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[__ Prayer __] Let Us Pray In Agreement For An Old Friend Of Mine

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Edward

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So there is an long time friend of mine that I have known for many years since I was about 18 or 19, named Derald. He even moved him and his family out to Colorado for a few years when I was living out there. Then he moved back to Ohio for some reason and we kind of fell out of touch with each other for awhile. Now that I live here again I happened to be thinking about him about a couple months or so ago and wondered where is he lately. It was not real hard to track him down on Facebook and there he was. So I reached out to him and sent him off a message that I am here in Ohio again and let's get together.

And he responded. He was glad to hear from me and emailed me his number and we talked on the phone. We talked for quite awhile and of course I invited him to come visit me and so forth. He was excited about this and said that he would. Now the big thing that changed for me since we've seen each other last was that, I have become a Christian again and the Lord has done many good things for me in the past years, and you know me, I just love sharing my many testimonies with whoever I can and I shared a couple of them with him and we hung up with the idea of getting together sometime soon.

So after a few days or a week I emailed him again and asked him hey when are you coming up? And I shared another testimony with him in email and figured I'd hear back from him pretty soon. I didn't hear back from him right away so gave it a short while and emailed him again...shared another testimony with him. Again, no response. Well he must be busy lately or something I thought So every few days or a week, I follow up in email with him. Invite him, talk BBQ, visiting and testimony, lol. And over the past couple months, it has become apparent to me that...he is not responding to me on purpose. He must have changed his mind about being in contact and stuff and this is baffling to me because we've always been pretty good friends and there has never been any strife between us at all. Nothing. I could not figure it out at first but I think I have now.

It has to be that I turned Jesus freak on him. That has to be it because we have never even had an argument between us. Pondering this I realize that, I don't recollect ever having heard him talk about God even one time, so...that has to be it. He is around, I have seen his recent posts on Facebook but he wont respond to me at all now. He is an ok guy, I wouldn't want to see him go to hell or anything. I have continued to email him, refreshing my invitation to come visit and that it is apparent that I must have offended him and the only thing it could possibly be is that, I talk about God quite a bit. So I apologized and told him that, that's his business and between him and God if he wants to believe or not and I promised to stop talking about God to him so as not to be offensive to him...No response.

This guy needs prayers. I have no clue what he may have against God but I have never really got this kind of (no) response from anyone before. I guess I came on too strong about God to him. I will have to consider this in the future because I don't want to turn people away from our Lord by being over zealous about Him. I feel bad about that.

But I can pray for Derald. And if some of you Brothers and Sisters come into agreement with me and send up some more prayers for him, for the Lord to touch this mans heart, he can still be saved.

Thank you, Brothers and Sisters. Sorry so long but I needed to give some background and explain the situation.
 
Sometimes we can be over zealous when it comes to talking about Christ with others that do not know Him and it can be a turn off, but praying that the Lord draws your friend back to you to make new beginnings with each other.

I agree and that is exactly what I thought. I've never got that sort of reaction from anyone before, especially an old friend. It caught me off guard and I wasn't expecting that. I have other old friends who are not born again and I have told them that I am, and and they all have listened to me when I talk, and be respectful and listen to me, and we are still friends. But when I finally considered that maybe Derald got offended about my God talk.... I am aware that some people must be approachedwith an easy does it about the Lord, but that is usually strangers or people I have just met and do not know well. But an old friend?!

So I guess I am learning a good lesson throughout this. I feel kind of bad about it. I realized today, or perhaps the Lord put that thought in my mind? That I...do not really consult with the Lord in prayer about giving my testimony to people and being a witness for the Lord. So this is definitely my fault to not consult the Lord about what I say to people.

I like to hang out with the Lord, and regularly invite Him to go with me places. A friend that sticks closer than a Brother, and so I know...I failed to be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit and did not listen for the still small voice of God. so I failed this. We must remain sensitive to the presence of the Lord with us. We have talked and He taught me very well, to ask Him for help in even little things, that He is eager to help us if we ask. And this...is not a little thing! To have been a stumbling block to a child of God?! So I felt that perhaps I will enlist my Brothers and Sisters to help me right the wrong that I may have done to him.

I did not use good judgement and lay it before the Lord for help and like they say, good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement and I should have known better and I should always consult with my Lord, Jesus and His Spirit. The parable of the Talents comes to mind. I want to be profitable for the Kingdom of God, not cost him a negative! That is a soul that we are talking about. The Lord loves Him and created him to be unique so as to be the only person that can fill that certain spot in the Lord's heart, that He was created for. Then Reckless Ed comes along and botches it and if Derald somehow dos not get saved and turn to the Lord, then that spot in our Lords heart will remain empty eternally and not be fulfilled. That is not something that I want on my record!

So this is kind of heavy on my heart. I do want to be a profitable servant and definitely not a liability! I have continued to email Derald and renew the invitation and promised not to even talk about if we do get together, and he has still not responded. So today I realized that I have friends...Brothers and Sisters here who will come together with me on this and help me pray for this situation to Change.

