayed. You have to keep praying and reading the word.

Re: Just Disappointed
 

I have a similar concern for those who left, my heart aches at times, & I never stop looking for them.

PO, I had a similar story about coming to God.
When God started convicting me, I had a small Bible study with my roommate on Sat night.
My heart was pricked, & I said, "I will come to your Church next Sunday!" That was in a week's time.
I woke on Sunday morning & God told me very quietly, "Go now, if you don't, you will always make excesses to not come!"

I came & the rest is history.

I shudder to think what would have happened if I made a different choice!

Re: Just Disappointed
 

Amen!!!

Re: Just Disappointed
 

Wonderful story, Ron!!!!

God gently nudged me along. No big, bright lights. But His gentle ways and leading set a very solid foundation in my heart. I love HIM!

Re: Just Disappointed
 

I agree with you on the youth. When my daughter got out of church a dear old friend said to me, "She is living your religion just like you lived your parent's religion as a Catholic. She has to find God on her own."

That was certainly true. She is rock solid now! Praise the Lord!