ok, I think i blew this

[pagal]

I have this cousin that I JUST found who's much older - my mother's age and he is in a very serious crisis as his adult daughter is terminally ill.

I have been trying to encourage him with bible verse, that deal with looking to God and he is responding. He has said he is a "christian" but I take it from a few of his emails that it's only in speach adn not in deed. He admits to not being in chruch and I think he's from a orthodox background.

So he emails me yesterday and asks how he should pray. He says he knows the first commandment is not to have idol's before God and he wanted to know whether to pray directly to the Almighty God or Jesus etc etc.

SO I took the opportunity to first point to the issue of whether your prayers will be heard citing Pslam 66:18 that if he hold iniquity in our hearts (meaning unsaved also?) that the Lord will not hear me.

I shared that it's impotant not to call out to God in a crisis but rather make sure he is our LORD and savior and that his life is dedicated to him first. THEN we can come boldly before his throne with prayers and petitions.

Now, I'm feeling really guilty like I came on WAY to strong and had NO right to say that first and it would have been better to just urge him to pray.

Am I wrong/right?:idunno

[dramama]

How can it be wrong to speak the truth?? If he's saved, he'll take the second part of your discussion.....if he's not he'll perhaps get himself right with God, who will then listen to his prayers.

[Anddra]

This may have been what he needed to hear. The Holy Spirit knows what is required in every case.

[pagal]

Yes, I know but maybe it was too strong of a comment. I didn't rant, I just gave a paragraph on what salvation looks like.

Now I'm thinking, omagosh, now he's going to not speak to me anymore and we just met.

Maybe I should have held off on that but my line of thinking was his daughter is critical...

I dunno!

[usaf_chaplain]

Yes, I know but maybe it was too strong of a comment. I didn't rant, I just gave a paragraph on what salvation looks like.

Now I'm thinking, omagosh, now he's going to not speak to me anymore and we just met.

Maybe I should have held off on that but my line of thinking was his daughter is critical...

I dunno!

You might talk to him about what does guarantee our prayers will be heard....Jesus. Through Jesus I have access to the very Holy of Holies. So when I do call out to God, in crisis or not, the only guarantee I have that He will even hear me is because Jesus has opened the door through His death and resurrection. Once that is settled, then I'd move on to point two...regarding sin in my heart. Once sin is dealt with (which by the way was dealt with once and for all at the Cross) it is dealt with. Any sin I commit after salvation is already forgiven. But I do bring it to Christ in order that my fellowship with Him will not be hindered. That's a big theme in 1 John. Well, hope this helps.

SS

[Beth O]

I have this cousin that I JUST found who's much older - my mother's age and he is in a very serious crisis as his adult daughter is terminally ill.

I have been trying to encourage him with bible verse, that deal with looking to God and he is responding. He has said he is a "christian" but I take it from a few of his emails that it's only in speach adn not in deed. He admits to not being in chruch and I think he's from a orthodox background.

So he emails me yesterday and asks how he should pray. He says he knows the first commandment is not to have idol's before God and he wanted to know whether to pray directly to the Almighty God or Jesus etc etc.

SO I took the opportunity to first point to the issue of whether your prayers will be heard citing Pslam 66:18 that if he hold iniquity in our hearts (meaning unsaved also?) that the Lord will not hear me.

I shared that it's impotant not to call out to God in a crisis but rather make sure he is our LORD and savior and that his life is dedicated to him first. THEN we can come boldly before his throne with prayers and petitions.

Now, I'm feeling really guilty like I came on WAY to strong and had NO right to say that first and it would have been better to just urge him to pray.

Am I wrong/right?:idunno

I'm not sure if you are right or wrong in this circumstance. I would just say that many are saved, (he may not be saved) when they are in crisis. It takes a humble heart to receive the Lord Jesus. God may use a crisis to get you on your knees. I know this was the case for me. The night I was saved, (I would have thought I was already saved, but I wasn't) I called on His name, it was the crisis that made me realize that I could no longer depend on myself.

We can't discern the heart of an individual. We are just told to preach the gospel.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.


Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

To present a full gospel message, he would need to realize that he is a sinner and in need of salvation. He may think he will get to heaven from being a good person. Use the law. Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

He could maybe listen to Hell's Best Kept Secret or True and False Conversion.

http://www.livingwaters.com/start.shtml

You could tell him you've had more time to think about this and ask him if he would like to talk to you about this again?

[pegmo]

I found Jesus by calling out to Him in crisis....then He moved to bring me to salvation.....

but perhaps the Spirit was moving to have you direct Him in the way you did.....

[Sweetlybroken]

I think people in crisis want the truth, and this may be the point in his life that he will respond to it (if he hasn't before). IMO, as long as our motives before God are pure, He will cover what we preceive as our human blunders..... this I know well.

[Lisababy]

but perhaps the Spirit was moving to have you direct Him in the way you did.....

:agree

The holy spirit knew what he needed to hear at that moment. Don't doubt yourself, just wait and see what happens.