Do you have any wayward children?

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ginnyrose May 17, 2005

I have been reading testimonies here on SI and I am am thrilled to see how God is still working. But I have such a deep sadness in my Spirit because two of our boys are away from God. Are there any others on SI who are where we are? You know, we/I pray and pray and you finally don't know how to pray, but you pray anyways, just giving them over to the LORD to deal with them as he wills AND help me to not interfere!We have lost a daughter to cancer, leaving behind two small children. But you know what, this is a whole lot easier to bear because there is joy in heaven when one of the saints comes home and in an interesting way we have witnessed some of that joy. BUT when a person is away from God, Jesus grieves also. The comfort is missing. It is a whole lot easier to see a child die and go be with the LORD then it is to see one living in sin and see him on a regular basis.Anyone wish to share?Ginnyrose

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dohzman May 17, 2005

Hi sis! :-D Just wanted you to know somewhat how I pray for my one son who is at the stage of being rebellious. He's not in any outward sin but doesn't want to live for Jesus, he's self all the way. I keep him covered in prayer like Job did his children---just a side note: in the end Job recieved double of everything in number except his children, reason? His other children were in heaven and he recieved them eternally?----Any way---Read Job 33:14-18 and make it a prayer. Blessing Bro. Daryl

sermonindex May 17, 2005

Ginnyrose, When i read your post it reminded me of what Jim Cymbala pasor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle had to go through when his Daughter came away from the Lord. You can listen to his testimony of this in his message calling on the name of the Lord:https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=6035Have a box of tissues to hand!!I hope this helps, In His Love, Geraldine

sermonindex May 19, 2005

I'm really surprised that there have not been more posts here in this thread. Maybe you are like me and just getting around to responding. Hosea said that there is a famine in the land, a famine of the Word of God. One need only read the book of judges to find out what a mess succeeding generations go through when the fathers fail to impart the Word of God to their children. We are living this history all over again. Is it pride that keeps us from being transparent here? I hope that there is not a lack of interest. I got a call from a man who asked my wife and I to come and pray with them for their children. The oldest, a girl, was into all this "punk rock" fanaticism and had a reputation at being extreme. The second child, a son, was violently and verbally abusive to his parents. The other two smaller children did just as they pleased, according to the book of Dr. Spock. This post is not about judgement of the parents. It's about their humility and wisdom to reach out to God for help. So we went on two Saturday nights and we simply knelt together in the living room and asked God to do what was impossible for us to do. As notorious as these two very ungoldly older teens had been before, they are now radically and nortoriously saved. The contrast is so different, that it cannot be anything but amazing. Amazing Grace. Our prayers did not do it. But the One Who hears and loves did it all. He alone gets all the glory. Is that ok with the parents? Yes indeed. I have children who are caught up in the glitz, glitter, and availability of temptation in this world. They know that these things are rocks painted gold. Yet they cannot give them up. I have only myself to blame. So I'm asking you to stand with my wife and I, and pray for our children. One son is living in homosexuality. Is anything too difficult for our God? Please stand with us in prayer. I want to leave you with a song I love to sing. Why? Because I had a praying mama. No doubt I'd not be here today had it not been for God's mercy in answering her prayers. It's a tune from a recent album by Randy Travis. WHEN MAMA PRAYEDDaddy never went to church on SundayHe said that's one thing I'll never doMama never gave up, she said one day,He'll be sitting here beside me in the pewI can still hear mama softly talkingHer tears falling on her folded handsThat Easter Sunday, my daddy walked inThat's when I began to understandWhen Mama prayed, good things happenedWhen Mama prayed, life would changeNot much more than five feet tallBut mountains big and smallCrumbled all away when mama prayedSeventeen and wild I hit the bottleDoing anything I dang well pleasedRunning down lifes highway at full throttleWhile Mama burned a candle on her kneesThen one night, I came home half soberI heard Mama praying in the denAs I listened, she and Jesus talked it overAnd I knew my rambling days were about to endWhen Mama prayed, good things happenedWhen Mama prayed, life would changeNot much more than five feet tallBut mountains big and smallCrumbled all away when mama prayedIt isn't like every one of them got answeredBut that times that weren't, it seemed to me weren't there.You almost felt sorry for the devilCause heaven knows he didn't have a prayerWhen Mama prayed, good things happenedWhen Mama prayed, life would changeNot much more than five feet tallBut mountains big and smallCrumbled all away when mama prayedNot much more than five feet tallBut mountains big and smallCrumbled all away .......when mama prayed

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roadsign May 19, 2005

I know the intense heartbreak of watching my children walk in the wrong direction. Yet I also know the joy of resting in the Lord, trusting him to do what is best - and then seeing him watch over my four children. He is a God of mercy!!! I wrote the following article - a product of the many times I cried out to God: "Coming to his Senses"http://www.thewayback.net/articles/senses.htmDiane

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ginnyrose May 20, 2005

I thank all of you who shared. With you all being so kind it seems to me you deserve a response from me and that I really want to do. But what what else is there to say?In the story of the prodigal son there are a few things I noticed:1. There is nothing critical said about the father. Any criticism is leveled by moderns who appear to be all-wise.2. The son left voluntarily. 3. The father allowed the son to leave and did not follow him, begging him to "return and lets see if we can compromise.." 4. The father did not compromise his principles in order to retain his son. I have heard so many sermons on child-rearing saying that if a child goes wayward it is the parent's fault. This is all painful to the parent who had tried his/her best. I do receive comfort when I consider God with the first people he parented. If the accusation is to be fair, it must then mean it was God's fault Adam and Eve sinned. Another thing: Adam and Eve had the perfect home, the perfect parent and so why did they disobey? They were tempted and chose to listen and do. They chose. And God was not physically there to restrain them. God allowed it and he was not surprised. We often will blame ourselves for our failures, thinking if we had only done this or that differently things would have turned out better. However, we can see that even when things are perfect people will still choose somethig else that promise so much more. We hurt so bad. Now I wonder how much pain does God have when he sees his creation rebell against him? I believe his sorrow is no less painful then ours. When I consider what Jesus had to endure to redeem man back to himself, I often think what I would be willing to give up, or do just to get our boys back....In the meantime, we love them so much when they come home. When Jesus says there is more rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents then over the ninety and nine that need no repentance....I think I can understand.Thanks for sharing. I would love to hear more from readers..Ginnyrose