I am going to redo this post. I was in such a hurry and did not get to write what I wanted and also mispelled many things :-? So here is the real deal:


My dad called me this morning to say that my brother was in jail again. Not a big surprise to me. He has been running from God for so long and he always finds a way out. The last few weeks he has been acting really strange- didn't come for christmas (said he was under major spiritual attack - this usually means he's been drinking or drugs or partying, and just feeling the guilt and depression)

My dad is opening a full gym for my brother. This is what my brother wanted and so my dad agrees to it thinking it would help my brother get his life together. Ha! My parents are always enabling my brother. whenever he gets in trouble they bail him out and baby him. He is 27 and is probably 16 emotionally. His good looks and charm don't help the situation at all. Last night he was arrested on public intoxication, stalking (his old girlfriend), and more. He disappeared last week for like 4 days. I believe it's drugs and alcohol and just a bad way of living. My dad and mom are saying that it is a mental disorder now. They took him to a christian (?) counselor who says he has he has two problems- one is emotional and one is medical. He is the one who thinks he is bi-polar or something else.

My brother has got to have the most horrendous guilt and shame from living this way. he grew up in a christian home and knows full well that all of this is wrong. But yet he keeps running. The guilt and shame and fear is enough to manifest itself as many mental disorders- i know this from my own life.

I am praying that my dad does not help him, does not bail him out and let's the chips fall where they may. My brother needs the Lord so bad- to heal his many hurts. Alot is from my mom and dad's divorce and the fact that they always taught him the bible's way of living yet they didn't live it themselves.

I told my dad about the Nouthetic counseling center that is very near them in Indiana. It's free because they believe that God's counsel should be free. The pastor at the church we have been going to is also NANC certified. The thing that might be very important with Grant getting this type of counseling is that they do not let you off the hook and cover your problems up with "names" and labels. They make you take responsibilty for your actions.

I did tell my dad that if Grant needs to get away from his environment for awhile that he is welcome to stay here for awhile as long as he agrees to see a biblical counselor here. He needs to get away from his old friends, from the atmosphere or the rich and wealthy and lazy and worldly for a while.

I keep praying that the Lord will do whatever it takes for Grant to come to the cross. Every time the Lord tries to break him, my dad or mom has been there to give him an escape route.

Please pray with me about Grant. I know he is very hurt and emotionally unstable underneath.

In Him, Chanin

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Chanin

Hi Chanin,

Quite a bit I can relate to here. Similar struggles previously mentioned have not changed, that rebellious spirit...

Will keep your brother in prayer over this sister, may what ever is necessary be done to break these two, bringing them to repentance.

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Mike Balog

Thought I would interject an idea here today.
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*Edit (1/24/05): On second thought, the possibility that overshadowing the requests here would be a disservice rather than a help. Thought it best to isolate this into it's own thread. Hope the sentiment is still the same, that we would seriously pray one for another. Will keep it within this category, "Miracles that follow the plow" under the sub-heading, "Pray, Prayer, Praying".
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Being that we have such an incredible mix of blessed personalities amongst us, a cross-cultural section from all over the world. Different perspectives, experience and particular present needs, pleadings and petitions. Intercession of all kinds... But the one and same Lord over all.

Some of us are more private, some more vocal. And as this heading suggests a place for "[i]Post Prayer Requests, Testimonies & Answers to prayer in your life. Use this as a place to share what God is putting on your heart and doing daily.[/i]"

The thought was that it is often difficult to find words to respond to individual requests, at least it is for me sometimes. And alongside that, in what ways should we be praying?..."[i]Lord, teach us to pray"[/i]

So thought it might be helpful to occasionally insert an excerpt on prayer from those who have left us their writings on the matter that would serve two purposes. One, to draw our attention to the particular requests once again and secondly to help us better understand and apply some thoughts towards those requests that are presented. And with that, will offer the following;

[i]Prayer alters CIRCUMSTANCES through me[/i]

It is only when a man flounders beyond any grip of himself and cannot understand things that he really prays. It is not part of the natural life of a man to pray. By “natural” I mean the ordinary, sensible, healthy, worldly-minded life. We hear it said that a man will suffer in his life if he does not pray; I question it. Prayer is an interruption to personal ambition, and no man who is busy has time to pray. What will suffer is the life of God in him, which is nourished not by food but by prayer. If we look on prayer as a means of developing ourselves, there is nothing in it at all, nor do we find that idea of prayer in the Bible. Prayer is other than meditation; it is that which develops the life of God in us. When a man is born from above (rv mg), the life of the Son of God begins in him, and he can either starve that life or nourish it. Prayer is the way the life of God is nourished. Our Lord nourished the life of God in Him by prayer; He was continually in contact with His Father. We generally look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves, whereas the Bible idea of prayer is that God’s holiness and God’s purpose and God’s wise order may be brought about, irrespective of who comes or who goes. Our ordinary views of prayer are not found in the New Testament.

