I Need Help

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I've been struggling quite a bit with my Christianity for the past couple months. I've tried to remain strong in the Faith but it's more difficult than possibly imagined.

First of all, I'm not Catholic, and I don't want to be. Yet, here and there, Mom tries to hint that Catholicism is good in spite of all the proof (and recent news events) proving it isn't.

The main problem is I felt led in the Spirit to take on digitizing 50 to 100 cassettes of sermons from Brother Greg, and I was happy to do so, but ever since the cassettes arrived, I've been met with opposition from my parents. It started off small and continued to grow.

I'm also currently attending college, so my schedule is very busy as it is, but if I felt led in the Spirit to do something, then it's something God knows I can do! If He believes I can digitize the 80 or so cassettes over a period of a few months, then that is what I should do, is it not? Didn't Matthew 5:37 say, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no"? What manner of Christian would I be if I never digitized the cassettes?

Getting back to the home situation, I just had an awful argument with my parents, and I'm deeply depressed about it. I sinned by my mouth and inner feelings, and I'm afraid I'm going to lose Christ. I want to serve in the Spirit, but my parents said all sorts of things including, "You should do only 10-20 cassettes," and, "Look at the man hours involved. You'll have to give up such-and-such during summer break," and, "You've always learned new music during the summer break," and the worst, "This guy is clearly taking advantage of you." HOW can a fellow brother in Christ be taking advantage of me when I knew full well the load of work I was going to take on? And what's so wrong about giving up one thing or another in order to serve the Body with what abilities God gave me?

My regret is that I didn't come forth sooner about my turmoil, and here's where the turmoil comes: should I obey my parents by doing 10-20 of the 80 or so and send the rest back, or should I ignore my parents completely and just push onward? Would I be dishonoring my parents if I did the latter (which would be a sin against God)? Would I be angering God if I didn't do the full load I feel He asked me to do in light of Matthew 5:37? Please my Brothers and Sisters, I need your help and prayers and guidance. I'm also praying for forgiveness as well. I need to get back on the straight and narrow which I stumbled off of today. God bless you all.

Ephesians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Ephesians 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

'I PRAY FOR YOU BROTHER'..... Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21

Dear One,
First of all, the Lord bless you for offering to digitize the tapes. It's a labor of love and He won't forget it.
That said, please do not come under condemnation of the enemy if you can't do it in the time frame promised.

If you were rude to your parents, then you need to repent before God, apologize to your parents....and move on in freedom knowing you are loved and accepted by your Father, God Almighty. Remember Romans 8:1? There is therefore now NO condemnation for those in Christ [my paraphrase].

I would speak with Greg about perhaps extending the time you'll be able to finish digitizing the tapes. Your parents are probably really just concerned for your well being.

May the Lord generously grant you wisdom to address their concerns while enabling you to wisely go about digitizing the tapes without unnecessarily causing rancor at home.

But above all this, may the peace of God envelope you and uphold you through this 'storm'.

IT IS WELL.

First of all, I'm not Catholic, and I don't want to be. Yet, here and there, Mom tries to hint that Catholicism is good in spite of all the proof (and recent news events) proving it isn't.

The main problem is I felt led in the Spirit to take on digitizing 50 to 100 cassettes of sermons from Brother Greg, and I was happy to do so, but ever since the cassettes arrived, I've been met with opposition from my parents. It started off small and continued to grow.

Philippians 2:12-16
herefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, [b]work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;[/b]

Matthew 10:37
He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

~~~~

I do not know your home situation enough to give any advice but only from what I read here. I would say that you need to walk before the Lord to the best of your ability.

You must follow your conscience before the Lord. What is He telling you about this? What gives you peace in your heart and a good conscience toward God?

~~~~

The following is only a scenario based on loose information, and none of this may apply to you at all...

scenario:

Honor your parents as this is right, and a commandment from the Lord, but do I obey a parent that would cause me to sin a sin?

Although I think there are some Catholics that are true Christians, I do not see Roman Catholicism or Orthodox Christianity as being in the way of the Lord.

If they are trying to turn you from the way of the Lord by turning you to Catholicism, and this is why they are saying don't do this work...then you have a choice to make.

If my parents told me that I needed to follow satan instead of Jesus, should I honor and obey them in this? Would I be breaking the commandment of the Lord which says to honor your father and your mother by not obeying them in this?

Which is right?

So whom do I honor first, God, or my parents that would make me to sin against God? Do I break the commandment of God by honoring God first, instead of my parents?

If it were me, and my parents were trying to turn me to Catholicism and away from Christ, my decision would be for Christ and nothing would turn me away from that because it is before the Lord.

Now, if the crux of the matter is really of you taking on too much work for such a short period of time, then your parents may be right with what they have said that you should reduce your workload - make your best effort to do as many as you can with the time you have, in order to keep your word, and that's all you can really do.

And if you cannot fulfill your complete obligation to Greg, then apologize to Greg and ask God to forgive you and carry on. It is important to keep your heart right with God, and I would encourage you in this way.

Ultimately you must follow your conscience before the Lord. What is He telling you about this? What gives you peace in your heart and a good conscience toward God?