i need some advice

[ai_princesss]

i have some really great friends, but they aren't Christian. i've brought some of them to church a few times, but nothing reallyworks. i don't know what to do, i mean it will work for a little while, but then they just go back to their old ways. (when i say work, i mean that their behaver changes like not say "God" and stuff likee that.) any advice?  

[Ablazed]

One of my favorite sayings: "Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words."

From my own personal experience, I have found that the BEST way to reach people is to do exactly what Christ did when He dealt with the Gentiles. He loved them where they were. Living by example is POWERFUL. You'd be amazed what kind of effect it can have on the people around you - but it isn't an effect you can see right away. Sometimes it may take years and years to notice.

Love them. When you are with them, be praying and asking God how you can best be Christ to them. If that means inviting them to Church with you, ok. But if it doesn't, that's ok too. Just be patient and know that God may be using you in an indirect manner to touch their hearts.

Does that help?  

[ai_princesss]

ya, it does, thanks smile  

[lordstar]

6keiko6cutie6

i have some really great friends, but they aren't Christian. i've brought some of them to church a few times, but nothing reallyworks. i don't know what to do, i mean it will work for a little while, but then they just go back to their old ways. (when i say work, i mean that their behaver changes like not say "God" and stuff likee that.) any advice?

I think a friend is someone who you know all about and love just the same

So ask yourself
why do you insist they change?  

[ai_princesss]

lordstar

6keiko6cutie6

i have some really great friends, but they aren't Christian. i've brought some of them to church a few times, but nothing reallyworks. i don't know what to do, i mean it will work for a little while, but then they just go back to their old ways. (when i say work, i mean that their behaver changes like not say "God" and stuff likee that.) any advice?

I think a friend is someone who you know all about and love just the same

So ask yourself
why do you insist they change?

true, very true.......................  

[lordstar]

6keiko6cutie6

lordstar

6keiko6cutie6

i have some really great friends, but they aren't Christian. i've brought some of them to church a few times, but nothing reallyworks. i don't know what to do, i mean it will work for a little while, but then they just go back to their old ways. (when i say work, i mean that their behaver changes like not say "God" and stuff likee that.) any advice?

I think a friend is someone who you know all about and love just the same

So ask yourself
why do you insist they change?

true, very true.......................

Friendship, Loyalty, and Charity
Three words every native son holds close in his heart

Remember that goodness breeds goodness
and should you lead by such an example
I'm sure all the pieces will fall into place

your friends may never choose to become Christian
but a good heart is a good heart nonetheless  

[ai_princesss]

lordstar

6keiko6cutie6

lordstar

6keiko6cutie6

i have some really great friends, but they aren't Christian. i've brought some of them to church a few times, but nothing reallyworks. i don't know what to do, i mean it will work for a little while, but then they just go back to their old ways. (when i say work, i mean that their behaver changes like not say "God" and stuff likee that.) any advice?

I think a friend is someone who you know all about and love just the same

So ask yourself
why do you insist they change?

true, very true.......................

Friendship, Loyalty, and Charity
Three words every native son holds close in his heart

Remember that goodness breeds goodness
and should you lead by such an example
I'm sure all the pieces will fall into place

your friends may never choose to become Christian
but a good heart is a good heart nonetheless

thanks!  

[Dcaff]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

I think we as Christians, especially in our American society of "go, go, go, all the time", have become "Doers" to a fault. We see the world in turmoil out there...we all have loved ones who don't know the Lord and so we want change. The desire for them to have a relationship with Jesus isn't the problem, but how we deal with it can be. How we go about dealing with it can be just as worldly as any other pursuit.

Rest assured that no process, no method or formula will ever be found to lead others to Christ. It is personal. You believe and have a relationship in Him because something very real and personal transpired between you and Him. That isn't to say that there weren't many people along the way that helped bring you to that point where you gave your life to Jesus. AND I might add, some of them probably weren't believers! Everything is used to God's glory. We take part in the work, but we ultimately don't make the change happen.

In Acts, chapter 17, Paul says,
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ “Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone–an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”

This is one of my favorite places in Scripture. It just kind of puts things in perspective for me. We have a tendency to think that we're doing more than we actually are and that some way, somehow, our lack of doing has the possibility to ruin God's plans. How arrogant is that? Is it possible that we have complete free will and yet God is in control of everything? Absolutely, its just difficult for us to wrap our minds aound!

All this to say, don't freak too bad if you're not seeing changes right away. This could take your friends a lifetime to wrestle with! You may never see the effects of the little piece of the puzzle you played, but like Ablazed said, you do your part, you love them no matter what, you pray and rejoice that it all rests in Gods hands. Trust him to do that work in their lives. After all, He loves them more than you ever could!  

[ai_princesss]

thanks! that makes alot of sence, and i deffinatly will remember it.  

[Chobits_lover399]

Um I have a problem that I'm not sure what to do.
1. My sisters are Dating behind my Parents back and I'm not sure if I should tell my parents about it becaue my sisters might hate me for the rest of my life.  

[lordstar]

Chobits_lover399

Um I have a problem that I'm not sure what to do.
1. My sisters are Dating behind my Parents back and I'm not sure if I should tell my parents about it becaue my sisters might hate me for the rest of my life.

I would say that the problem is that your sisters feel the need to do what they do

it is simple logic
h0 doesn't make sense and therefore ditch it for something "better"  

[Chobits_lover399]

Its hard to keep it from my parents becasue I hate the feeling of keeping a secret from them and its stressing me out becasue they do That I keep praying that they would see what they are doing wrong and fix it but may be its me...  

[lordstar]

Chobits_lover399

Its hard to keep it from my parents becasue I hate the feeling of keeping a secret from them and its stressing me out becasue they do That I keep praying that they would see what they are doing wrong and fix it but may be its me...

You might want to ask them why and how they came to their conclusion  

[Chobits_lover399]

Ehh I'm not so sure what your saying but thank you for the Advice.  

[lordstar]

Chobits_lover399

Ehh I'm not so sure what your saying but thank you for the Advice.

Why do your parents not approve of dating? Knowing this is the key to resolving the issue.