Even the man who got one talent and gave it back to his Master, got in trouble for only returning to his Master what was owned by the Master! But if I have been instrumental in being a stumbling block to Derald and perhaps he never turns his heart towards God, I may not even be able to give my Master back what is His! and I would be at fault. That scares me, so...Yes, I need some help on this.

And I thank all of you Brothers and Sisters who are praying and helping! Thank you so much and bless you all! Thank you.
 
Edward

God knows our heart for Him even when we become to zealous with our witness to those who do not know Him. You shouldn't beat yourself up over this, even though you feel like you were a stumbling block you really were not IMO. It is true that when we witness Christ to others that we need to pray and seek God's instruction before we speak, but just look at it as a lesson learned as many of us have done stupid things without thinking it through first.

I will keep praying for Derald lifting him up to the Lord that through what you did speak to him you have planted seeds and he will find conviction in his heart and reach out to you and the Lord.
 
Edward

God knows our heart for Him even when we become to zealous with our witness to those who do not know Him. You shouldn't beat yourself up over this, even though you feel like you were a stumbling block you really were not IMO. It is true that when we witness Christ to others that we need to pray and seek God's instruction before we speak, but just look at it as a lesson learned as many of us have done stupid things without thinking it through first.

I will keep praying for Derald lifting him up to the Lord that through what you did speak to him you have planted seeds and he will find conviction in his heart and reach out to you and the Lord.

This is one of those, A-Ha moments. You are right and that didn't occur to me yet but is absolutely true. I did plant some seeds there and he prolly needs some time to ponder these things and then those seeds will be watered again somewhere for him. I feel better now Sis, thanks!

I certainly can not know everything that has been happening in his life lately, but all that I have said to him could have potentially hit him very hard within his spirit also.
 
This is one of those, A-Ha moments. You are right and that didn't occur to me yet but is absolutely true. I did plant some seeds there and he prolly needs some time to ponder these things and then those seeds will be watered again somewhere for him. I feel better now Sis, thanks!

I certainly can not know everything that has been happening in his life lately, but all that I have said to him could have potentially hit him very hard within his spirit also.

Ya, it's just one of those put it in God's hands and hope for the best.
Love your heart brother :hug
 
I did not think that this would happen but my friend responded to me today! I dunno wherein that I doubted but, Lord help my unbelief. Especially when I knew that Brothers & Sisters on here were praying too. Thanks a lot!

I was not expecting it for him to respond but had decided to keep writing him emails and text msgs like it didn't affect me and I said and until you tell me to stop contact I wont. So come visit me, I'll grill ya a steak and kept reaffirming the invite even though he never responded...until tonight!

And...I was right. It was about God. He is angry at God because, his wife left him, took the house, kids, everything and he was homeless for a bit. And it hit him hard.

But my good Brothers and Sisters have made the prayers, so...he'll come around. It was all I could do to not mention the Lord at all to him and restrain that urge to not do it again. But his story is so much like mine and what happened to me that, I know those answers now and what he should do! I made my divorce from my wife into a learning experience so that I would not go crazy that she left me. I loved her a lot. Still do. So I can easily see where he is at on this, and he needs to let go of it, And stop blaming God for it too. But these things take time. But at least he is talking to me again, so that's something. That is an answered prayer!

He seemed to want my advice and did listen to me. He asked if I was over her...how did I do it, all that stuff. But Thank you all who have prayed for my buddy. Praise the Lord! and now I know to take it real easy about speaking about the Lord too much to him. But most of his questions, God IS the answer, lol! So that's a challenge! So what'll I say? Lol!
 
I did not think that this would happen but my friend responded to me today! I dunno wherein that I doubted but, Lord help my unbelief. Especially when I knew that Brothers & Sisters on here were praying too. Thanks a lot!

I was not expecting it for him to respond but had decided to keep writing him emails and text msgs like it didn't affect me and I said and until you tell me to stop contact I wont. So come visit me, I'll grill ya a steak and kept reaffirming the invite even though he never responded...until tonight!

And...I was right. It was about God. He is angry at God because, his wife left him, took the house, kids, everything and he was homeless for a bit. And it hit him hard.

But my good Brothers and Sisters have made the prayers, so...he'll come around. It was all I could do to not mention the Lord at all to him and restrain that urge to not do it again. But his story is so much like mine and what happened to me that, I know those answers now and what he should do! I made my divorce from my wife into a learning experience so that I would not go crazy that she left me. I loved her a lot. Still do. So I can easily see where he is at on this, and he needs to let go of it, And stop blaming God for it too. But these things take time. But at least he is talking to me again, so that's something. That is an answered prayer!

He seemed to want my advice and did listen to me. He asked if I was over her...how did I do it, all that stuff. But Thank you all who have prayed for my buddy. Praise the Lord! and now I know to take it real easy about speaking about the Lord too much to him. But most of his questions, God IS the answer, lol! So that's a challenge! So what'll I say? Lol!

Just show him your concern and compassion. God is always the answer, but not yet what one wants to hear, but in time will be receptive as he sees the joy in you as you let the light of Christ shine through you.
 
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