Unsaved dearest ones - best strategy?

[Guest]

It bothers me, the members of my own family who are not yet saved. That stubborn curtain comes down any time i mention God and closes completely at the name of Jesus Christ. Eyes, ears and heart so closed. Steeped in the false temptations and concerns of this life, they cannot see or feel the abundant love ready so nearby.  

So what to do? Lay off and stop any mention of my faith, keep it private and hidden? In case i get on their nerves and put them off even more. Or keep looking for opportunities to bring it into focus? 

My main feeling is disappointment. So i pray for them. I find in times of real trouble nobody so far has ever objected to being prayed for. They just don't know the truth - that they have equal right and access to God. 

It is hardest with your nearest dearest friends and family as you want the best for them. I have wonderful friends, such good souls but blind and deaf to God. 

Has anyone brought close friends or family to Christ and how long did it take? What did you do? 

 

[missmuffet]

4 minutes ago, Melinda12 said:

It bothers me, the members of my own family who are not yet saved. That stubborn curtain comes down any time i mention God and closes completely at the name of Jesus Christ. Eyes, ears and heart so closed. Steeped in the false temptations and concerns of this life, they cannot see or feel the abundant love ready so nearby.  

So what to do? Lay off and stop any mention of my faith, keep it private and hidden? In case i get on their nerves and put them off even more. Or keep looking for opportunities to bring it into focus? 

My main feeling is disappointment. So i pray for them. I find in times of real trouble nobody so far has ever objected to being prayed for. They just don't know the truth - that they have equal right and access to God. 

It is hardest with your nearest dearest friends and family as you want the best for them. I have wonderful friends, such good souls but blind and deaf to God. 

Has anyone brought close friends or family to Christ and how long did it take? What did you do? 

 

You pray for them. You need to be a godly example to your family so they can see Jesus Christ though you. That is all you can do. Only God can change the heart. 

[ayin jade]

My husband was the first in his family to get saved. He spent years praying for them, and getting others to pray for them. One by one they all got saved. Dont give up. Keep praying. 

[Tigger56]

4 hours ago, Melinda12 said:

It bothers me, the members of my own family who are not yet saved. That stubborn curtain comes down any time i mention God and closes completely at the name of Jesus Christ. Eyes, ears and heart so closed. Steeped in the false temptations and concerns of this life, they cannot see or feel the abundant love ready so nearby.  

So what to do? Lay off and stop any mention of my faith, keep it private and hidden? In case i get on their nerves and put them off even more. Or keep looking for opportunities to bring it into focus? 

My main feeling is disappointment. So i pray for them. I find in times of real trouble nobody so far has ever objected to being prayed for. They just don't know the truth - that they have equal right and access to God. 

It is hardest with your nearest dearest friends and family as you want the best for them. I have wonderful friends, such good souls but blind and deaf to God. 

Has anyone brought close friends or family to Christ and how long did it take? What did you do? 

 

All of the previous advise is good advise. I have some family that have turned their hearts to God and some that haven't.  I have 4 boys, now men. Three are baptized and follow the ways of the Lord, one of them is a minister now. I have one that still chooses to ignore God. I don't preach to him or to other members of my family that don't believe. But I also don't hide the Lord. I will thank the Lord in front of them. I will say a blessing, even if to myself with head bowed, if I eat with any of them. I will use the name of Jesus in conversations. But I also show that I walk the talk. I show them love, kindness and patience. I also never cease to pray for them. I would love to see all of my cousins, nephews, etc. turn to God. I was raised in a Godly home, yet only myself and one brother follow the Lord. I have two sisters that don't and one brother that doesn't. They are in my prayers daily. Never give up. Just be a light, keep praying, and let the Lord work in their lives. I trust in the Lord's perfect love and also in his perfect timing. 

[Debp]

Yes, alot of good advice already.   Remember salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit.  We cannot force our faith on anyone else.   Live your life in Christ naturally, love them, pray for them, share when it feels led of the Spirit.

Here is a good, short message which also includes some advice on ministering to others....

https://www.worthychristianforums.com/topic/245289-people-with-sore-and-bruised-hearts-puritan-sermon/

 

[Neighbor]

Pray, for God answers prayer.

Your own faith in God's promise may be challenged for lack of seeing fruit, but know that God answers prayer!

Ex: My own awareness of Jesus came some twenty years after the death in the flesh of my grandmother who prayed for me constantly, and shared reading from the Bible every time she was able to see me, even after many strokes and her words were garbled she shared the Bible and prayed.  

Some plant the seed some water and some harvest, but all  are equal in their efforts in the sight of God.  It is by God alone that many are saved.

 The one who plants must have faith that God has also willed  the growing and the harvest to be gained.

[Neighbor]

6 hours ago, Melinda12 said:

Or keep looking for opportunities to bring it into focus? 

 

Hi  May I add for your own consideration a phrase that might help YOU even more than your audience in gaining focus?

Try asking  as part of a conclusion in  sharing of our Lord and savior with any unsaved  person, ... "So, what is keeping you from Jesus,- today?"

Consider it a tail close, do as any salesmen does, seek out the objection to the sale, get the focus on  one or two things and be prepared to have to overcome those objections. Also retry that objection, by asking again is that it? If that might be resolved in your heart and mind today  will you want to then know  of your eternal security to be found in Jesus alone?

