Hello - New Here - Need Some Prayer!

[Betsy Bogusz]

Hi there - My name is Betsy.  I don't know how to use this site yet.  I've been reading discussions on this site for some time now.  Thought I would sign up and ask you to pray with me for help for my son.  He's 17 and has been studying with me at Ray's site.  We are both very much in agreement with all that we read.  My husband is Catholic but I am not.  I did NOT raise our boys Catholic.  All of a sudden my husband has decided that the boys (17 and 21 yrs. old) need to become Catholic and is forcing the 17 year old to go to counseling with the priest and to become Catholic!  Matt, my son, is trying to hold up his arguments with what he has learned from Ray's site.  Needless to say he is going through HELL (LOL???)!!!  Now my husband is livid with me for "brainwashing" the boys in unchristian ways.  I know that my son and I will be persecuted for truth sake.  My son just needs strength to hang on and keep strong!!!  Keep us both in your prayers!!!  Thanks :wink:  Got any suggestions for my son and I and our 'defense'?!?!?

[roperfam]

Hi there - My name is Betsy.  I don't know how to use this site yet.  I've been reading discussions on this site for some time now.  Thought I would sign up and ask you to pray with me for help for my son.  He's 17 and has been studying with me at Ray's site.  We are both very much in agreement with all that we read.  My husband is Catholic but I am not.  I did NOT raise our boys Catholic.  All of a sudden my husband has decided that the boys (17 and 21 yrs. old) need to become Catholic and is forcing the 17 year old to go to counseling with the priest and to become Catholic!  Matt, my son, is trying to hold up his arguments with what he has learned from Ray's site.  Needless to say he is going through HELL (LOL???)!!!  Now my husband is livid with me for "brainwashing" the boys in unchristian ways.  I know that my son and I will be persecuted for truth sake.  My son just needs strength to hang on and keep strong!!!  Keep us both in your prayers!!!  Thanks :wink:  Got any suggestions for my son and I and our 'defense'?!?!?

Wow, this is a hard situation.  I pray that God will give you wisdom.  I don't have any great advise other than if God is opening the eyes of you and your son, there is nothing religion can do to stop it.  Keep studying, praying and fellowshipping with your son.  If he does or is forced to join the catholic church, use it as a way to discuss topics with your son, almost like a college class, and how it is not jiving with the Holy Spirit is teaching you.  Just some thots.  

In Him

[orion77]

Yeah that is a tough question.  Could be that God is going to give your son some experience in the way true spirituality is not to be.  Nevertheless he is in Gods hands.  Let faith take over, dont worry every hair on your sons head is numbered.  

God bless you and keep you and yours.

Gary

[Chris R]

Hello,

Be the best Mother/Wife you can be, Be the best Son you can be, I would rather see a sermon, rather than hear one. Love your husband/Father

Peace

Chris R

[zander]

Any news of possible family strife when it comes to the church and the truth, saddens me.  Under 1 roof, whilst married, kids - you cant get away from it - and what makes it worse is its with the people who are closest to you.

Im stumped when it comes for advice on this one.  Prayer is the only suggestion i can give.  The other suggestions from previous posts here are also very good.

Its something i think i may go through. My "girlfriend's" mother is a strict member of the firm and she entices her daughter to go.  My "girlfriend" says she will go back to church when she comes back from her travels of 18 months.

I feel a storm brewing...

[Gill]

Praying for you both, Betsy.

[gmik]

Check out Mike's site for info on the meeting in April in Michigan.  Maybe you are not far away from it. I will pray for you cuz I don't have much in the way of advice to offer.  Know that you are not alone and God will pro-tect you and your son- Truth always wins when the heart truly yearns for it.

[Nelson]

Hi folks,

"Pursue peace with all, and holiness, apart from which no one shall be seeing the Lord" (Heb 12:14)

"Now youthful desires flee: yet pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with all who are invoking the Lord out of a clean heart" (2 Tim 2:22)

"Likewise wives may do it by being subject to their own husbands, that, if any are stubborn also, as to the word, they will be gained without a word, through the behavior of their wives" (1 Pe 3:1)[/list:u]Remain in Christ that your inner man shall be at peace, and your son too. If your husband insists on him speaking to a priest then let his conscience guide him as he seeks the Lord in prayer. Going into a church is no big deal if one's heart is pure, check out Naaman's request and the answer he got,

"For this thing Yahweh be propitious to your servant, in the coming in of my lord into the house of Rimmon to bow himself there, and he was supported by my hand, and I bowed myself [in] the house of Rimmon; for my bowing myself in the house of Rimmon Yahweh be propitious, I pray you, to your servant in this thing..And he said to him, `Go in peace.' And he goes from him a kibrath of land" (2 Ki 5:18,19)[/list:u]Naaman, having been healed of his leprosy asks Elisha that Yahweh be propitious to Naaman as he has to accompany his 'lord', his King, into the house of Rimmon, a false god. He has to bow down in front of that false god in order to support his 'lord', yet what's really in Naaman's heart?

"And Naaman said, `If not--let be given, I pray you, to your servant, a couple of mules' burden of earth, for your servant does make no more burnt-offering and sacrifice to other elohims, but to Yahweh" (2 Ki 5:17)[/list:u]Yes, Yahweh is the true God in Naaman's heart and so true worship and sacrifice he will now give only to the true God. His inner man worships Yahweh, yet he performs his stately deed of entering the house of a false god and bowing down. This is nothing more than a physical act with no spirit of worship within and Elisha assures Naaman that he can be at peace within himself over this thing.

All scripture is inspired and beneficial, and this wonderful account can bring peace to those who may be suffering legalistic pressure regarding entering a church for some legitimate means. We worship in spirit and truth, and the Father is looking for such to worship Him. Have an easy heart sister, the Lord is greater than our hearts and will reassure you to yourself that you may be at peace with Him.

Grace and peace to you and yours

Nelsom

[Gill]

What a blessing those scriptures are, Nelson.  I think it's hard to understand which way to go in situations like these.  How far is too far when it comes to honoring your mother/father, wives submitting to husbands; understanding that sometimes it's members of your own house who will be your enemies, and at the same time you want to stand firm in the truths God has shown you.  Great story about Naaman too!

[Nelson]

Hi folks,

You're right Gill, it can be very difficult to know what to do or how to act in these situations, but knowing that God is conforming us into His image can be a great comfort.

The grace of God will chastise us if we err, and bless us when we walk in His ways,

"Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, And do not lean to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He Himself shall straighten your paths" (Pr 3:5,6)[/list:u]He does indeed straighten our paths and our circumstances are just one way He does this, if we only have eyes to see and ears to hear. Trusting God in difficult circumstances and praying for wisdom and peace will decrease the outer man of flesh while the inner man of the spirit increases, Christ in you!

Be blessed sister, grace and peace to you and yours

Nelson

[gmik]

Thank you Nelson.  Good Word.  I love seeing how Old Testament Stories apply to us today.