"And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren"

2 Cor 12v10 tells us when we are weak then we are strong. In other words, God gets glory when we have to rely on His strength and not our own.
God will move on your behalf as you are faithful to Him. The enemy wants to wear us out and make us give up. Don't. God is worth the wait. God bless.

Hi brother, I am very glad to see someone from this site of the world.

While "And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren" is true, it is also true that "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

Be encouraged brother, the Lord is on your site. I believe you will come back with testemony in your heart.

Kire

Hi, Slav, May God open the way for you to get to school. May he give you favor in the eyes of your family. Your faith is precious in the sight of God.

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Rom 1:8

…rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Rom. 5:3 NKJV

Diane

Privet Slav,

I know how you feel. After I got born-again, my brother (a Buddhist) told me I was brainwashed. When I tried to put my hand on his shoulder to reason with him, he jolted back and cussed me out. I really thought we was going to punch me in the face. His fist was cocked back, and he was screaming at me. My father, just recently, told me to stop giving God credit for everything. "God didn't do anything for you," he said. "You are where you are in life because YOU worked hard." My mother - a very gentle, sweet woman - ALWAYS tells me to shut up when I start telling her about Jesus. She'll even use profanity! She changes right before my eyes.

My family is very strong, traditional Italian and they love to drink wine at every meal. Well, after I got saved, I had to hear how I was now "better than them" because I wouldn't drink wine anymore. I am the ONLY ONE in my big family that is saved. My entire family is Roman Catholic and dead in sin; besides me, my brother is the only other one who deviated from their traditions (from Roman Catholicism to Buddhism). In fact, after the abovementioned incident with my brother, he stopped talking to me for over three years! People really hate Jesus. When I go home now, I am forbidden to talk about Jesus (you would think my family were Muslim or Jewish instead of Roman Catholic), though I have to listen to THEM take the Lord's Name in vain in just about every sentence. But, as Christians, we just have to be long-suffering, knowing that those without are blind. I always remind myself how far gone I used to be, how I too used to sit at the table of mockers...and how long-suffering the Lord God was with ME, the chief of sinners! I always ask the Lord to forgive their impudence as He so graciously forgave mine.

But they really think that I have flipped out! They sometimes look at me like a stranger. Especially when I won't laugh at their off-colored jokes anymore, or when I won't join them to watch the filth on TV or drink alcohol or gleefully talk about the newest secular recording artist. The Lord has long ago taken from me the charms of mortal vanities which consume the lives of men and women and narcotize Christians from the wooings of the Holy Spirit. Though I love my family dearly, and have wept tears that God alone has counted, and will never cease praying for them, I am separated unto Christ now. I am dead to my family, dead to the world, and dead to myself. And so must you be.

Slav, I care enough about you to tell you the truth. Expect a bloody battle. Satan will not unlock his slavish chains on the souls of your family without a vicious fight. He will stoop very low in order to get you to compromise your integrity in Christ. Since you asked for prayer that the Lord's will be accomplished in your life and that you be found a faithful servant, I must tell that there is a chance you may NOT be allowed back to America. I therefore think it's extremely wise and mature of you to not ask for a specific prayer that the Lord send you back to America! Your season here may be over. The Lord may well have other plans for you, and will use your mom and dad to direct you there. But whatever happens, we know Romans 8:28 to be our promise while enduring these things. God's plan and timing are always impeccable, and He will often keep you on the edge of your seat before He blows your mind by ushering you through a new and better door. The Lord God will see you through, my brother, and I pray His perfect will be done in your life as you trust and obey.

Brother Slav! I'll be keeping you in prayer.

Paul

ive been the same.... i was saved and i was changed instant...... i dident any longer wanted to watch tv..i dident wanna do the same things i used to i dident wanna talk the way i used to...i used to be a drug addict and i lived in a way that follows that "lifestyle", but when i got saved everything changed.... i became different i no longer was out chasing drugs and money , now i was home...but after a wile my girlfriend (now wife) started to say things to me...this is going to far... you are crasy.. and so on.. its good you dont do all those things you used to but must you talk so much about jesus?....the thing that hurted me the most was one night she said it was better before when i was a drugaddict!!!!
i was crushed by this... i found the light..i found salvation..i found the truth...and people around me...my wife my mother my brothers and sisters alll was against me... i dident get it at first..but ive prayed ive stopped forcing my belifs on them..im a living testimony for christ... and glory to god... my wife gave her life to christ... now we pray togheter and read the word togheter and so on... my brother have accepted that there could be a god... hes thinking about it... my mother likewise... and im continuing to pray... its hard, to know the truth...its hard to know what would happend to them if they left this side of eternity whitout christ... but belive in jesus, be still and wait for god... and by the holy ghost be christlike...show them jesus thru you...let his light shine thru you to give the living god all the glory... ive heard testimonys abut people praying for other peoples salvation for over 40 years!!! thats quite a long time... but god awnserd.... and one sermon that really helped me was HURTING HOME... by keith daniels....

listen to it or watch it...it might help you in some way...

let us all pray for eatchoters family members and lost loved ones....

gods peace to you all
christian

Christian said,

ive stopped forcing my belifs on them

Our parents and loved ones may get upset for many reasons when we convert. For one thing, our conversion is a direct assult to all they have believed in, lived for, and taught us. That is why they need, more than ever, to know that we value them, respect them, and appreciate their care for us over the years. "Honor your father and mother."

Also, because they have no way of knowing if we are joining something that is good or bad, they need time to see if our faith is genuine and lasting:

....im a living testimony for christ...

‘Wives in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that if any of them do not believe the word, they may be one over WITHOUT WORDS by the behavior of their wives.” 1 Pet 3:1

Of course, this principle could apply in any relationship.“Submit to one another.” Our quiet peaceful lives speak much louder than all our God-talk.

I will keep praying for them and be a faithful witness of the love of Christ.

Diane

How many untold testimonies are there of families that have been divided by Christ? (See Matthew 10:34-39)

How many untold testimonies are there of family members who came to Christ after watching their truly converted family member live a life in honor of the Lord and for His glory?

Since I came to Christ twelve years ago, many of my family members have come to Christ. Not all of them have come to Christ but God is still working on many of them. When we take our crosses and follow Jesus, our families see our love for Christ, even if they don't understand or approve. Through it all, God may bring them to conviction and conversion.

Please, pray for me, brethren, that I may do the Lord's will and be a faithful witness in His name.

This is my prayer for you brother!
Grace and peace
Olan

Had not seen this earlier, was looking at all the new postings to where everyones orgins are and came upon it. We recently had a family from Bulgaria move in here, a very sweet family.

Dear Slav, I have nothing to add but my prayers.

Glad you found SermonIndex, there are some tremendous saints here and you just added to the number.