 

If you make your sharing all about you and all about Jesus, but do not make it apply as benefit to the hearer, the hearer will soon tire of hearing of the  features, for they will not have heard of the benefits to them personally.

Silly example: If you are selling vacuum cleaners door to door and come to a household with no carpets you have to show some additional benefit of the vacuum cleaner other than it's grand beater bar that pounds dirt loose from fibers. You need to make it useful to the potential  consumer. You need to show the additional benefits, to do that you need to know them well. But in any case the purchase itself is never made by the power of the salesman but instead by the enthusiasm of the consumer for the benefit of the product.

The salesman needs to have the attitude of assuming the sale, an enthusiasm that does not require the sale itself at that time, but every good salesman does add a buy now reason,  a sale price or an added benefit if purchased now. use some sales technique while believing in your product.

In general it takes some 600 attempts at contacting potential buyers to reach 10 with a presentation, and if allowed a full presentation of the product   1 in 10 buys. 1 in 10  out of a field  of 600 canvassed- It takes persistence to be good at what one sells, even eternal life with God through Jesus who is God.

 It is the working of God the Holy Spirit upon the potential "buyer". In the case of the gospel of Jesus that has been known to God from the beginning.

Go be the Bible salesman, know the benefits of the product expect objection, seek out specific objection overcome  with the product the objection, seek the sale again,  and if the hearer is not yet sold, finally ask- what is holding you back from seeking Jesus today, right now, today? Go for the objection narrow down objections to one overcome it and then ask fo e the person to "buy" the saving grace that is Jesus and Jesus alone.

[Revlori]

Hello,

yes me and my family have lead family and friends to the lord, but truly it's God calling them and his timing.

We were just used to pray with them. But before the prayer with them, was prayer for them.

We pray for our unsaved loved one always, we also live an example before them. As God draws them, they have already been prayed over multiple times and they have seen Christ in our lives, as well as all the invitations God provided over the years to them. It comes together, then one day, some have given their hearts and lives to Christ.

We still have unsaved loved ones, and we will continue to pray for them and live our lives for God, in hope that many if not all will come. This is painful for us, but I reflect upon God himself at this time. He has given life to all man kind. He gave his only son for all man kind. His desire is that all would come to him. However he knows the numerous who never did and the numerous who never will. He understands our pain we feel, because he feels this on a daily basis. For everyone who was ever lost to those who will be God mourns. But in God's amazing love for us, we may mourn here, but in heaven we will mourn no more. God will carry this alone forever.

So we continue to love our God and show this love to him by reaching out to others. We pray for them, we show others Christ through how we live and we remain hopeful that they may come.

God bless ?

[johnthebaptist]

6 hours ago, Melinda12 said:

It bothers me, the members of my own family who are not yet saved. That stubborn curtain comes down any time i mention God and closes completely at the name of Jesus Christ. Eyes, ears and heart so closed. Steeped in the false temptations and concerns of this life, they cannot see or feel the abundant love ready so nearby.  

So what to do? Lay off and stop any mention of my faith, keep it private and hidden? In case i get on their nerves and put them off even more. Or keep looking for opportunities to bring it into focus? 

My main feeling is disappointment. So i pray for them. I find in times of real trouble nobody so far has ever objected to being prayed for. They just don't know the truth - that they have equal right and access to God. 

It is hardest with your nearest dearest friends and family as you want the best for them. I have wonderful friends, such good souls but blind and deaf to God. 

Has anyone brought close friends or family to Christ and how long did it take? What did you do? 

 

Before you start talking to people about God, you might ask them if it's okay. If so, speak your mind. If not, don't talk about it.

[dhchristian]

6 hours ago, Melinda12 said:

It bothers me, the members of my own family who are not yet saved. That stubborn curtain comes down any time i mention God and closes completely at the name of Jesus Christ. Eyes, ears and heart so closed. Steeped in the false temptations and concerns of this life, they cannot see or feel the abundant love ready so nearby.  

So what to do? Lay off and stop any mention of my faith, keep it private and hidden? In case i get on their nerves and put them off even more. Or keep looking for opportunities to bring it into focus? 

My main feeling is disappointment. So i pray for them. I find in times of real trouble nobody so far has ever objected to being prayed for. They just don't know the truth - that they have equal right and access to God. 

It is hardest with your nearest dearest friends and family as you want the best for them. I have wonderful friends, such good souls but blind and deaf to God. 

Has anyone brought close friends or family to Christ and how long did it take? What did you do? 

My Father in Law just passed away over the weekend, for years he was as you described, didn't want to hear. I prayed and tried to be an example while he was here with us where we live. From what I hear, as he moved to Florida he began to attend a church, and I pray he heard and received the Gospel down there, But I shed tears not knowing if he did receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior? Someday we will find out. Please pray for my wife and here family as they go through this.

Folks who are on the fence, now is the time to get out of the valley of decision for one thing we all must face is our own mortality. It could happen suddenly and unexpectedly even for the young person. There is only one way to heaven and that is through blood of Jesus as shed on the cross. Go to the cross, we can all approach that cross on level ground, and Tell him as simply as saying "I Need you LORD Jesus to save me" and He will.