When a man is in real distress he prays without reasoning; he does not think things out, he simply spurts it out—“Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.” When we get into a tight place our logic goes to the winds, and we work from the implicit part of ourselves.

“Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.”† Then why ask? Very evidently our ideas about prayer and Jesus Christ’s are not the same. Prayer to Him is not a means of getting things from God, but in order that we may get to know God. Prayer, that is, is not to be used as the petted privilege of a spoiled child seeking for ideal conditions in which to indulge his spiritual propensities ad lib.; the purpose of prayer is to reveal the Presence of God, equally present at all times and in every condition.

Chambers, O. [i]"If ye shall ask"[/i]

*Please, do scroll through the thread and read the requests of our brethren. Let us pray for one another, with expectation and anticipation. Thanks folks.

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Mike Balog

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Chanin

Just wanted to update. My brother will have to stay put in the jail in Indianapolis until the 24th of this month. Then he will have some kind of hearing as to what will happen to him next. he has never had to stay in jail more than a night before. I am praying that he will be safe and that he will use this time to speak to the Lord.

My parents went to his house yesterday to find that it was so unkept and old food sitting around everywhere. They cleaned out his whole place and took out trash bags and more trash bags full of garbage. My dad said it was like a movie. It smelled and was horrible. It is obvious that he was very depressed. He actually disappeared for about 4 days during Christmas. So his mental state had not been good at all.

We are praying that he will surrender to the Lord fully during this time. He has been running from God for a very long time.

Thank you to anyone who has prayed for him.

In Him, Chanin

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Chanin

Chanin

I am so sorry to hear about your brother Miss Chanin. I can really relate (to a small degree) to what you are saying. I had a Brother (Christian friend) who used drugs mildly when I first met him. He knew it was wrong but I suppose the upside of my situation is that he was very open about it… in fact too open for my taste. At the time, I was a church-go-er (not really a Christian) and this brought into sharp focus how very inept I was to help anyone in spiritual matters. As time went by, he lost control of his habit and he was in an altered state of consciousness for days on end. I suddenly could not relate with him on any matter but I still hung around him not passing judgment. I never said a word to him, not because I though it was good counsel but truly I had not grown enough in Christ to do or say anything. I was his only friend who was on “clean air” and I guess I became a point of reference. As he declined all his friend forsook him and eventually he was kicked out of his apartment (long story) and I took him in (reluctantly).

Suddenly many of my prayer times had to be shared with him and he was convicted of the Holy Ghost (not me in any way). He stopped his habit with; get this, NO withdrawal symptoms! He now has a MIGHTY baptism of the Spirit and he is an invaluable member of our (IRONMAN- from Sermonidex and me) prayer circle. God works in mysterious ways… prayer to God in the name of JESUS still prevails! I guess what I am trying to say, to cut a long story short is, I do not believe your brother is beyond help. You will be amazed one day when you see what God can create out of the dust when he breaths his life into it. Patience and persistence are the story of widow (Luke 18: 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so she doesn't wear me out by her persistent coming.' " 6 Then the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says 7 Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? 8 I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on earth?")


James

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James Gabriel Gondai Dziya

Dear James,

Thank you brother. Without going into it all with much detail, there are quite a few [i]...And such were some of you:[/i](1Co 6:11) types amongst us, self included that were once entrapped in that world.

As was alluded to earlier here, like Chanin's situation mine parallels it; [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=3857&forum=44&18]For my wife[/url] Am sure Chanin will find much encouragement here as I have.

Luk 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Pray on!

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Mike Balog

Hi Chanin
I have just posted a little Amy Carmichael snippet in No 14 and I thought of you...

not by way of accusation but just by way of explanation.

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Ron Bailey

Chanin, I just got here and read your prayer request. You know, I have a brother, actually several members of my family who need to come to Christ. I've gotten to where I don't really know what to say to God about them. Now, I just ask God, that in his great mercy, he would do whatever it takes to bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I agree with you that we need to pray that your parents would stop enabling him.
Since I have come to believe in divine election, I have also come to believe that God gives us the priviledge of participating in another's salvation by laying down our lives in prayer for them. That's cool. I will pray with you for your brother. Love, Dian.